Mary, Mother of God Is it over yet? Are the carols gone from the air waves? Have the stores dismantled their decorations? Has Christmas been put away to make room for Valentine’s Day? It always happens so fast. We waited and waited for Christmas, and then it came and went in a flash. But it did not happen like that for Mary; and we cannot afford to let it happen like that for us. She kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart—and so must we. All who heard the shepherds were amazed at the story they had to tell. It was Mary who kept turning the events over and over in her mind, trying to plumb the depths of their meaning. From the moment of the angel’s unbelievable declaration, she realized that for the rest of her days she would be living with mystery. And so she kept all these things in her heart. Mary had a unique relationship with the Blessed Trinity as daughter of the Father, mother of the Son, and spouse of the Holy Spirit. Her feelings are beautifully expressed in the Magnificat, which she spoke during her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Here she is filled with joy as the recipient of God’s love and also of an awesome responsibility For this today we say a special Thanks to her. The Son is so often a reflection of the mother as the woman in the Gospel so clearly realised. He is the one who will rout the “proud in heart” but will “fill the hungry with good things”. We are, at the same time, among those who are hungry and who are called on to feed others spiritually, emotionally and materially according to need. The first day of the New Year is traditionally a day to pray for peace. This year, peace is much more than a seasonal theme. It might conjure up the faces of frightened children dressed in foreign garb, or that of a daughter or son in uniform. We beg God to look upon us kindly and give us peace. Here again, Mary may well serve as our model. She considered deeply the events of her life. So must we, if peace is to take root in our day and take flesh in our lives. Let us pray: Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; let peace fill our hearts ,let peace fill our world ,let peace fill our universe.