Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Year A

Numbers 6:22-27

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

St. Paul to Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:16-21

Celebrating the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God on New Year’s Day, St. Luke shares an important detail with us. Facing all the surprising moments happening around the birth of her son, Mary remains still and all she does is to treasure all these things in her heart and ponder them (v. 19). The Greek reads Mary was keeping all these words and ponders them in her heart. A bit awkward but a literal translation. 

Treasure – syneterei – is an imperfect participle suggesting an ongoing activity. She was deliberately treasuring, preserving from being lost all that was said. The same verb returns later, when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus, and they found him in the Temple after three days (Lk 2:51). In both instances, Luke wants us to understand Mary was deliberately treasuring all words, not just what the shepherds said (Lk 2: 8-14) or Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:49), but those of the Archangel Gabriel (Lk 1:28-37), of Elizabeth (Lk 1:41-45), the beautiful prayer she prayed inspired by the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:46-55), and what she learned at John’s birth (Lk 1:59-80). Remember Gabriel came to her in Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy and Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months, exactly until John was born.

Luke tells us that Mary, while actively remembering these words, was pondering them. In Greek, ponder is a present participle. Luke again emphasizes the ongoing character of pondering, meditating. Moreover, the verb symbalousa literally means to ‘put together’ things. In other words, Mary was putting together the words she heard and her life! She was comparing the Words of God announced at those occasions and the situations of her own life!

Why is this so important? Why does not Luke share some words of Mary at the birth of Jesus or when the shepherds came? Luke wants us to focus on this particular detail of Mary treasuring and pondering all the words and situations! 

Remembering and pondering she realizes more fully the true reality. God promised and he kept his promises! God enters human history. He enters her personal history. He enters Joseph’s as well! God is not far away but present! God is active! The more she remembers and ponders these things, the more she is reassured and comforted by the Word of God. She finds strength to go on and face any challenge! And there were enough of them, as we learn from the Gospels!

I believe this should be a takeaway from the celebration of the festive days of Christmas. Remembering what we have heard about God becoming one of us. Emmanuel, who walks with you always! Jesus who saves from sins. Jesus who is always willing to forgive and restart. Jesus who is not far away but remains with you in your daily affairs! Jesus who gathered disciples and established the Church. Jesus who commanded to do the same thing as he did during the Last Supper. Jesus who commanded his disciples to forgive through the power the of the Holy Spirit. He who lifts you up and invites you to join fully the community of his brothers and sisters, the Church.

Let us make this resolution for the new year of 2025: actively treasuring the Word and pondering on it, just as Mary did. Comparing the Word with our own life, the little details of every day. Manifesting and rolling on Jesus your entire life. Let us make sure we have those moments! 

Trust in the LORD AND do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him (Ps 37: 3-5.7)