Happy Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God!

As we celebrate this great feast day I wanted to focus on a specific line from the Gospel reading today(Luke 2.16-21), and it is a similar line to the one we heard in last Sunday’s Gospel(Luke 2.51):

(excerpt taken from “The Better Part” by John Bartunek, pg 538)

In closing I leave you with the words of Pope Francis at today’s Angelus (as we also celebrate the World Day of Peace) , “The peace which God the Father wants to sow in the world, must be cultivated by us.” This involves a “real struggle, a spiritual battle that takes place in our hearts, for the enemy of peace is not only war, but also indifference, which makes us think only of ourselves and creates barriers, suspicions, fears and closures [of mind and heart].”

I encourage you to take some time today to ask for Mary’s intercession in seeking first the kingdom of God in your life, in seeking peace; A simple ‘Hail Mary’, the Angelus(below), the Magnificat, or the whole rosary! May she show us the face of Jesus her Son, who bestows upon the entire world mercy and peace.

PEACE TO YOU!