Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, January 1, 2007:

Happy New Year everyone! It is hard to believe that 2007 is upon us. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. But, today is also celebrated as a Day of Prayer for Peace in our World. We are called to begin this new year guided by our faith, led by our God, strengthened by our community of faith, centered on Christ, serving all people, reaching out to those in need.

At first glance, it may seem as though we’re celebrating two different things – Mary and Peace. But, we realize that this fits together well as Mary, in fact, is a powerful model for us in the ways of peace. One of her titles is that of Our Lady of Peace, or Queen of Peace. Mary is pre-eminently a woman of peace, she is a woman of God’s peace, she is a faithful disciple who followed God’s plan, a plan that will usher in peace to our world. Guns and tanks and bombs will never bring about peace. They do not possess the ability to do that. Only through God can we find the true and lasting peace we so desperately desire.

We turn today to this woman of compassion and peace who loves all of us, her children, as she loved her first born, Jesus. She cares especially for those who are sad, for those caught in the traps of violence and rage, hate and horror, the things that killed her first child and which continue to kill her children today. Mary’s heart aches as she watches the violence of her children toward one another, praying in her heart that we will learn peace, compassion and love for one another. But, as always, Mary is a mother who always directs us to her firstborn, to Jesus.

Each year at this time, the Pope issues a message for the World Day of Peace. Here are some of the things the Holy Father said this year, “At the beginning of the new year, I wish to extend prayerful good wishes for peace to Governments, leaders of nations and all men and women of good will. In a special way, I invoke peace upon all those experiencing pain and suffering, those living under the threat of violence and armed aggression, and those who await their human and social emancipation, having had their dignity trampled upon. I invoke peace upon children, who by their innocence enrich humanity with goodness and hope, and by their sufferings compel us all to work for justice and peace…I am convinced that respect for the person promotes peace and that, in building peace, the foundations are laid for an authentic integral humanism. In this way a serene future is prepared for coming generations.

“Peace is both gift and task. If it is true that peace between individuals and peoples—the ability to live together and to build relationships of justice and solidarity—calls for unfailing commitment on our part, it is also true, and indeed more so, that peace is a gift from God. Peace is an aspect of God's activity, made manifest both in the creation of an orderly and harmonious universe and also in the redemption of humanity that needs to be rescued from the disorder of sin…Peace is thus also a task demanding of everyone a personal response consistent with God's plan.

“I wish to make an urgent appeal to the People of God: let every Christian be committed to tireless peace-making and strenuous defence of the dignity of the human person and his inalienable rights.

“With gratitude to the Lord for having called him to belong to his Church…the Christian will tirelessly implore from God the fundamental good of peace, which is of such primary importance in the life of each person. Moreover, he will be proud to serve the cause of peace with generous devotion, offering help to his brothers and sisters, especially those who, in addition to suffering poverty and need, are also deprived of this precious good…In Christ we can find the ultimate reason for becoming staunch champions of human dignity and courageous builders of peace.

“To the Queen of Peace, the Mother of Jesus Christ ‘our peace’, I entrust my urgent prayer for all humanity at the beginning of the year 2007, to which we look with hearts full of hope, notwithstanding the dangers and difficulties that surround us. May Mary show us, in her Son, the Way of peace, and enlighten our vision, so that we can recognize Christ's face in the face of every human person, the heart of peace!”

My brothers and sisters, let us heed these great words of peace from our Hoy Father, and inspired by Mary, Our Mother, Our Queen of Peace, let us resolve to begin this new year guided by our faith, lead by our God, strengthened by our community of faith, centered on Christ, serving all people, reaching out to those in need. Let us pray today that God will fill our hearts, our homes and most especially the troubled places in our world with peace.

Happy New Year and may God give all of us His peace this and every day!