January 1st of each year is only one of two holy days of obligation in our Church
outside of the mass of the Lord’s Resurrection on Sunday: the other being the
Solemnity of Christmas on December 25th . It is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
There is no better individual to honour when we reflect an openness to the
presence of God in the signs God sends us. The words she heard from the angel
Gabriel: “Greetings Mary! The Lord is with you!” were comforting words as she
would be asked to say “yes” to the Lord’s invitation to be the bearer of the Christ-
child. It was her faith that poured forth the great Magnificat: “My soul proclaims
the greatness of the Lord! My spirit rejoices in God my saviour!” This would first
take a trust that the Lord truly was with her. Being assured that the Lord was with her brought her peace in a way that the world would have never been able to give her. This same God offers us the graces to be open to the signs of God’s promise of his love. Are we attentive to them in our lives? Our God came into the world as a child to teach us the way to the Kingdom. I have learned from children how to be attentive to the promise of God’s love in signs.
As we were processing to the cemetery to bury my mother last May, my 10-year-
old nephew noticed a streak of rainbow colours in a bright sunny sky. Rainbows
biblically signified God’s promises. A child pointed out the promise of
Resurrection for our loved one as we were grieving. These signs that we recognize of God’s love call us forth to cry out the Magnificat as Mary did centuries ago.
Picture and article by: Fr. Dan Lobsinger, CR
www.Resurrectionits.ca