• Home
    • About
      • Parish History
      • Fr. Paul Keller
      • Fr. Tony Diaz - Reflections
      • Fr. Eslin Pereira - Reflections
      • Contact Us
      • Ottawa-Cornwall Archdiocese
      • Catholic News
      • Links
      • Archive Reflections by Fr. Tony Diaz, CMF
    • Temporal
      • The Parish Bulletin
      • Holy Cross Weekly News
      • Support Our Advertisers
    • The Claretian Missionaries—USA-Canada Province
  • Sacraments
    • Serve
    • Anointing of the Sick
    • Baptism
    • Confirmation
    • First Communion
    • First Communion Preparation
    • Reconciliation
    • Marriage
    • Worship
      • The Catholic Mass
      • David Suchet Audio Bible
      • The Rosary
  • Discipleship & Evangelization
    • Discipleship
    • Evangelization
      • What is Evangelization?
      • Alpha
      • Catholic Faith Studies
      • Stations of the Cross
      • Story of the Annunciation
    • Church Teachings
      • Faith Formation
      • Sycamore Videos
      • Formed.org
      • The Bible In a Year by Fr. Mike Schmitz
    • Synod 2021-2023
  • Fellowship & Ministry
    • Fellowship
      • Grandparents
      • Club 55+
      • Seniors Corner
    • Ministry
      • Hospitality
      • Children's Liturgy
      • Kid's Ministry
        • Kids Books
        • Kids Ministry Flocknote Signup
        • Cat Chat For Kids
        • Pray as a Family
        • Liturgical Resources
        • Kids Ministry Looking Back
        • Advent family Resources
        • Christmas Pageant
        • Second Sunday of Advent
        • First Sunday of Advent
        • Third Sunday of Advent, Dec 12th, 2021
        • Fourth Sunday of Advent
        • Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
        • Christmas
        • Epiphany 2022
        • The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
        • The 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • The 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • The 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • The 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • Lenten Resources 2022
        • 1st Sunday of Lent
        • 2nd Sunday of Lent
        • The 3rd Sunday of Lent
        • 4th Sunday of Lent
        • 5th Sunday of Lent
        • The Passion of Our Lord
        • Easter Sunday
        • Divine Mercy Sunday
        • 3rd Sunday of Easter
        • 4th Sunday of Easter
        • 5th Sunday of Easter May 15th, 2022
        • 6th Sunday of Easter
        • Ascension Sunday
        • Pentecost Sunday
        • Holy Trinity Sunday
        • Body and Blood of Christ
        • 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
        • 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
        • 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • Christ the King
        • First Sunday of Advent
        • First Sunday of Advent-Cycle A
        • Second Sunday of Advent
        • Second Sunday of Advent Year A
        • Third Sunday of Advent Year A
        • Fourth Sunday of Advent-A
        • Christmas 2022
        • Mary Mother of God
        • Epiphany of the Lord
        • 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
        • 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
      • Music
        • 930 Sunday Choir Music Schedule
        • Saturday 5pm Music Ministry
        • Choir Schedules
    • Parish & Community Life
      • Knights of Columbus
        • How to join Holy Cross Council
        • Holy Cross Council 10617
          • Learn More About the Knights
  • Stewardship
    • Annual Report
    • Financial Offering
|||
Holy Cross Parish
  • The Parish Bulletin
  • Contact Us
Flocknote Twitter Facebook
Search
  • Home
    • About
      • Parish History
      • Fr. Paul Keller
      • Fr. Tony Diaz - Reflections
      • Fr. Eslin Pereira - Reflections
      • Contact Us
      • Ottawa-Cornwall Archdiocese
      • Catholic News
      • Links
      • Archive Reflections by Fr. Tony Diaz, CMF
    • Temporal
      • The Parish Bulletin
      • Holy Cross Weekly News
      • Support Our Advertisers
      • The Claretian Missionaries—USA-Canada Province
  • Sacraments
      • Serve
      • Anointing of the Sick
      • Baptism
      • Confirmation
      • First Communion
      • First Communion Preparation
      • Reconciliation
      • Marriage
    • Worship
      • The Catholic Mass
      • David Suchet Audio Bible
      • The Rosary
  • Discipleship & Evangelization
    • Discipleship
    • Evangelization
      • What is Evangelization?
      • Alpha
      • Catholic Faith Studies
      • Stations of the Cross
      • Story of the Annunciation
    • Church Teachings
      • Faith Formation
      • Sycamore Videos
      • Formed.org
      • The Bible In a Year by Fr. Mike Schmitz
      • Synod 2021-2023
  • Fellowship & Ministry
    • Fellowship
      • Grandparents
      • Club 55+
      • Seniors Corner
    • Ministry
      • Hospitality
      • Children's Liturgy
      • Kid's Ministry
      • Music
    • Parish & Community Life
      • Knights of Columbus
  • Stewardship
      • Annual Report
      • Financial Offering
  • Liturgical Resources
    Liturgical
    Resources
    Mary  Mother of God  
    • Mary Mother of God

