Today, January 1st, is the Solemnity of Mary. For this day, I found a beautiful reflection written by Maryknoll Sr. Teresa (Terry) Alexander. It intertwines the motto of the Maryknoll Sisters, “Making God’s Love Visible,” with Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth and the shepherds sharing what they heard and saw at the manger with everyone upon their return. It is all about the ways to make God’s love visible and the importance of doing so, through acts of kindness. For we all know that from one simple act of kindness often many more can grow.
“Our Maryknoll Sisters’ motto is ‘Making God’s love visible.’ On this beautiful feast of Mary, Mother of God, Mary is the first to make God’s love visible. How? Her quick trip to her cousin Elizabeth to greet her and to stay and help. […]
As Mary went out to her cousin so we as missioners, all of us, must go out to share and receive. Paul’s letter to the Galatians tells us, ‘God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts’ (Galatians 4-6). Yes, Jesus is always present in all of our hearts, no matter where we live, here or in other countries. We must be the hands, feet, and voice carrying God’s love to all. Mary certainly carried God’s love to her cousin and received a beautiful blessing from Elizabeth. We have received countless blessings from others in our lives. In our Gospel reading today we hear, the shepherds ‘went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child’ (Luke 2:16-17). They went, they saw, they heard the good news, and they shared it with others. […]
There are many ways we can share our love and our faith with others. Maybe one of the best ways is through acts of kindness. People will find the best ways to solve their difficulties as soon as they realize their human dignity. It is possible to change our own lives and to have an influence on the lives of others. Love grows, love blossoms as soon as it is given. All of us can make love visible, help spread it, and make love be as easy as it might sound. Did not Jesus suffer and die for our freedom?
Just as fire brings warmth and light, we are in mission to bring love and light. We share our faith, our light, and our love, not to preach or impose our customs but to share by actions so others can take hold of it and carry forward the faith, truth, love, and embrace until it fills the whole world. ‘The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them’ (Luke 2:20).”
~ Feast of Mary, Mother of God (January 1) by Sr. Teresa Alexander, MM
from A Maryknoll Liturgical Year: Reflections on the Readings for Year A, p. 35-37
Making God’s Love Visible
The Maryknoll Sisters believe that we are all part of “One Earth Community”… that all of us—regardless of race, nationality, gender, background or personal identity—are all connected as a human family, with each other and with all creation. As Pope Francis has said, “God created the world and entrusted it to us as a gift. Now we have the responsibility to care for and protect it and all people, who are part of creation. Protecting human dignity is strongly linked to care for creation.”
Maryknoll Sisters give witness to God’s love and devote our lives in service overseas. As nurses, doctors, teachers, theologians, social workers, environmentalists and more, we serve the needs of the people – the poor, the ailing and the marginalized – where we are missioned. Our mission began in 1912, when we became the first group of Catholic Sisters in the United States founded for overseas mission.
For more than a century the Maryknoll Sisters have made God’s love visible throughout the world, continuing to do so today as they serve in over 17 locations throughout the world. They are a wonderfully unique group of Sisters whose fervor, commitment, determination, and love create a distinctively welcoming, rejuvenating, and caring spirit that infuses their work among God’s people everywhere they are called to serve, even in the most challenging of circumstances. Click on the links below to learn more about the many causes the Maryknoll Sisters are working on. May the love and light they provide continue to grow and, through their example, may it continue to spread to those around them and beyond, filling the world with acts of kindness and hope.
Happy New Year everyone! May it be full of blessings, love, kindness, and hope!
