December 30, 2001

SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - MOTHER OF GOD

Anyone who has made a New Year's Resolution knows you have to dedicate yourself to making it happen. We gather on the first day of the year to dedicate our year to the mother of God and Queen of Peace, and to dedicate ourselves to seeking peace.

"Why do we have to go to Mass this morning Dad? I am so tired!" This holy day of obligation can seem especially cruel to teenagers who have rung in the New Year, but we truly are obliged to begin the New Year God gave us by returning it to the Lord. Mary began her motherhood by entrusting herself to God's will. In today's Gospel, she begins Jesus' life by treasuring and reflecting on God's gifts and by going to the temple to dedicate her son to God. Like Mary, we start the year by gathering to reflect on God's gift of time and dedicate ourselves to doing God's will.

God's will is for a return of the Eden like peace and harmony of all creation. So we also dedicate ourselves today to praying for the blessing peace in our world. Violence of all kinds finds its way into our lives when we are not looking. Unless we truly dedicate ourselves to seeking peace, the violence will continue. Today, Mary the mother of God shows us how to balance faith, prayer, and action in order to bring Christ's peace to birth in our homes, communities, nation, and world. Maybe our friends are right when they say, "you are getting up to go to Church tomorrow? WOW! That is dedication!"

SO THE QUESTION: HOW WILL GOD FIT INTO YOUR PLANS THIS YEAR?

During Christmas time our families have lots of occasions to put on our Sunday best and pretend that we are the perfect family. The feast of the Holy Family invites us to love one another in spite of our many imperfections and so to grow as holy families.

"This family is dysfunctional!" Lillian screams as she stomps away from Christmas dinner. Stephen flings an accusation across the table. "See what you have done now Mom?" Caroline thinks that maybe she should not have left James after all. Whether it is families we were raised in, the households we live in, our network of friends, or our parish families during Christmas time, our "family" flaws seem to be more than we can bear. We blame each other. We blame ourselves for our less than holy families.

The feast offers us the vision of the Holy Family, not as judgement for our many failings, but as encouragement to keep on loving each other. It is not the make up of Jesus' family or the personal perfection of this husband, wife, and son that we focus on in today's readings. It is their love for one another that makes them a holy family. Paul encourages us not to give up on each other, but to PUT ON LOVE. Through all the tough choices and trying times, it is the decision to love each other that allows any family or group of friends to become holy together.

Figuring out how to love one another is a constant challenge, especially when one member does not love in return. Love does not just mean doing what others want. Even Jesus did not always do what his mother or his friends wanted him to do. Jesus and his family can help us discern how we are to PUT ON LOVE.

SO THE QUESTION: HOW DOES YOUR HOUSEHOLD MAKE IT THROUGH ROUGH TIMES?

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