Feast of Mary Mother of God January 1, 2026 Luke 2: 16-21 On this feast of Mary, Mother of God, we are invited yet again, to reflect on the story of the shepherds, as they came to visit a very new mother and her new born child. The previous nine months, would not have been easy for Mary as she adjusted to the earth shattering situation in which she found herself. She could hardly have fully understood what she was being asked to do, but ‘overshadowed by the Spirit’ she believed “Let what you have said be done to me.” This, surely, is how the shepherds also responded, to the message of the angels — not fully understanding, yet knowing they had to act. “The shepherds went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger”. Whatever their apprehension, all doubt disappeared as the shepherds came into the stable, and met the radiant joy of Mary and Joseph with their new born child. In that moment they knew something momentous had happened. They knew a reality too profound for words. Words have limits, realities don’t!! As I kneel with the shepherds before the Christ Child […]