      January 1st, 2023

       

      First Reading:  Numbers 6:22-27

      Psalm # 67 R May God be gracious to us and bless us

      Second Reading:  Galatians 4:4-7

      Gospel Acclamation Verse: (Hebrews 1:1-2) Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets;
      in these last days he has spoken to us by the Son. 

      Gospel:  Luke 2:16-21

      Theme:  Mary, the Holy Mother of God Trusts God.

       

      Commentary By Jane Prini

      Happy New Year! How wonderfully that the Church celebrates today the Motherhood of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, calling it the greatest of all Marian feasts. Can you imagine holding baby Jesus in your arms, playing peek-a-boo with him and watching him giggle? Now imagine that you realize this is God! How wonderful! Wouldn’t you, like the shepherds want to tell others? 

      In our gospel reading today we continue the story of Jesus’ birth with the shepherds visiting the Holy Family in the stable. The shepherds tell Mary and Jospeh what the angel told them and we read that “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart”. We learn that the shepherds also tell others about the birth of this special child. 

      Notice that Mary pondered, (she considered) their words in her heart and not her mind. Why do you suppose that is? Notice how she doesn’t ponder what it could mean for Jesus to be called the Messiah, what was going to happen next, or even the plans she should make for the future. Instead, we learn she ponders these words in her heart—that quiet place at the centre of her being where love begins. She treasures their words but does not worry about how Jesus will save us or what else God has planned for her. Her trust in God gives her peace and confidence to let God make the plans. 

      When Mary said “Yes” to being the mother of Jesus she became part of God’s plan to save us for a deep relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. She taught Jesus the usual things that mothers teach their children, like how to eat and dress and the more important things like how to show kindness, help others, and trust in God. She taught Jesus to trust in God the Father as she did. Jesus did the Father’s will all his life, and he taught others to do the same. The stories we read in the Bible, teach us of God’s tender love for us, and we learn to trust and love God. We then want to tell others about him and how much he loves and cares for them too.
      As we begin the New Year, let us pray for that same confidence in our God that Mother Mary had. She trusted that God knew the future and that he always looks after her. We know the future is unknown and can be scary, but we need not worry for we know, like Mother Mary, that God holds the future. We have today, so we need to try to live it the way God planned it. 

      We honour Mary today as the Mother of God because her first role is always to lead us to her son, Jesus Christ. She is our example of how to trust in God’s plan for each one of us, how to hold God in our hearts while telling others about him. 

       

      Prayer for Families: Oh God, we thank and praise you for the gift of Mary’s Yes, and her example in how to trust in your goodness. We pray that, like Mother Mary, we may have trust in you so we too can say yes to the plan you have for each of us. Though our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever, Amen.

       

      Discussion starters: (Choose one or more of these after reading today’s scripture readings)

      1. Why do you suppose Mary pondered the shepherd’s words in her heart? What does that tell you about the sort of person that Mother Mary was? Does that encourage you to trust God?
      2. What do you think it means to trust that God has a plan for you? Read Psalm 139 together

      CLICK, READ MORE FOR FAMILY RESOURCES, Colouring Page, Cross Word Puzzle and Word Search
       

      Read More

 Mass Times: 

Saturday 5pm, Sunday 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Wed, Thur and Fri 12:15 Mass

Holy Cross Parish of Ottawa  

© 2023 Holy Cross Parish | 685 Walkley Road, Ottawa ON K1V 6R8 Canada | Map
Phone: 613-731-7834 | Fax: 613-731-2401 

Login
powered by eCatholic®