Homily for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (Year ABC) January 1, 2026
The following transcript of the homily is in the original formatting that was used for the sake of live delivery with all cues, emphasis, and notes included.
Readings for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (Year ABC)
- 1st Reading: Numbers 6:22-27 [Focus of Homily]
- 2nd Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
- Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
Transcript:
“This is how you shall bless the Israelites.” Words from the Book of Numbers.
In the Name of the Father + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In our first reading we heard the famous priestly blessing of God gave Aaron and his sons to say over the people Israel:
“[May] the LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!”
We can divide this blessing as having a number of different aims and aspects.
– It invokes divine protection.
– It invokes peace upon Israel.
– The LORD is the ultimate source of the blessing – though Aaron is truly blessing the people.
– It is a prayer that God will show favor to His people.
– It is a prayer that God will accept the services of His people.
Like I stated, it is a prayer for peace, but a deeper kind of peace.
Not a peace that is a mere absence of armed conflict,
But a peace of interior harmony and integrity of spirit,
Derived from a personal union with God and adherence to His will.
And there are six fundamental requests being made by the blessing:
1 – To bless
2 – To keep
3 – For the LORD’s face
4 – For graciousness
5 – For the LORD’s look of kindness
6 – For the deeper and interior sense of peace just described.
It is God’s blessing spoken through Aaron, his sons, and the priestly lineage that would follow from this hereditary line.
And, it is through the lens of the revelation of God showing Himself to be a Holy Trinity,
That we can see how the three-fold instance of the Divine Name “LORD” in the blessing points to the truth of how the one LORD is three Persons.
For:
The LORD is the FATHER,
The LORD is the SON,
The LORD is the HOLY SPIRIT.
But, why do we get this in a reading for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God?
– Especially since Aaron and his sons would be from the tribe of Levi,
– And Mary, the tribe of Judah?
Well, this blessing of God would have no doubt been prayed over Mary as a Hebrew herself.
And it was God’s blessing upon her, especially from the moment of her Immaculate Conception, that prepared her for her great role in salvation history as the Mother of God.
It was the LORD’s blessing that made her the Mother of God.
It was in the LORD’s keeping that she be made the Mother of God.
It was the LORD’s grace that raised her up to be the Mother of God.
And through this supreme kindness to Mary,
God worked the supreme Peace for men.
For the implications of the blessing of Aaron,
Can be made to the Mother of Jesus.
Because when the LORD looked upon Mary He blessed her and kept her and said to her:
“ ‘When the fullness of time’ shall come I shall bless your soul and keep it from the stain of sin, both original and personal.”
“ ‘When the fullness of time’ shall come I shall bless your body and keep it a worthy tree to bear the sweet fruit of the Son” that shall save the world spoiled by sin.
“And shepherds shall come running ‘in haste’ to find you and your Baby.
“And what they tell you shall blow your mind and amaze your spirit.
For you, a creature, shall give birth to your Creator!”
“And in turn for My keeping you,
You shall bless Me in praise and ‘keep all these things, reflecting on them in [your] heart.’ ”
“Mary My Face shall shine upon you, and I will be gracious to you,
Far gracious than I have ever been to anything I have created or shall ever create.
For you shall be so full of My grace that you shall give Me a Face.”
“Yes, Mary, the invisible God shall be made visible for My divinity shall take your humanity, and in becoming Mother of the Son you shall become the Mother of God!”
“Because this same God shall become man and make His dwelling among:
-men and women,
-boys and girls,
-Jew and Gentile
-slave and free
-sinner and more sinners
to save them and make them saints,
Saints that shall be sons and daughters of the Father by the Spirit in their hearts,
And ‘through God’ they shall be heirs,
If only you would inherit the Son and be His Mother, Mary.”
“O Mary! Look upon Me with your ‘yes.’ “
For the Father declares: “I already look upon you with My ‘yes’ with the kindness of My blessing as My handmaid.”
And the Son cries out: “Now, let Me bless you to be My Mother.”
“And you shall have peace, and, in fact, more than peace.”
“For through you My full and lasting Peace meant to restore the whole world in the integrity of the Spirit shall come, and you shall give birth to the Prince of Peace.”
“And the blessing of the sons of Aaron,
Shall abound upon all who look upon the Face of the Son of Mary!”
In the Name of the Father + of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Given at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Hendersonville, TN.