Today, the first day of 2014, is the Feast Day that celebrates Mary, the Holy Mother of God. The Catholic Church also recognizes this as the World Day of Peace. Today, obviously, is a magnificent day.  We are nearing the end of the Christmas season and our attention turns to the New Year but we focus on Mary today and give thanks for her yes that made Christmas possible.

Oftentimes, Mary is deified and placed on a pedestal equal to her Son, God become human who lived among us. For me, it is very much Mary’s humanity and frailty that draws me to her. This is a woman who had the seed of peace planted within her and literally delivers that great gift–the Prince of Peace–to our world. As you make your New Year resolutions, what is it that would bring you the most peace this year?

I had the opportunity to see the movie The Desolation of Smaug this afternoon. One of the themes of the film is evil versus good, dark against Light. Tauriel asks, ” Tell me, when did we let evil become stronger than us?”  What if, this year, we tried to not let that happen? What if we let peace, joy, wonder, compassion, and mercy rule instead? What if Goodness was stronger than us in each trivial decision we had to make, until we were so well-versed in it that in our struggle moments we could just lean into Goodness and trust it completely?

Could we, as Mary did, say an unwavering yes, to this seed of Hope?

Peace,

Suzanne