The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem
Back home in the Caribbean we live a rural lifestyle compared to the city living in London. Therefore it was not a great surprise that the older of the two granddaughters, here in London, asked me to purchase a sheep so that when she visits she can play with it. I tried to negotiate for a goat instead, thinking I could get goat milk not knowing what a pet sheep could give in the tropics.
Her response was ‘that’s ok Dadad, you can get a goat and a sheep, but I want the sheep since it is the most friendly animal in the petting zoo’. She went on to describe the peaceful nature of the sheep and its friendliness. As I read one of this week’s Gospels Luke 2: 8-20 about the shepherds who were visited by the angels and who in turn hurried to see Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus, I wondered about their choice by God to receive such a beautiful blessing.
Their connection to sheep, those gentle and trusting animals, seemed to mirror the shepherds’ own simplicity and openness to the divine message. My granddaughter’s desire for a sheep, not just for its friendliness but for its peaceful nature, brought a new perspective to my reflection on this Gospel. The shepherds, humble and unassuming, were the first to witness the miracle of Christ’s birth, perhaps because their lives, like the sheep they tended, were marked by quietness and trust.
It made me think about how often God chooses the humble, the overlooked, and the ordinary to reveal His extraordinary love. In her innocent request, my granddaughter reminded me of the qualities that make us most receptive to God’s grace—openness, peace, and a heart ready to embrace wonder.
Today, the 1st day of the new year, the Church invites us to reflect on Mary, the mother of the infant Jesus, as the model of openness, peace, and trust in God’s grace. Mary’s humble acceptance of the angel Gabriel’s message, despite the uncertainty and challenges it would bring, reveals a heart fully surrendered to God’s will. Her peaceful presence at the Nativity, even amidst the poverty of the stable, reflects a deep trust in God’s plan.
As the first to embrace Jesus, she exemplifies the ultimate openness to receiving and nurturing God’s love. In Mary, we see the embodiment of the qualities that make us most receptive to God’s blessings—humility, faith, and a quiet strength that allows His grace to work through us. Her life continues to inspire us to say “yes” to God, even when the path is unclear, trusting that His love will guide us.
Today as we begin a new year with significant challenges and uncertainties, let us embrace Mary as a role model for the year ahead. Her example encourages us to approach the unknown with faith and courage, trusting in God’s plan even when we cannot see the full picture.
Blessings for a Holy, Bright and Prosperous New Year.
Mother Mary, please guide us in this year of new Hope but also of uncertainty and trials.
Guide us through every moment of every day as we need to do the next most important thing that God is guiding us to do in order for the uncertainty that surrounds us to gradually make way for the clarity of the promise that You had designed for us, even before we were born.