Mary

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Thursday, 1 January 2026 : Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is the first day of the solar Gregorian calendar year, marking the New Year and the beginning of a year ahead that I am sure we all hope to be better than last year and also the previous year before that. Last year in 2025 we also celebrated the great Jubilee Year of Hope, the Ordinary Jubilee that happens only once every twenty-five years. Countless people had benefitted from the many pilgrimages and other means extended to them to come ever closer to God and to keep up their Hope in Him. And today on the beginning of this new year, the Church also celebrates a great Solemnity in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of God or Theotokos, on this Octave or eighth day of Christmas, capping the great eight day celebrations of the Christmas Octave, although the Christmas season itself will still continue through the Epiphany this coming days and beyond.

First of all, the importance of this great Solemnity cannot be underestimated, as the belief in Mary as the Mother of God is a fundamental and essential Christian tenet that is inseparable from our believe in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour as God Himself, incarnate in the flesh. That is why today’s celebration is a fitting reminder of the true nature and importance of Christmas, a reminder for us all why we celebrate and rejoice during this Christmas season, a time for us to remember the love of God manifested to us in the flesh and appearing before us in Christ. Today we are still very much deep within the Christmas season and we are reminded yet again that because God Himself has a Mother, He has truly indeed been incarnate in the flesh by the will of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit, that God’s Son, the Divine Word became flesh and born of Mary as her Son.

For at the time when the Dogma of the Divine Motherhood of God was officially proclaimed by the Church at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus almost a thousand and six hundred years ago, there had been a lot of arguments and divisions amongst the members of the Church regarding the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The debates were whether He was truly the Son of God or just a mere Man, and whether He was the Co-Eternal and Co-Equal Son of God or subordinate to the Father. These divergent ideas and teachings had led to a lot of heresies which had misled many among the faithful and caused divisions in the Christian communities. There were those who refused to accept the fact that Jesus Christ was indeed truly God and truly Man at the same time, and by extension, refusing to acknowledge that Mary therefore is truly the Mother of God.

That was why, beginning with the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, the Church and its many leaders have already gathered together and inspired by the Holy Spirit to safeguard the true teachings of the Church as handed down to all of them and which we have also now received, from the hands of the Apostles and their successors. Firstly, the relationship between Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour and the Father was clarified, that He is not only just the Son of God, but is also Co-Equal and Co-Eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, not subordinated but in equal and indivisible unity within the Holy Trinity, the One Triune God that yet maintains its distinct identities, One God in Three Persons, one of the core and most important tenets of our Christian faith.

This became the Nicene Creed as we know it today, which was then further updated at the subsequent Ecumenical Council of Constantinople to become the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed that we are still using regularly to this day. Through this Creed and the many other decisions by the venerable and courageous Church fathers inspired by the Holy Spirit, those who sought to subvert and change the teachings of the Church to suit their own self interests and ambitions were thwarted and many of those who have fallen to the heretical teachings and thoughts eventually returned to the Holy Mother Church. This Creed highlighted firmly that Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, Fully God and Fully Man, was indeed born of His mother in the flesh, and because of this, we truly honour her as the Mother of God.

Nonetheless, there were still disagreements and controversies surrounding the nature of Christ until that time particularly with regards to Mary, the Mother of Our Lord as there were disagreements between those who thought that Mary, as a mere woman could not have been the Mother of God, the same Infinite God and Creator of all the Universe. They thought how it was possible for a woman, a created being to become the mother of the One and Eternal God and Creator, for a created being to become the Mother of the Creator. This was the argument of those who also held the view that Jesus the Man was distinct and separate from the Divine Son of God. Some of them could not accept the fact that a mere human being could be called the Mother of God, or that the Almighty God could have a Mother.

Hence, they used the terms such as the Mother of Christ, or the Bearer of Christ in their references of Mary, highlighting that Mary was merely the mother of the human Jesus Christ, and not the Mother of God. But this view was totally flawed in that in the true nature of Our Lord, we can never completely separate His human and divine natures. Instead, as affirmed by the Ecumenical Councils at Ephesus and Chalcedon, the Lord and Saviour, Son of God and Son of Man is indeed one and only Person but with two distinct yet inseparable natures, Divine and Human at the same time. Each natures are distinct from each other and yet perfectly and completely united in the one Person of Jesus Christ.

