January 01, 2026 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Daily Readings: Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21
Children of God: As the world welcomes the New Year on January 1, many Asian countries celebrate with fireworks, countdowns, and bright city lights. Yet across Asia, the beginning of a new year is marked in different ways and on different dates. China, Korea, and Vietnam celebrate the Lunar New Year with family reunions and ancestral remembrance. Thailand welcomes Songkran in April with water as a sign of cleansing and renewal. In India, different regions observe New Year festivals such as Ugadi and Vaisakhi, each rich with symbols of new beginnings. These traditions remind us that a new year is not only about time passing, but about renewal and fresh starts.
In the gospel story when the shepherds hasten to Bethlehem, find Mary and Joseph with the child lying in the manger, and return glorifying and praising God, we are shown another beginning: the beginning of the new creation. In the midst of their joy, Mary stands quietly, treasuring all these events and reflecting on them in her heart (Luke 2:19). The child is named Jesus, a name that means “God saves” (Luke 2:21). This moment marks not only a new year, but the dawn of salvation itself.
Mary stands at the heart of this new creation. Through her “yes,” God enters human history in a new way. She is not merely a witness but a participant in God’s saving plan. As the Mother of God, she carries within her the beginning of a renewed world, one shaped not by sin and fear, but by grace and mercy. In her, God begins again with humanity.
Mary also teaches us how to begin anew. She does not rush, explain, or control events. She listens, reflects, and trusts. At the start of the year, when many make resolutions and plans, Mary invites us to begin differently: by allowing God’s word to take flesh in our daily lives. The new creation begins not with noise, but with openness to God’s will.
Children of God: As we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, may we entrust this new year to her care. May she teach us to welcome Christ, to treasure God’s work in our hearts, and to live as people made new in Him.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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