Christmas: January 1st

Octave of Christmas and Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Holy Day of Obligation USA)

MASS READINGS

January 01, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Octave Day of Christmas; Circumcision of Our Lord ; Other Titles: New Years Day

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord.

"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." — Catechism of the Catholic Church 721

A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - Day Eight
Although New Year's Day is not celebrated by the Church, this day has been observed as a holy day of obligation since early times due to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Each family and country has different traditional foods to eat on New Year's Day, with lentils being the main superstition: ill luck befalling those who do not eat lentils at the beginning of the year.

New Year's is a day of traditional hospitality, visiting and good cheer, mostly with a secular view, but there is no reason that this day, too, could not be sanctified in Christ.

Day Eight activity (New Year's Day Party)
Day Eight recipe (New Year's Pretzel)

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 2:16-21

The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord Solemnity of Mary

Mary kept all these things. (Luke 2:19)

Happy 2019! All of us here at The Word Among Us pray that this will be a year of great blessing for each of you. And what better way to begin the year than by honoring Mary!

As Mother of God, Mary had the privilege of bearing Jesus, true God and true man, into the world. Together with Joseph, she also had the honor—and the challenge—of raising a child whose two natures, divine and human, were intimately united but did not overshadow one another.

Think about the important role Mary played in teaching Jesus and forming him in his human nature. Think about how her example and her love influenced the kind of Messiah he would be. Her compassion helped show him what it means to be merciful. The witness of her faith helped him trust in God’s power to perform miracles. Her prayer, “May it be done to me according to your word,” taught him to follow his heavenly Father’s will (Luke 1:38). No wonder we proclaim that she is blessed among women!

In today’s Gospel, St. Luke tells us the most important thing that Mary taught Jesus: prayerfully reflecting on God’s words and his works. Jesus must have seen his mother praying thousands of times—both by herself and with Joseph. Her prayerfulness helped set the tone in her home as she taught her young son to bring every question, every word of praise, and every need to his heavenly Father. And clearly, it worked. The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus finding time to get away and talk—and listen—to God (Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21; 9:28-29; John 11:41-43; 17:1-26).

Mary isn’t just the Mother of Jesus. She is also Mother of the Church. She is your Mother. So let her do for you what she did for Jesus. Let her example, her wisdom, and her intercession teach you how to ponder God’s word and how to treasure his love. Let her teach you how to pray.

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.”

Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
Galatians 4:4-7