Little did I know
that when I saw that I was scheduled
to preach on both Christmas and today
that the gospels would be almost exactly the same.

I was tempted to preach the same words today
that I did last Wednesday morning,
but I thought that some of my brothers in community
as well as some of you who worship with us regularly
might object.

So here goes something new:

The focus last week was on Jesus and the shepherds.

Today, as we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God,
our focus shifts a bit.

Today, we continue to focus on Jesus,
but we also contemplate the role of Mary
in the Incarnation
and the coming of the Messiah among us.

Today, we remember that "Mary kept all these things,  
reflecting on them in her heart."

We wonder what she must have thought about
all that had happened over the past nine months.
We admire her for her willingness to respond to the message of an angel
with faith and determination,
even though it might have meant
ridicule and the destruction of her upcoming marriage.

We remember how shortly after finding that she was with child,
her thought turned to her elderly cousin
who was also facing a difficult pregnancy,
even if it was for a very different reason.

We remember her response to Elizabeth’s words of praise,
how Mary quickly turned things around
and offered prayer and praise to God,
and even though she said,

“All generations to come will call me blessed,”
she didn’t take any credit for herself,
but simply cried out
that “God who is mighty has done great things for me.”

In our first reading today,
we are reminded that all of us are blessed,
that God instructed Aaron to bless all the people,
no matter who we are or what we’ve done.

That’s a great message for us
as we begin a new year.

Whether we live up to our New Year’s resolutions or not,

God still consider us blessed.

Mary was not the only one to be blessed by God.
All of us can rightfully say,
“God who is mighty has done great things for us.”

In the Psalm,
we pray for God’s blessing,

“May God bless us in his mercy.”

And in Paul’s letter to the Galatians

he reminds us
that through the child born of Mary
we have all become sons and daughter so God.
Our prayer has already been fulfilled.

We are already blessed by God,
blessed to be called his children,
his beloved sons and daughters.

God has already blessed us in his mercy.

Today, we know
what Mary couldn’t have known
at that point in her life.

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
will soon deliver you?

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
you've kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
is the Great I Am?
Mary did you know?

Mary may not have known at that time,
but at this time, we do know.
We do know who this baby became,
and we rejoice in the salvation he brought for us!