01/01/2023

My purpose is to start each day by reading the Mass Readings for the day and accepting the reflections that they inspire. This is my "purpose" but on turning on the computer my mind gets captured by the trivia of the headlines and in spite of myself I start to reflect not on Mary's place in God's plan for mankind but on the salaries of footballers.

Jesus is the living blessing of our God on his creation, man. This is not easy for us to acknowledge and fully believe in the intensity of this truth.  It was not  well argued polemic that turned the hearts of deeply committed Jews to a belief that the oneness of God was a Trinity of coequal persons. St Paul although steeped in the teaching of the Old Testament had come to believe that "God sent his son, born of a woman and subject to the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons.".

Jesus' life, death and Resurrection is the most important event in the History of the World and for many of the witnesses it was witnessed as the greatest of Blessings ever received by mankind. Moses had led them out of Egypt into a land of milk and honey but the Blessing of the Resurrection is righteous living in this world and a place in the presence of  Father, Son and Holy Spirit for a new mode of living without end which we call Heaven.

Today is a Church Solemnity for God's plan comes about through the only woman ever conceived without sin, full of grace, the body from which grew the body of God and so we give thankful praise Glory to God for  Immaculate Mary, Mother of God, "Theotokos".

Dear Lord let me this day the first of 2023, live without sin and in a positive prayerful being turned towards you. May Mary not be embarrassed by the exuberance of our praise of her for she knows that it is only the Lord our God who is to be worshipped, and help us  achieve the pure heart that is the perfect worship of You Our Father contained in her total submission to your will