Mary, Mother of God

“The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them” (Luke 2:16-20).
 
This reading picks up where the Gospel for the Christmas Mass at Midnight left off, as the shepherds are searching for the newborn King. The shepherds, like the magi in the upcoming gospel reading for the Epiphany, act as “patron saints” for anyone who has ever asked, “Where is God?”
 
We are all, in some way, seekers. Week after week, parishioners are dismissed at the end of the Liturgy of the Word to reflect further on the readings and to discern God’s presence in their lives. The sick look for God in their suffering. Spouses look for God in their marriages. Children look for God in their families.
 
The journey we take in search of God has its ups and its downs. Baptism does not deliver us from this journey, nor does it guarantee that we will never have doubts or questions about God’s presence. It does, however, incorporate us into a community that supports our search with its prayers and its faith. It assures us that the God whom we seek promises to be with us in our search.
 
How do you seek God in your life? Are you able to find God in all things?
 
Adapted from PrayerTime: Faith-Sharing Reflections on the Sunday Gospels, available from the RENEW International online store.