MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD, Luke 2:16-21, January 1, 2024
1) 1) STORY
Fulton was
a famous editor but did not believe in God.
His family was in serious trouble, and he needed help but did not know where
to get this help. One day, he passed a
church, stopped, looked at it, and decided to enter. He sat for a while, then got up and walked
over to the Chapel of Our Lady. He went
inside, knelt down and prayed, “Mary, if you are really here, please help me.” At that moment, there began a great change in
his life. The change ended in his becoming a deeply committed Catholic. Mary came to his aid.
2) GOSPEL: LUKE
2:16-21
A) THE
SHEPHERDS AT THE MANGER. There are three
things the shepherds did.
i. They
went to Bethlehem searching for Jesus.
ii. They
told others about Jesus.
iii. They glorified and praised God for all they had seen and heard.
B) MARY,
THE MOTHER OF GOD. Mary did two things.
i. She kept
all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Jesus was the center of her life.
ii. She was
obedient. Sat the circumcision, she
named her son, Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived
in the womb.
3)
APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) BE LIKE
THE SHEPHERDS.
i. We must
continue to meet Jesus in our daily prayers, when we attend MASS, hear his
word, and receive the Eucharist.
ii. We must
tell others about Jesus by our words and actions.
iii. We
must continue to praise and glorify God for giving us the gift of Jesus, our
savior and King.
B) MARY, OUR
MOTHER AND MODEL.
i. Mary is
the mother of Jesus. She loved him,
cared for him, and taught him many things.
Mary is also our mother who loves us and cares for us.
ii. In a
world full of distractions, she helps us make Jesus the center of our lives.
iii. She
helps us to be obedient to Jesus and to resist the many worldly temptations
which lead us into sin. As we begin this
new year, God has given us Mary as our mother and model. We must stay close to Mary throughout the year.
4)
CONCLUSION
Fulton,
in his hour of great need, found Mary who came to his rescue. The shepherds sought the baby Jesus, shared
the good news with others, and praised and glorified God for this great gift of
a savior. We must do the same. Mary kept Jesus as the center of her life and
was obedient to the word of God. As we
begin a new year, God has given us Mary as our mother and model. We must stay close to Mary who will always
keep us close to Jesus, our savior and King.
