There’s no intrinsic reason why a new year should be any different from an old one. While we’re conscious of having turned a page on a whole new calendar, New Year's Day is really no more than just another sunrise. Still, we greet each new year with hope for the chance to be born again to new life and possibilities. We pray for a peaceful world. We anticipate new beginnings. We make resolutions to quit smoking, exercise more, eat better, make better decisions for ourselves and those we love. This could be the year we finally keep our promises.

If we look back at past years and former resolutions that began bravely and ended miserably, we might be discouraged. Starting over in a new town, we may wind up with the same old problems if we change only the outer circumstances and not the inner person. Newness of life is not achieved by rearranging the deck chairs while remaining aboard a ship bound for disaster. If we drink too much, we have to give up the booze, period. If we cheat, we have to come clean and go straight. If we’ve been tepid in our family life, we have to resolve to commit. If we’re morally lazy, we have to pledge to be ambitious for virtue. If we don’t pray, now’s the time to start. If we’re depressed or anxious, we should seek professional support and guidance. If our goals are fuzzy, we should seek spiritual direction and discernment. If we’re lonely, we can seek community in parish involvement, faith-sharing, or volunteer work.

Why today? Why not some other day? Precisely because we live in a human society that offers mutually established markers for the measurement of time and progress. Now is the time; now is always the time, if we understand anything about the magnificent present tense of the “I AM” God we worship. God blesses today because today is where we always find ourselves. Today is the most important day of our lives because it’s the day in which we live and move and have our being. Yesterday’s gone; tomorrow is no sure thing. Today is the only day in which you can make a difference.

So may the Lord bless us and keep us, shine the divine face on us, and be gracious to us this day and the coming year. And may Mary, Mother of God and mother of the church, surround us with her nurturing love and guidance. We can follow her example, pondering our present circumstances in our hearts and seeking understanding of where we stand and where we might yet be led. Take time to determine today what needs changing and resolve to take that first step into a brave and blessed new future.

Related scripture links

Infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke: Matt. 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-52
The Woman in John: John 2:1-12, 19:25-27
Mary at Pentecost: Acts 1:13-14, 2:1-4

Catechism links

Natures of Jesus: CCC 464-469
Mary, Mother of God: CCC 144; 484-507; 721-726
Mary, Mother of the Church: CCC 773; 829; 963-972

In our traditional way of telling the story, we short-change the shepherds. The typical manger set reveals the imbalance: While Magi arrive at the Nativity bearing magnificent gifts in their arms, impoverished shepherds show up empty-handed. Well, almost. Sometimes a shepherd holds a lamb in his arms, or drapes one across his shoulders. Certainly sheep trail in the shepherds’ footsteps. Nothing suggests these animals are presented as gifts. When you’re a shepherd, sheep come with the territory.

Of course, nativity sets are a composite of two gospel accounts. In no biblical infancy story do Magi and shepherds arrive in tandem to pay their respects to the Christ child. Either you get one set of visitors or the other. Matthew prefers the noble visitors with symbolic gifts. They fit into his overall scheme of presenting Jesus as the one sought by outsiders even as he’s rejected heartily by the historical King of the Jews, Herod. Meanwhile, Luke recounts his Nativity story with shepherds. Humble visitors suit Luke’s agenda: that the poor are specially poised to hear the good news this child will announce.

Following Luke’s strand today, let’s listen closely to what he’s actually saying. Unlike the popular carol about a drummer boy who comes “with no gift to bring,” the shepherds do bring an astonishing offering to the Holy Family. They proclaim a message delivered to them in angelsong. The heavenly message goes something like this: Good news! Today everyone has something to celebrate. The Messiah of David’s house is here! The faithful on earth will know his peace.

Is this message as valuable as those other, more famous presents? While it’s easier, perhaps, to compose three verses about the wise men’s more tangible gifts, good news for everyone on earth is a pretty special declaration. Has there been such an announcement before or since? Usually the daily news is good for some, not so good for others. Most of the time, to be honest, it’s good for the few, and bad for the many. Good news for everyone is surprisingly hard to visualize, like world peace. Can an event that takes place on this planet possibly be good for everybody?

Is it a failure of imagination on our part that we can’t seem to see the shepherds’ gift? Or is it that the allure of gold, pleasing perfume, and ominous myrrh are so much more vivid to us? On this World Day of Peace, will any of us commit to “peace on earth, good will toward all” as more desirable goal even than gold? Mary put the shepherd’s words into her heart and treasured them for a lifetime. They’ve outlasted all the other gifts.

Related scripture links

Infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke: Matt. 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-52
The Woman in John: John 2:1-12, 19:25-27
Mary at Pentecost: Acts 1:13-14, 2:1-4

Catechism links

Natures of Jesus: CCC 464-469
Mary, Mother of God: CCC 144; 484-507; 721-726
Mary, Mother of the Church: CCC 773; 829; 963-972

There’s no intrinsic reason why a new year should be any different from an old one. While we’re conscious of having turned a page on a whole new calendar, New Year's Day is really no more than just another sunrise. Still, we greet each new year with hope for the chance to be born again to new life and possibilities. We pray for a peaceful world. We anticipate new beginnings. We make resolutions to quit smoking, exercise more, eat better, make better decisions for ourselves and those we love. This could be the year we finally keep our promises.

If we look back at past years and former resolutions that began bravely and ended miserably, we might be discouraged. Starting over in a new town, we may wind up with the same old problems if we change only the outer circumstances and not the inner person. Newness of life is not achieved by rearranging the deck chairs while remaining aboard a ship bound for disaster. If we drink too much, we have to give up the booze, period. If we cheat, we have to come clean and go straight. If we’ve been tepid in our family life, we have to resolve to commit. If we’re morally lazy, we have to pledge to be ambitious for virtue. If we don’t pray, now’s the time to start. If we’re depressed or anxious, we should seek professional support and guidance. If our goals are fuzzy, we should seek spiritual direction and discernment. If we’re lonely, we can seek community in parish involvement, faith-sharing, or volunteer work.

Why today? Why not some other day? Precisely because we live in a human society that offers mutually established markers for the measurement of time and progress. Now is the time; now is always the time, if we understand anything about the magnificent present tense of the “I AM” God we worship. God blesses today because today is where we always find ourselves. Today is the most important day of our lives because it’s the day in which we live and move and have our being. Yesterday’s gone; tomorrow is no sure thing. Today is the only day in which you can make a difference.

So may the Lord bless us and keep us, shine the divine face on us, and be gracious to us this day and the coming year. And may Mary, Mother of God and mother of the church, surround us with her nurturing love and guidance. We can follow her example, pondering our present circumstances in our hearts and seeking understanding of where we stand and where we might yet be led. Take time to determine today what needs changing and resolve to take that first step into a brave and blessed new future.

Related scripture links

Infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke: Matt. 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-52
The woman in John: John 2:1-12, 19:25-27
Mary at Pentecost: Acts 1:13-14, 2:1-4

Catechism links

Natures of Jesus: CCC 464-469
Mary, Mother of God: CCC 144; 484-507; 721-726
Mary, Mother of the Church: CCC 773; 829; 963-972