MARY, MOTHER OF GOD Homily, LUKE 2:16-21 January 1, 2026
By Fr. Vincent Corbelli, MM
1) STORY
One day as Jesus
was walking around heaven, he noticed some doubtful characters and wondered how
they got there. He went to ask St. Peter
how this happened as Peter was instructed to let in only qualified persons. St. Peter assured Jesus that he was carrying
out his duty by standing at the gates and permitting only qualified persons to
enter. However, Peter informed Jesus
that at night his mother Mary would open the back door of heaven and permit
those less than qualified souls in. She
wanted all her children to get into their eternal home, heaven.
2) GOSPEL, LUKE
2:16-21
A) SHEPHERDS
The gospel tells
us that the shepherds did three things when Jesus was born:
i) They went to
Bethlehem in search of Jesus.
ii) They told
others what they had seen.
iii) They
glorified and praised God. They set a
good example for us.
B) MARY
The gospel tells
us that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Jesus was the center of her life.
3) APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A) We
must always search for Jesus in our busy lives. There are many distractions which could keep
us from searching for him. We must
introduce others to Jesus who have never met him or have abandoned him. We must praise and glorify God who is the
creator of our world and who sent Jesus to save us.
B) MARY
Jesus was the
center of her life. We must make him the
most important person in our lives, the center of our lives. For some persons the center of their lives may
be food, clothing, money, or entertainment. We must reject these temptations. Jesus gives us guidance, strength, peace, joy,
and forgiveness. He becomes the center
of our lives when we communicate with him in prayer, we listen to his voice
through the word of God, and we receive his spiritual food in the Eucharist.
4) CONCLUSION
Just as Mary
helps people get to their eternal home, heaven, she helps us as we begin this
new year. We follow the example of the
shepherds by telling others about Jesus and by praising and glorifying him by
our words and deeds. We keep Jesus as
the center of our lives as Mary did. She
helps us to stay near to her son, Jesus.