And naturally therefore, if Jesus Christ is not just Man but also God, then Mary being His mother, as the one who bore Him in her womb, is also the Mother of God and not just the mother of Jesus Christ the Man. Just as Christ’s Divine and Human natures are inseparable, we cannot separate Mary’s motherhood of Christ from the fact that she is indeed the Mother of God. She was indeed full of grace and blessed among all women as said by her cousin Elizabeth, because she alone from all the creatures of the Lord was to bear the Almighty God Himself in the flesh, in her womb. And we honour Mary greatly because ultimately we adore, honour and worship her Son, and it is unimaginable if we treat His mother with disdain and indifference if we claim to be truly faithful to God, her Son, Whom she bore within her for nine whole months and took care for years afterwards as best as a mother could have.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect today on Mary as the Mother of God, today all of us are also called to look to her examples and dedication to the Lord. She is not just honourable because she is the Mother of God but because she is also truly dedicated and faithful in her own way as well. She has obeyed the Lord wholeheartedly and followed Him throughout His life and ministry, ever since He was still in her womb, and then after He was born and then grew up, she still cared for Him, followed Him even throughout His works and then even through to the foot of the Cross. She remained true and faithful to the mission which God has entrusted to her.

Today we look up to Mary, who is not only just the Mother of God but also the mother of us all. For through His incarnation in the flesh, Our Lord has become part of our humanity and by sharing in our nature and in entrusting His own mother to us from the Cross, He has made all of us to be Mary’s own adopted children. She has watchfully guided us all and has never ceased praying for each and every one of us, and hoping that we can also follow her examples and also the examples of many of our faithful brothers and sisters, that we may also be truly faithful to God in all things.

Today we may then be wondering why is it that we are celebrating this occasion on the New Year’s Day. This is important because on this New Year’s Day, all of us are called to start the year right and not to continue living our lives in the manner that is not proper and unbecoming of our calling as Christians if that is what we have been doing all these while. All of us ought to remember that first and foremost, as Christians all of us are called to live our lives faithfully in accordance to the Law and the commandments that God has placed before us, which He has taught us and revealed to us through His Church.

If we call ourselves as Christians, then it is only right that all of us commit ourselves to a new life in God, to be true followers of Our Lord and be genuinely dedicated to Him in the way that Mary, the Mother of God and our mother had done. As we rejoice for her sake today, let us remember how all of us should also listen to her and her Son, in how we live our lives so that we do not end up being hypocrites in our Christian faith. That is why, as we begin this current new year, all of us should do our best and spend the time and effort to begin a year that is new, blessed and filled with true joy in Christ. The Lord has given us many opportunities in life and as such let us not forget to give Him thanks and to show our gratitude towards Him for His ever enduring patience and love for us.

In our lives in this new year, let us do whatever we can to be a source of light and hope, inspiration and strength to one another, especially to our brothers and sisters who are now suffering and are filled with sorrow and despair. In whatever way we can, and at least even through prayer, let us reach out to those who need our help, our love, care and attention. Just as Christ, Our Lord and Saviour has brought us the light of God’s salvation and revealed to us the wonders of His love, let us all pass on the light, love and all the wonders we have received to our fellow brothers and sisters.

Today, we also mark the occasion of the World Day of Peace, and hence it is an appropriate time for us to also dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of peace in our world. We all know how conflict and troubles had affected our world and many innocent people out there. If we do not actively make strides to go forth towards bringing Gos’s peace and harmony into our midst, then let us know just how our year and livelihood could be ruined by the conflicts, disagreements and hatred that are all around us. As Christians, all of us are called to pray for peace and to always work hard in championing the cause of peace. There are still many wars and conflicts raging all around us, and even within our own families and communities, there are still divisions and disagreements. Let us all therefore as Christians show the good examples of being the bearers of peace and hope, and not instead being the ones involved in the divisions ourselves.

Let us all do our best to live out our new year with ever greater faith in God and be ever fuller in love for Him, as we all gather together to celebrate this new year. And as we rejoice in all the new year celebrations, let us not forget to put Christ back at the centre of our hearts, our lives and existence so that we may live our lives from now on with Him as the focus and the inspiration for everything that we say and do. And let us follow Mary, the Mother of God and our loving mother that we may be ever more righteous and obedient in following the Lord and in living our lives as role models to our fellow brothers and sisters, as genuine Christians at all times.

May God bless us all and may He empower each and every one of us so that we may grow ever stronger in faith and that we may always ever strive to seek Him and to walk in His ways. May our new year be blessed and be filled with joy, through Christ our Lord, through His light and hope. May God be with is all, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Thursday, 1 January 2026 : Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 16-21

So the shepherds came hurriedly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger. On seeing Him, they related what they had been told about the Child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.

