First Reading (Numbers 6,22-27).
Reading of the Book of Numbers.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons: When you bless the children of Israel, say to them, ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you!’ from you! May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace!’ So they will call on my name over the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Galatians 4,4-7).
Reading of Saint Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.
Brothers: When the allotted time was completed, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born subject to the Law, in order to redeem those who were subject to the Law and so that we could all receive adoptive sonship. And because you are children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out: Abá – O Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if you are a son, you are also an heir: all this, by the grace of God.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Luke 2,16-21).
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, the shepherds hurriedly went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the newborn baby, lying in the manger. Having seen him, they told what they had been told about the boy. And all who heard the shepherds were amazed at what they told. As for Mary, she kept all these facts and meditated on them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had seen and heard, as they had been told. When eight days were completed for the boy’s circumcision, they named him Jesus, as he had been called by the angel before he was conceived.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we begin a new year, and what a wonderful way to begin it – contemplating the blessing that God commanded Aaron to give to his people, meditating on our adoption as children of God, and watching Mary treasure all these events in her heart.
In the first reading, we find what is known as the Aaronitic Blessing: “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace !” What powerful words! This is not a simple formal greeting, but an invocation of God’s own protective presence over His people.
Think of the image of a face shining down on someone. When a parent looks lovingly at their young child, their face lights up. It is this intimacy, this personal love that God desires to have with each of us. He is not a distant God, but a Father who turns His face toward us with tenderness and compassion.
And it is precisely this reality of God as Father that Paul explores in our second reading. “When the fullness of the time had come,” he tells us, “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons.”
What an extraordinary mystery! The almighty God not only created us, but desired to adopt us as His own children. And to accomplish this, Her eternal Son became man, born of Mary, submitting Himself to all the limitations and vulnerabilities of the human condition.
Paul continues: “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out: Abba, Father!” “Abba” is an Aramaic word that expresses intimacy and trust – it’s like a child calling “daddy”. This is the intimate relationship that God desires to have with us.
In the Gospel, we see this divine intimacy manifested in a unique way. The shepherds rush to see the baby Jesus, find him in the manger, and share everything they have been told about him. “Mary,” Luke tells us, “kept all these words, meditating on them in her heart.”
What an example Mary gives us! In the midst of extraordinary events – the virgin birth, the visit from the shepherds, the prophecies about her son – she does not allow herself to be carried away by the external agitation. Instead, she keeps everything in her heart, reflecting deeply on the meaning of each event.
And on this eighth day after birth, the boy receives the name Jesus, which means “God saves”. A name that encapsulates the entire mission of that little baby – to bring God’s salvation to humanity.
At the beginning of this new year, we are invited to follow Mary’s example – to keep and meditate in our hearts on the wonders that God has done in our lives. We are called to renew our awareness that we are beloved children of God, with the privilege of calling Him “Abba, Father.”
May we live this year in full awareness of Aaron’s blessing upon us – protected by the Lord, illuminated by His face, recipients of His grace and peace. May we, like Mary, cultivate a contemplative heart that recognizes and guards the signs of God’s love in our daily lives.
And may the Holy Spirit help us to fully live out our identity as sons and daughters of God, confident in His love, secure in His protection, and generous in sharing His blessings with everyone we meet.
May the face of the Lord shine upon each of you in this new year. Amen.
