There are times (I hope more often than ever) we need to be humble to recognize that who we are, what we have achieved, our success, our making it big, qualities or merit, is not because of WE ourselves, but is in fact because of something much bigger beyond ourselves. We do not have to limit our horizons to ourselves.

The Christian believer sets himself apart by admitting a deep sense of mystery about our lives; this mystery involves the ‘Other’, who is God. It is from looking beyond ourselves that we discover our source of blessing, God, from whom all good things come. To look beyond self is to find one’s true self.

This attitude is echoed in today's first reading from the book of numbers and the responsorial psalm. The first reading is an ancient priestly blessing. This prayer of blessing was found on a silver plate near Jerusalem in the 8 B.C. It is thought to be rooted from the experience of Moses, the man who spoke to God, face to face in sanctuary. It is a prayer of gratitude and expresses God’s providence. God is confined to care for his people.  To be blessed by God not only endows one with the spiritual graces but material abundance. To be blessed by God is to be strengthened to live as a true human being (image of God).

As we come to the end of the year and begin a new year one, it is right for us to go back to the origin of all things and stay firm and rooted in him. To look beyond us and see the root of all that exists. As we set forth into the new year, let our minds and hearts remind us that we exist to live as God wants us to. To stay close to God is to find life, but to distance oneself from God is to scatter one’s life, so look beyond ourselves.

What is it about Mary? What is so special about this peasant woman of no pedigree? Why do we hold her up as the model of discipleship especially as we begin a new year?

Remember the annunciation story we just listened to these last few days of Christmas? Her response when the angel reveals she is to be the mother of the messiah. She says, ‘behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done according to your word’. She will trust by looking beyond herself. She will put her plan on hold for others.

Today in the gospel she ponders the significance of the birth and its attendant circumstances and in doing so she looks beyond herself. For Luke, she is the link between the infancy narrative and the ministry of Jesus. She looks beyond herself to the needs of others.

The challenge of the readings is to ‘look beyond ourselves', to ‘be Mary’.  We are challenged too, to ponder the mystery of our lives. Are we still amazed by the things of God as Mary was? Are we still humbled that God himself came and lived and walked among us? Do we still praise and glorify God aloud by our way of life?

Pope Benedict XVI, who passed away December 31st, was a brilliant mind and humble shepherd had but one preoccupation: that human beings are distancing themselves far and further away from God and to do this is to self-destroy!  So, look beyond ourselves!

Often what will tempt us is – position, status, gifts – even our pains and frustrations, these can isolate us in our own ego! The challenge is to direct our gaze (like Mary) beyond ourselves, to the needs of others.

The Eucharist ponders the mystery of the man who looked beyond himself. Given his mother, he didn’t fall far from the tree. Eucharist envisions countless brothers and sisters who we are to be objects of our caring. Eucharist draws us from the seclusion of the sanctuary of ourselves to the arena of life – to look beyond ourselves, to be like Mary.

- Fr. Anthony Mpagi