Mary mother of Peace bless all of us for 2014

Mary Mother of God 01-01-14 The world day of Peace Our Spiritual Pilgrimage in Mary!!!!! 1st Reading Numbers 6:22-27 Blessing with God’s Name! 2nd Reading Galatians 4:4-7 Jesus coming in to this world has enabled us to be daughters/sons of God! Gospel Luke 2:16-21 Naming of Jesus! What a joy for all of us to see another year, a year called 2014, a year of immense possibilities, We are able to wish each one a happy New Year.! This has become possible for all of us because God has allowed us to be called one family as chosen people. At the beginning of every year the pilgrimage of our spiritual journey begins. And it is possible in Mary our Mother and the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Church!!! The family which has been given a Name which means something special, it is not because of our worthiness but because of the gratuitous gift of faith!!!! A chosen people we have become. What a privilege, let us wish each other because Jesus has become our brother and Mother Mary our mother. In the first reading we see how God said to Moses that they could be special because when Aaron would bless the people placing his Name over them which would allow them to be special. This is a special choice not only for the Israelites but all the people who would be chosen in Jesus. This becomes clearer in the second reading where Saint Paul so beautifully tells the Galatians how they have been saved by Jesus love! The whole of the Gospel is a revelation of God’s wonderful love for mankind. We see the special choice of Mary to be the mother of God. Her submission to God’s will facing so many difficulties of social order. People come to know that though she is betrothed to Joseph she is showing the signs of being already with child! Once she has realized that this was because of the power of the Holy Spirit. She humbly surrenders to whatever that may be the consequence. Even Joseph who is a just man wants to put her away quietly. He too submits to God’s will. She eventually names Jesus with the name that was given by God the father himself!!!!! We see today how each one who has been granted to be the child of God. We have to constantly submit to God’s will. It is not easy for us Christians to be like Mary. When difficulties arise we always say oh we are human beings we cannot be like Mary!!!!!! But God who loves each of us when we submit to his will makes every thing easy and possible. Only one has to submit to the will of God!!! We may be placed in any place and situation, may be in factories, in offices, in administration, in government establishments, in places. it may be difficult to openly profess our faith!!!!! God grants us to submit to his will. if we are able to see it in all sorts of situation!!!! That is why there are so many movements which have been publicly testifying to God’s presence in their lives!!!! Have we the courage to accept this challenge and understand what Jesus told his disciples when he was departing to his Father “ I am with you even to the ends of time” When we wish each other a happy new year shall we remember the year 2014 will bring us many possibilitie. this will be a better year for all of us with lots of hope because God has permitted us to see this new year. This already is a special invitation for all of us to be one with Him. Thus when we are invited by the universal church through our holy Father the Pope to be instruments of Peace!! How shall we be the sign and symbol of peace? By our own lives as testimonies of God’s presence like Mary!!!! Whenever we attend the Eucharistic celebration, at the end of each celebration there is a blessing where the priest or the celebrant blesses the whole assembly. This allows us to be possessed of the power of Almighty God!! What a privilege that we are carrying in us God!! Wishing all of you a very happy, fruitful, joyous, peaceful, opportunities bringing year 2014!!!! In union with the divine word, Fr. Juze Vaz svd