Reading 1
Nm 6:22-27
The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
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!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
Responsorial PsalmR. (2a)
May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Reading 2
Gal 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Gospel
Lk 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
Meditation: Numbers 6:22-27
Mary, Mother of God
The Lord bless you and keep you! (Numbers 6:24)
What an odd reading to have for this marvelous feast day! Shouldn’t we instead hear Isaiah’s prophecy about a virgin conceiving and bearing a son named Immanuel? Or perhaps Zephaniah’s words exhorting “Daughter Zion” to shout and rejoice? Instead, we have Moses teaching the priests how to bless the Israelites. Why?
Perhaps it’s because we see in Mary the person who embodies this life of blessing better than anyone else. Who more than Mary has known what it is like to have the Lord’s face shine upon her and be gracious to her? Who better than Mary knows what it is like to have the Lord look kindly upon her and give her his peace?
But perhaps there is another reason for this passage. Not only is Mary the ultimate recipient of God’s blessings, she reveals what it is like to offer blessings to people. She wanted to bless the newlyweds at Cana. She wanted to bless her cousin Elizabeth. She even sought to bless her son with her presence as he hung on the cross. Never once do we see Mary speaking ill of another person. Never once do we see her “cursing” someone—not even the men who put her son to death!
And so Mary shows us the way to relate to the people around us. God loves it when we speak words of blessing, hope, and encouragement. He rejoices when our words help to create a positive environment where seeds of faith can grow. And the converse is just as true. Harsh words of judgment, cynicism, or even curses can create a toxic atmosphere that makes it hard for people to receive God’s grace and blessing.
So let’s make a conscious effort this year to diminish our negativity. And let’s ask Mary, who is blessed among women, to intercede for us. She is our model, and through her we have all received God’s greatest blessing—Jesus himself!
“Jesus, open my eyes to people in need of your grace so that I can shower them with your blessings.”
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