HOMILY – FEAST OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

ST. ANTHONY CHURCH – GREENVILLE, SC

JANUARY 1, 2007 – 10AM

May the Lord Give us His peace this New Year.

Walk with God,  ransom paid,  shepherds telling stories.

Walk with God.  The famous blessing Moses gives Aaron and his priest-sons makes a communion between God’s desire to bless humanity with his favor and humanity’s requesting it also.  Turn your face to us, give us peace, look upon us kindly.  God intends all of this, now we hear our matching God’s desire.

Perhaps this year we will be experiencing a closer walk with God.  Perhaps we will be found reading God’s word here and there, or even regularly.  We may feel God with us, Emmanuel, and live from a service to Him, a return for all He has given us.

But lest we be pelagian and self-oreinted, a walk with God is only possible if God chooses that.  And God does.  Strange that God would choose to walk with us, and yet so many days we are… well… unaware.  God waits.  Walk with God.

Ransom Paid.  Paul says, “The Son ransomed all who were under the law.” 

What would you say if I told you that you didn’t have to concern yourself with the law anymore.  How could I say that?  Wouldn’t I be leading you astray? Into the hand so of the police?  Yes if you didn’t look deeper.

Jesus ransoms us from the law because when we follow Him, laws become unnecessary.  When I love selflessly, how can I speed?  When I love how can I steal?  When I love, how can I lie?  You see?  So the question is… do I love?

We can love from being so loved.  Then we are ransomed from the law.

Shepherds telling stories.  See the scene.  Mary has fed Jesus maybe 10 times.  He sleeps.  People come by, sheep herders.  They tell a story about how in the middle of the night many angels told them it was a day of great joy.  They said, “We were told we would find you here.”  They said, “The angels spoke of a savior being born. Is this Him Mam?”

Mary looks at them and realizes how big this deal with Gabriel is.  “Hail full of grace.”  She thinks on it.  Smiles and worries, hopes and fears in the same moment.

You and I can feel the blessing of Aaron and walk with God.  We can experience the faithful love of Jesus and want it for all people.  You and I can allow some measure of genuine wonder at God made flesh, and watch the Father and the Spirit animate Him. 

Then, blest, loved, fleshy like Him, we can serve too – with that same Spirit of His.

Much, much like His Mother.