A New Beginning

Everyone knows that January 1^st is New Year’s Day, but did you know that it’s also the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord:  The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God?  That sure is a mouthful, but what does it all mean?  Well, following ancient tradition, we celebrate Christmas Day for eight days (we do the same for Easter).  While most people may be done with Christmas by the 26^th, the Church isn't.   Christmas Day is celebrated for eight days, and the season of Christmas doesn't end until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (January 12, this year).  These eight days of Christmas are known as the Octave of Christmas.  Why eight days?  Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.  That’s why we gather together every Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord.  While Sunday is, of course, the first day of the week, for Christians it’s also the spiritual eighth day of the week – a day that stands outside of time in eternity.  This eighth day represents the new creation of the world resulting from Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  The eighth day signifies a new beginning. 

How fitting, then, that on this day we also celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the beginning of a New Year.  Through her “yes” to God, Mary gave God human form, allowing him to carry out his redemptive mission of reuniting us with the Father for all eternity.  That’s why we call Mary the “New Eve.”  Just as our mothers gave us life, Mary gives us new life.  She gives us a new beginning.

What a tremendous Christmas gift we’ve been given:  a second chance; a new beginning.  That’s sure worth celebrating for eight days!  And this gift is just sitting there waiting for whenever we’re ready to tear off the wrapping paper and open it up.  All we have to do is accept it.  We accept this gift by inviting the Christ child into our lives, by making some room in our inn so he can transform us with his grace.  And by the grace of God, we can do anything:  we can repair broken relationships and make good ones even better; we can free ourselves from the snares of our addictions and develop healthy, virtuous habits; we can even forgive the unforgivable and love the unlovable. 

          New Year’s Day is a time when many of us make resolutions for the coming year.  Maybe I’ll write the book I’ve been thinking about; maybe I’ll take drawing lessons; maybe I’ll train for a marathon (ok, that’s not happening).  All of these resolutions would be enjoyable for me in one way or another (except the marathon), but none would be as fulfilling and transformative as resolving to invite the Christ child into my life.  So I turn to Mary as a role model and inspiration to help me say “yes” to God, to help me welcome the Christ child into my life, just as she did on that first Christmas Day.  I turn to Mary to help me accept the wonderful gift of a new beginning.