Today’s feast is the oldest celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. Today we conclude the octave of Christmas by celebrating the woman who kept the Christmas story in her heart. While the new beginning celebrated by New Year’s Day may take precedence in the mind of most people, today’s feast is wrapped up in the Roman concept of an octave, that is, the eighth day, which is a symbol of fulfillment or completion. January 1 rounds out the celebration of Christmas with its emphasis on the divine becoming human. The Word of God could only take on our human nature through the cooperation of the Virgin Mother. Her yes made the birth of Christ a reality. As Mother of God and role model in the faith, Mary is a constant reminder to us all of the importance of saying yes to God, of allowing God’s will be done in our lives. Mary teaches us all that with God, “nothing will be impossible.”
