Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God: The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord

Readings: Numbers 6:22–27; Psalm 67:2–3, 5, 6, 8; Galatians 4:4–7; Hebrews 1:1–2

  

    As we enter a new year, the Church invites us not to rush ahead but to pause once more before the manger. The Octave Day of the Nativity draws us back into the heart of Christmas, reminding us that the mystery of the Incarnation continues to unfold in our lives. Today, we honor Mary, the Holy Mother of God—the woman whose faith welcomed the Eternal Word into the world. May this solemnity open our hearts to receive the blessing God desires to pour upon us in the year ahead.

“The Lord bless you and keep you.”
(Numbers 6:22–27)

    The priestly blessing entrusted to Moses is one of Scripture’s most tender assurances of God’s care. The Lord declares, “The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you” (Num 6:25, NABRE). Israel longed for this shining of God’s face, for His protection, for His peace.

    On this solemn day, we recognize that this blessing is no longer a distant hope. It has taken flesh.

    Mary gazes upon the very face of God as she holds her newborn Son. The peace spoken by Aaron is now wrapped in swaddling clothes. The blessing invoked over Israel is fulfilled in the Child entrusted to Mary’s arms. She becomes the vessel through whom God places His name upon His people.

“May God be gracious to us and bless us.”
(Psalm 67)

    The psalmist’s plea becomes our own as we begin a new year: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may his face shine upon us” (Ps 67:2, NABRE). We ask for God’s blessing not as a vague wish but as a confident prayer rooted in the Incarnation.

    The nations are invited to rejoice because God has drawn near. His saving power is no longer hidden behind cloud or prophecy. It has a mother. It has a home. It has a human face.

    Mary stands before us as the first witness of this blessing, the first to cradle the One who is Himself the mercy of God.

“Born of a woman… so that we might receive adoption.”
(Galatians 4:4–7)

    St. Paul leads us to the heart of today’s celebration: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman… so that we might receive adoption” (Gal 4:4–5, NABRE). Christ’s coming is not abstract. It is embodied. It is entrusted to a mother.

    Through Mary’s “yes,” the eternal Son enters time so that we might enter the life of God. Through her motherhood, we receive our identity as sons and daughters. We are no longer slaves to fear or sin. We belong to the Father. We share in the inheritance of Christ.

    Mary, the Mother of God, becomes also the Mother of all who live in Him.

“In these last days, he spoke to us through a son.”
(Hebrews 1:1–2)

    The author of Hebrews lifts our hearts to the fullness of God’s revelation: “In times past, God spoke… through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son” (Heb 1:1–2, NABRE). The Word is no longer heard only in thunder or vision; He is heard in the cry of an infant, in the silence of Nazareth, in the Gospel proclaimed.

    Mary is the first to receive this Word, the first to ponder Him, the first to carry Him into the world. She becomes the model of every disciple who desires to listen deeply to God’s voice.

A Mother for the Journey Ahead

    As we begin this new year, the Church entrusts us to Mary’s maternal care. She teaches us how to treasure God’s blessings, how to ponder His mysteries, how to trust His timing, how to welcome His Word. Her motherhood is not a memory—it is a grace for today.

    She stands beside us as she once stood beside the manger, inviting us to behold the Child who is our peace, our hope, our blessing.

A Prayer for the New Year

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May His face shine upon you through the tenderness of Mary’s gaze.
May His peace rest upon your home, your work, your hopes, and your heart.
And may the Mother of God walk with you throughout this year, leading you ever closer to her Son.

    As we conclude this octave of Christmas, may we carry with us the quiet strength of Mary’s faith. She teaches us that God’s greatest works often begin in silence, in trust, in the hidden places of the heart. The Child she bore is the blessing spoken over us today and every day. May we enter this new year with renewed confidence that God’s face shines upon us, that His grace accompanies us, and that His peace is ours in Christ Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, our Mother and our Queen.

Location: Hollywood, FL 33025, USA

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