May her prayer, the gift of a mother’s love,
Be your peoples’ joy through all ages.
May her response, born of a humble heart,
Draw your Spirit to rest on your people. (Sunday Missal: 1st January pub 1975)
As we stand at the beginning of a new year which seems to be filled with the uncertainties of wars, of a changing climate, of hunger, perhaps of personal challenge or uncertainty, the opening prayer of the Mass for New Year’s day reminds us that all our beginnings are grounded in the Incarnation, are rooted in the ‘gift of a mother’s love’…so we face the future with courage, with joy rooted, not in the changing uncertainties of life but in the challenging ‘sure and certain hope’ that Jesus lives in and through us:
My soul rejoices in God my Saviour.
My spirit finds joy in God, the living God.
My soul proclaims your mighty deeds.
My spirit sings the greatness of your name.
Your mercy flows throughout the land
And every generation knows your love.
You cast the mighty from their thrones
And raise the poor and lowly to new life.
You fill the hungry with good things.
You send the rich away with empty hands.
Just as you promised Abraham and Sarah
You come to free you
people.
(Owen Alston ©1984, 1991 OCP Publications)
May Mary’s prayer,
May the gift of a Mother’s love,
Be our joy
Through all the challenges,
Joys and sorrows of this New Year.
Maggie Cascioli
