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Today is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. According to Pope Paul VI in his encyclical Marialis Cultus, “This celebration… is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation….It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewed adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels, and for imploring from God, through the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace.”  It is a beautiful and fitting way to start the new year because Mary’s example of obedience to God serves as a model for all of us to trust, explicitly, in God’s will.

It is easy to accept God’s will in our lives when things are going well, but when we face challenges in our lives, whether they be related to poor health, financial struggles, difficulties in our relationships, or any number of disappointments that hurt us, embracing Mary’s example of submission seems practically impossible.

Secular society treats the word “submit” with great disdain. We are taught through the media, the “talking heads”, and celebrities who really have no qualifications as role models that submission is a sign of weakness, and worse, the result of oppression. For Christians, however, submission to God’s will is an action.

It is a choice that we make.

When Mary gave her consent, “Let it be done to me as you say” (Lk 1:38), she became a part of God’s plan for salvation. She turned her body and will over to God and through her, He delivered to all mankind His son, Jesus. It was Mary’s faith and obedience in God’s plan that serves as such a wonderful and inspirational example for us today.

What better way to start the new year than by recalling that we can all grow closer to Jesus through his Mother. I encourage you to embrace Mary’s example and put your faith and obedience in God.

May God bless all of you in 2009.