Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
View today’s full Liturgy and readings here.
January 1 — World Day of Peace
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” — Luke 2:19
The Church begins the civil year not with fireworks or resolutions, but with a woman holding a Child.
That alone tells us everything.
We don’t start the year with power, ambition, or achievement.
We start with reception.
With silence.
With trust.
Mary does not speak in today’s Gospel. She does not act. She does not explain. She keeps and ponders. The Word has already been spoken into her life, and now she lives with it — day after day, without knowing how it will unfold.
That is the posture of faith.
Mary’s Title Is Not Sentimental — It Is Doctrinal
“Mother of God” is not a poetic title.
It is a theological line in the sand.
The Church defends this title not to exalt Mary, but to protect the truth about Christ:
Jesus is not part God.
He is not God later.
He is not a prophet who became divine.
From the first moment of His existence in Mary’s womb, He is fully God and fully man.
So when we say Mary, Mother of God, we are saying:
God entered time.
God accepted dependence.
God trusted Himself to human care.
And that should stop us in our tracks.
The Hidden Strength of Mary
Mary’s greatness is not in dramatic action.
It is in steadfast presence.
She:
accepts what she cannot control
endures misunderstanding
holds sorrow without bitterness
remains faithful when clarity is gone
She does not demand explanations.
She does not rush God’s timing.
She does not perform holiness.
She lives it — quietly.
This is the kind of faith that lasts.
A Father’s Lens
As a father, this feast hits differently.
Mary teaches something essential to anyone trying to lead a family, raise a child, or walk faithfully through uncertainty:
You do not need to control the story to be faithful in it.
She raised the Son of God without fully understanding what His life would require.
She watched Him grow.
She watched Him suffer.
She stood at the Cross.
And she never abandoned her post.
That’s fatherhood.
That’s manhood.
That’s discipleship.
Showing up.
Staying steady.
Trusting God with what you cannot fix.
The World Wants Noise. God Begins in Silence.
January 1st is loud in the world:
goals
resolutions
pressure to improve
pressure to perform
But the Church gives us Mary instead.
A woman who teaches us that holiness begins with:
attention
patience
obedience
interior stillness
She teaches us that peace does not come from control.
It comes from surrender.
A Word for the New Year
If you’re walking into this year tired…
If you feel behind…
If your life feels unfinished or uncertain…
You’re in the right place.
God does not begin His work in clarity.
He begins it in trust.
Mary didn’t know the whole road.
She just said yes to the next step.
That’s enough.
SJW Reflection Prompt
Sit quietly today and ask:
Where am I resisting trust?
What part of my life am I trying to control instead of receive?
What would it look like to carry this year like Mary—faithfully, quietly, without fear?
Then place the year in her hands.
She knows how to carry Christ into the world.