In his New Year's Day homily during the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Pope Francis urged believers to entrust the coming year to the Mother of God, emphasizing the significance of this celebration and the World Day of Peace observed by the Church on January 1.
Addressing the congregation at Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope delved into the biblical concept of "the fullness of time," highlighting how divine grace overflowed as God became man through Mary. He described Mary as the chosen means of God, symbolizing the culmination of generations preparing for the Lord's advent.
Pope Francis underscored the profound meaning of the expression "Mother of God," not only as a dogma of faith but also as a "dogma of hope." He stressed the eternal covenant between the Lord and humanity, manifested in the unity of God in man and man in God through the joyful certainty represented by Mary and the infant Jesus.
Pope Francis encouraged believers to recognize the maternal care and courage in Mary as a model for the Church's pastoral ministry. He expressed the need for the Church to rediscover generativity, marked by concern, care, patience, and maternal courage. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of society respecting, defending, and esteeming women, acknowledging their sacred role as bearers of life.
Highlighting Mary's decisive role in individual lives, Pope noted her intercessory role, guiding believers through the stages of growth and urgent needs. He encouraged seeking refuge in Mary during times of loneliness and turning to her for assistance in overcoming life's challenges.
Concluding his homily, Pope Francis quoted Paul VI, Thomas of Celano, Martin Luther, and the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, inviting believers to entrust the New Year to the Mother of God. He urged consecrating lives to her, expressing confidence that she would lead them to Jesus, the embodiment of the fullness of time in every era.
He concluded with a collective proclamation, inviting the congregation to declare three times: "Holy Mother of God! Holy Mother of God! Holy Mother of God!"