As for Mary, she treasured all these words, and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds then returned, giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the Angels had told them.

On the eighth day the circumcision of the Baby had to be performed; He was named Jesus, the Name the Angel had given Him before He was conceived.

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Thursday, 1 January 2026 : Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Galatians 4 : 4-7

But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son. He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we might receive adoption as children of God.

And because you are children, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of His Son which cries out : Abba! That is, Father! You yourself are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.

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Thursday, 1 January 2026 : Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 66 : 2-3, 5, 6 and 8

May God be gracious and bless us; may He let His face shine upon us, that Your way be known on earth and Your salvation among the nations.

May the countries be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with justice and guide the nations of the world.

May the peoples praise You, o God, may all the peoples praise You! May God bless us and be revered, to the very ends of the earth.

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Thursday, 1 January 2026 : Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Numbers 6 : 22-27

Then YHVH spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them : This is how you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say : May YHVH bless you and keep you! May YHVH let His face shine on you, and be gracious to you! May YHVH look kindly on you, and give you His peace!”

“In that way they put My Name on the people of Israel and I will bless them.”

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Friday, 12 December 2025 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church commemorates the occasion of one of the famous Marian Apparitions, or the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, who appeared before St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin at the site of Tepeyac hill in what is today Mexico, approximately five hundred years ago. This Apparition is now known famously as Our Lady of Guadalupe, and many millions were converted to the Christian faith upon the miraculous appearance and the miracles associated with Our Lady of Guadalupe, and then many more countless souls were saved in the subsequent centuries and years because of what the Lord had done to help us through His beloved Mother, who has come before us, in order to remind us all to love her Son and to turn away from the path of sin.

Back then, much of the New World, the Americas were still relatively newly discovered by the people from the Old World, and many of the natives still did not yet know the Lord and His truth. Many of the pagan practices especially in the region of Mesoamerica or Central America, which back then involved a lot of cruelty and even human sacrifices were overcome by the power of the Lord’s truth and love, and many among the natives abandoned their past wicked ways and embraced the true faith in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. However, at the same time, the behaviours of those Spanish conquerors and explorers back then also left much to be desired, who despite of their Christian faith carried out a lot of destruction and loss of life among the people by their actions, their killings and efforts to gain more wealth and glory for themselves, a behaviour most unbecoming and unworthy of those who called themselves as Christians.

Hence, at that time of great destructions, harm and desolation among the people of the world, where chaos reigned free, Our Lady chose to make herself available and approachable, just as later on she would do again in Lourdes and Fatima, also during times of hardships and trials for much of the world. Our Lady chose to appear to a simple and humble native man, St. John Diego, also known as St. Juan Diego. St. John Diego was one of the early Christian converts from among the native peoples of the region now known as Mexico, where he became a devout follower of Christ, and was known for his exemplary life and virtues, and who with his wife was remembered for their piety, simplicity and generosity. Back then, it happened that St. John Diego was passing by the area known as the Hill of Tepeyac when the Mother of God appeared to him, and spoke to St. John Diego in his own native language, revealing herself to be the Mother of God.

When he conveyed this message to others, no one initially believed what St. John Diego had said, and they disregarded him when he conveyed on them the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe about her identity and also her request that a church be built in her honour at the location of her Apparition. Then, at the next time when St. John Diego was supposed to meet Our Lady of Guadalupe, his uncle was very sick and St. John Diego had to get his uncle to meet a priest for the Sacrament of the Sick. And later on, St. Juan Diego tried to take another way, as he was ashamed of having failed to meet the Lady as he was supposed to, only to meet her on his way again, and she told him why she did not entrust his uncle and himself to God through her, with the words now well known as ‘Am I not here, I am, who am your mother?’. This serves as a reminder to all of us how the Lord has indeed entrusted His own Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe to be our mother as well.

Then, Our Lady of Guadalupe told St. John Diego to show a sign to the local bishop, and asked him to collect some flowers that appeared there at the site of the Apparition that were not native to the region, miraculously appeared there, and then St. John Diego gathered them using his tilma or cloak. As he brought the flowers and showed them to the bishop, what stunned the bishop and all the other witnesses present was not just the unusual flowers, but the fact and evidence that the very image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary herself was imprinted on the tilma that was worn by St. John Diego. Everyone who saw that miracle believed, and through the great occasion, many became believers and followed the Lord, all thanks to His mother and also through the faith and dedication showed by St. John Diego in faithfully living his life and in obeying God’s will.

