The Daily Gospel for Happy New Year, Friday, January 1, 2016

The Daily Gospel for Happy New Year, Friday, January 1, 2016

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God - Solemnity
Feast of the Church: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

MARY, MOTHER OF GODO marvelous exchange! 
Man's Creator has become man, 
born of a virgin. 
We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ 
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Mary has given birth to a King 
whose name is everlasting ; 
hers the joy of motherhood, 
hers the virgin's glory.
Never was the like seen before, 
never shall it be seen again, alleluia.
By your miraculous birth of the Virgin 
you have fulfilled the Scriptures : 
like a gentle rain falling upon the earth 
you have come down to save your people.
O God, we praised you.[Christian Prayer : The Liturgy of the Hours; Daughters of St. Paul * St. Paul Editions * 1976]

The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God - Solemnity
The Book of Numbers 6:22 Adonai said to Moshe, 23 “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra’el: you are to say to them,

24 ‘Y’varekh’kha Adonai v’yishmerekha.

[May Adonai bless you and keep you.]

25 Ya’er Adonai panav eleikha vichunekka.

[May Adonai make his face shine on you and show you his favor.]

26 Yissa Adonai panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.

[May Adonai lift up his face toward you and give you peace.]’

27 “In this way they are to put my name on the people of Isra’el, so that I will bless them.”

Psalm 67:2 (1) God, be gracious to us, and bless us.

May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)

3 (2) so that your way may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations.

5 (4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,

for you will judge the peoples fairly

and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)

6 (5) Let the peoples give thanks to you, God;

let the peoples give thanks to you, all of them.

8 (7) May God continue to bless us,

so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

The Letter to the Galatians 4:4 but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm, 5 so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God’s sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.
The Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah according to Saint Luke 2:16 Hurrying off, they came and found Miryam and Yosef, and the baby lying in the feeding trough. 17 Upon seeing this, they made known what they had been told about this child; 18 and all who heard were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19 Miryam treasured all these things and kept mulling them over in her heart. 20 Meanwhile, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen; it had been just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time for his b’rit-milah, he was given the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his conception.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God - Solemnity

Commentary of the day:
Saint John XXIII (1881-1963), pope
Discourse of Pope John XXIII  Mary, star of morning, gate of heaven

Mary Immaculate announces the dawn of eternal day and aids and guides us all along the way that still separates us from it. For this reason the Office hymn “Hail, thou star of morning” is a sweet petition: "Act in such a way that, believing in Jesus with you, we may be glad in it with you”. This is the end, the crowning of a life of grace, towards which every heartbeat, all the most generous efforts of our fidelity as Christians, must tend. Take heart, my children, we shall not always be in trouble. O Mary, “you are our strength”! O Mary, radiant image of grace and purity, when you appeared you dispersed the shadows of night and raised us to the splendors of heaven: be favorable to your children. Prepare our thoughts for the coming of the Sun of Justice (Malachi 3:20) whom you brought into the world. Gate of heaven, make our hearts long for paradise. Mirror of justice, preserve within us a love for divine grace that, in humility and joy, we may fulfil our Christian vocation. May we always enjoy friendship with our Lord and receive your motherly consolation. 

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