Happy New Year to all. We welcome the year 2025 with great hope and expectations of God’s continuous blessings. It is nice to begin with such a positive outlook in life. We start the new year right with an assurance that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, JESUS, our Savior and a brother. This all began through Mary’s response in bringing forth Jesus, the Word made flesh. We give much love to the Blessed Mother, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and our own mother too.
Our liturgy today celebrates the Circumcision of the Lord. Preparing my homily today, I reflect on the readings from St.Paul’s epistle to Titus and the one verse gospel reading from St. Luke. Maybe some of you might think that this event in the life of Jesus becomes insignificant in our Christian faith, and therefore should not be given much importance in the liturgy, especially today when we need a more inspiring homily on the first day of the year 2025.
Since the existence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, they were faithful to their religious tradition being Jews. They were faithful to the law and commandments. Thus, circumcision of Jesus is essential to the fulfillment of the Old Testament, though in the New Testament, St. Paul preached hard that circumcision was not required to become followers of Christ. However, we must affirm to the fact that since it was fulfilled by Jesus to undergo such a ritual, it is therefore meaningful to ponder on. It would be a mistake if we don’t. We must accept that Jesus’ words, actions and events that happened to Him were filled with meaning, purpose and importance that is worth celebrating.
There are things we must understand that everything Jesus did on earth was for Him, not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. As the Lord Himself said: “Think not that I come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
In its truest sense, from Abraham and up to the ancient Israel they cut off only a small portion of their skin but in the new covenant, we cut off our entire life, whole selves, our whole being, for the Lord. This is our new circumcision with Jesus, our Savior.
This is the life of the Lord we are called to lead, nothing less than to embrace His humility and example to offer His first blood to make an offering to God. Just as we offer the bread and wine, and we receive them back as the Body and Blood of Christ, we offer ourselves to be transfigured and become a vessel of God’s grace. I believe that the Lord has given us all things, even His very life.
The epistle of St. Paul to Titus 2:11–15 reminds us that receiving God’s grace is necessary to act in righteousness and holiness. It is the foundation on which traits such as self-control, love, patience, compassion, kindness and respect are built. Pursuing good deeds can be a catalyst to anticipate a brighter and prosperous year.
Today is the first day of the new year; therefore, let us resolve to make a good beginning. Being proud of doing good externally, but if we live without mercy and love for others, there is no merit from God. Even though how seemingly dedicated a person is in the eyes of many, but deep inside there is a rotten spirit of anger and prejudice, then there is no hope for a fruitful year ahead. We need to seek God’s grace to process our interiority.
Brothers and sisters, if we fail to give ourselves up to God in that true sense of circumcision of the heart to which we are called today, expect that there is no glory awaiting us for salvation. Let us take courage to change ourselves.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