Ever since then, countless millions upon millions had visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which grew more and more in popularity, drawing many people who were attracted to the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion as shown through His beloved Mother, especially during the time of hardships and difficulties. Our Lady of Guadalupe called on all of us to return to her Son with contrite heart and to devote ourselves once more to His cause. In our world today, at a time full of many distractions and worldly pleasures, of many things that have prevented us from finding our path towards God, the call that Our Lady of Guadalupe made upon us, her pleas that we reject the path of sin and embrace her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, through her, are reminders for us to make amends and to turn over a new leaf in our lives, to become God’s faithful people once again.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, as we continue to progress through this season of Advent, the time of preparation for Christmas, let us all make sure that we do not just prepare for Christmas physically and in material, as what most people would have done. Instead, we must make sure that we are ready in heart and mind, spiritually for welcoming the Lord into our midst, as we rejoice in His past coming at Christmas, and as we also hope in the coming joy of His future return, as a mighty and conquering King when He comes again at the end of time. This is the true spirit of Advent and ultimately, Christmas that we all should have within us, the spirit and desire for us to live our lives worthily of the Lord, distancing ourselves from wickedness and evil ways, and from the excesses of worldly pleasures and temptations.

Let us all therefore draw ever closer to the Lord and spend our time now this Advent to deepen our relationship with Him. Let us all sin no more, and focus ourselves once again on the Lord and His truth, with the help of His blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and her lovely reminders for us all to be faithful to her Son’s Law and commandments. Let us all spend our time now to prepare ourselves that we may truly worthily celebrate Christmas with true joy and understanding, and not indulge ourselves in the excesses of worldly, secular celebrations of Christmas. It is not that we cannot rejoice and celebrate in that way, but we cannot be distracted by all those excesses of celebrations, merrymaking and festivities that we end up forgetting why we celebrate Christmas in the first place, that is our joy in the Lord’s coming and salvation for us.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to guide us in our journey, so that we may remain always ever firm in our faith in His truth and love. May God bless us all in our every endeavours and actions, our every good works and efforts for His greater glory. May He remain with us always in all things, and may His blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, intercede for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Friday, 12 December 2025 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Matthew 11 : 16-19

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain : ‘We played the lute for you, but you would not dance. We sang a funeral song, but you would not cry!’”

“For John came fasting, and people said, ‘He is possessed by a demon!’ Then, the Son of Man came. He ate and drank; and people said, ‘Look at this Man : a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet, wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Luke 1 : 39-47

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the Fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!”

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Friday, 12 December 2025 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Psalm 1 : 1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Blessed is the man who does not go where the wicked gather, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit where the scoffers sit! Instead, he finds delight in the Law of YHVH and meditates day and night on His commandments.

He is like a tree beside a brook producing its fruit in due season, its leaves never withering. Everything he does is a success.

But it is different with the wicked. They are like chaff driven away by the wind. For YHVH knows the way of the righteous but cuts off the way of the wicked.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

1 Samuel 2 : 1, 4-8

My heart exults in YHVH, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for You came with power to save me.

The bow of the mighty is broken, but the weak are girded with strength. The well-fed must labour for bread, but the hungry need work no more.

The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone. YHVH is Lord of life and death. He brings down to the grave and raises up.

YHVH makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and He exalts. He lifts up the lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honour. The earth to its pillars belongs to YHVH and on them He has set the world.

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Friday, 12 December 2025 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Isaiah 48 : 17-19

Thus says YHVH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel : I, YHVH, your God, teach you what is best for you; I lead you in the way that you must go. Had you paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants would have been like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their names never cut off nor blotted out from My presence.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Isaiah 7 : 10-14 and Isaiah 8 : 10c

Once again YHVH addressed Ahaz, “Ask for a sign from YHVH your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.” But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask, I will not put YHVH to the test.”

Then Isaiah said, “Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the patience of my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign : The Virgin is with Child and bears a Son and calls His Name Immanuel, for God-is-with-us.”

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Wednesday, 10 December 2025 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Loreto)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, which marks the popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy House of Loreto where in that place of Loreto in Italy, the very House that the Holy Family lived in during their time in Nazareth, can actually be found. The story of the miraculous translation of the Holy House of Loreto had a long tradition in the Church, and it was believed that the very same House of Loreto was translated from the site of Nazareth itself, where both St. Joseph and Mary originated from, and after a few occasions and movements, was finally settled in its current place and shrine in Loreto, where many people flocked throughout the year in pilgrimages, seeking the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, Our Lady of Loreto, and the Holy Family.

