January 1 — New Years – Mary Mother of God

My mother used to always admonish my brothers and I on New Years Day, “Behave.  What you do on the first day of the year you will do on every day of the year.”

Luckily, her words of warning never came true.  If they had, then that would mean I would spend the remaining days of the year despising the taste of black eyed peas and super self conscious about every act I made that “first day of the year.”

The Latin Church, in her wisdom, has the faithful begin the year with a holy day of obligation honoring Mary the Mother of God.  What better way to begin the year than to begin it attending Mass and honoring Jesus’ mother, our heavenly mother?

The Episcopal Church, begins the year honoring the circumcision of Jesus through the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.  Taking the name of the feast day from the gospel passage common to both celebrations in the Church today — Luke 2:15-21:

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. — Luke 2:15-21

In many ways, the New Year’s day celebrations of Mary the Mother of God and The Holy Name allow us to be those shepherds embarking on the journey of a new year and seeking to discover “this thing that has taken place”.

New year, new beginning, continuing along on the spiritual journey.

The collect from today’s Holy Name liturgy sums up well the longings of this day:

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Originally published January 1, 2016

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