The current shrine to Our Lady of Loreto located at the shores of the Adriatic Sea is among the largest Marian shrines in the world, and is the third largest in Europe after the famous shrines at Fatima and Lourdes. The tradition described as such that the very House where Our Lord and Saviour once lived with His family, with St. Joseph, His foster father and with Mary, His mother. It was told that after the Lord’s Ascension and at the very early days of the Church, the Holy House became a place of worship by the Apostles, who celebrated the Eucharist on its very table and place, and an Altar was built in the House. This House thus eventually became a church and place of Divine worship, being so connected to the story of Our Saviour and His life and ministry, and was brought away from the Holy Land at the end of the Crusades, to avoid destruction and harm at the hands of those who sought to destroy and desecrate the sacred places connected to the Lord’s life and ministry.

According to the same tradition, the Holy House was brought by the Angels miraculously from Nazareth first to the region of Dalmatia in what is today Croatia where pilgrims went to visit just as how it was when it was still in its original place in the Holy Land. And then later on, as the pilgrims were beset by bandits and brigands, it was told that the Holy House was brought miraculously once again by the Angels before it finally settled down in Loreto, in its current place, where it had remained ever since. Ever since then, pilgrimages had come every year and at every moment, of people seeking for the intercession of the Blessed Madonna or Lady of Loreto, and the healing power from her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as shown in the famous icon and statue of Our Lady of Loreto, the Madonna and Child enshrined within the Holy House, that remains accessible to this day.

While people have debated the authenticity and the accuracy of the accounts surrounding the translation of the Holy House from Nazareth to its current shrine at Loreto, and whether the Holy House is indeed the same House that Our Lord and Saviour had once lived in, what is important is that, given the many evidences and studies that had supported the authenticity of the Holy House, countless people throughout the years, decades and centuries had come to the Lord through His blessed and loving Mother, Our Lady of Loreto, seeking healing, consolation and help, and many became believers and were converted through their experiences and through the prayers and intercessions of our most loving and blessed mother, who extended her love and care to us just as she had loved her Son very dearly and tenderly.

As we reflect on today’s occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, the loving Mother of God and the patroness of the miraculous Holy House of Loreto, all of us are reminded that in this season of Advent, which we have now reached approximately the halfway point, we ought to spend the time and effort to deepen our connection and relationship with God. This season of Advent is a time for us to rediscover our love and faith in God, and for us to redirect our attention and attune ourselves anew to the Lord once again. It is a time when we should embrace the Lord wholeheartedly and turn our hearts and minds to Him, to welcome Him into them and to allow Him to change our lives for the better that we may become better Christians, better followers and disciples of Our Lord and Saviour.

Let us ask ourselves whether we are truly ready to welcome the Lord into our midst, or whether we have squandered the time and opportunities given to us by the Lord, especially during this time of Advent, in focusing our attention on worldly matters and pleasures rather than on God, on His truth and love. Let us ask ourselves if we as Christians have spent more time in thinking of all of our worldly concerns and ambitions, our preoccupations with all sorts of things that distract us from the path of following God and His righteousness. And not only that, but if we have been preparing ourselves in the wrong way during this time and season of Advent, we should rectify it by realigning our actions and directions in life so that we may no longer walk in the wrong path, but may finally make good use of this time to prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord with all sincerity.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all use this time of Advent to reorientate our lives and focus, and move away from the materialistic focus that many of us often have, not just in our upcoming Christmas celebrations but also in our lives in general. Let us not allow materialism and hedonistic behaviours to sway and lead us down the wrong path, and instead, let us all remember once again the love by which God has constantly shown us, in patiently leading and guiding us towards Himself and His salvation and grace, and in welcoming all of us back to His loving embrace despite of all of our constant stubbornness and rebelliousness. Not only that but He also entrusted us all to the care of His own beloved mother, whom He entrusted to be our own mother, and she, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, as per her many other apparitions and works, has lead us ever closer to her Son, by her fervent love for us and her intercessions for our sake.

May all of us continue to walk down the path of righteousness and grace, as shown by our Lord Himself, and follow Him wholeheartedly from now on if we have not yet done so. Let us all be inspired by the faith, love and commitment which His Mother, Our Lady of Loreto, has shown us, in how she dedicated herself and obeyed perfectly, as the handmaid of the Lord, in doing God’s will and in living a life of grace and virtue, at all times. Let us all be inspired to show the same faith and love as well, in our own lives and actions, in our every interactions with one another. May God bless us always in our every endeavours and good efforts, now and forevermore. Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us sinners. Amen.