Christians have been asked to present their plans and aspirations for the new year to the Lord so that he blesses them. This call was made by Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, Bishop of Kabale Diocese as part of his message for the New Year 2025.
While preaching during Mass for the celebration of the Solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God on Wednesday, January 1, 2025 in Rushoroza Cathedral, Bishop Callist Rubaramira said that people should not wait for the days to go by without meeting as family members to discuss their plans for the new year. He said that after meeting and making resolutions, they should bring their plans and present them to the Lord.
Bishop Callist called on the Christians to thank the Lord for the New Year and for his protection throughout 2024. He said that the Catholic Church in a special way remembers and celebrates World Day of Prayer for Peace, that as the year begins, people should entrust themselves and all that is theirs to the prince of peace so that the peace may reign in the families, in communities in nations and in the whole world.
Bishop Callist Rubaramira also said that on January 1, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God which was confirmed by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431. Prior to the Council, different wrong teachings (heresies) surrounded the nature of Christ and Mary. It is this Council that firmly stated that Jesus has two natures: he is true God and true Man. It also affirmed that Mary is the Mother of God, and since then, the the annual celebration remembered the motherhood of Mary is on January 1.
Bishop Callist reminded the Christians that they are all called upon to know the dignity of Mary and accord it to her. God sent his angel to explain to Mary the vocation to which she was being called and the role she would play in the salvation of mankind. Mary accepted this vocation with humility, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be done to me according to your will” Luke 1:28. Mary offered herself to fulfill the vocation to which God called her.
We are called upon to take Mary as our role model of faith and humility. She offered her life to God. We too should consecrate ourselves and children to God – Bishop Callist Rubaramira.
Bishop Callist further said that each of us is a gift to the other. Since Jesus came to save us and make us children of God who should call God Father, each should be considerate of the other and have concern for each other.
In all her apparitions to the three children of Fatima: Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia in 1917, Mary implored the people to repent of their sins and consecrate their lives to her immaculate heart. Therefore, this feast day should not pass without making an impact on our lives, we have some lessons to learn from her:
– We should renew our faith in God following the example of Mary.
– We should learn from Mary the virtue of humility, that we are a nobody and God raises us to dignity.
– We should learn to be good listeners to God and be able to respond to God’s call like Mary – Behold am the handmaid..
– Mary should inspire us to keep pondering on the word of God, reflecting and meditating on them. we should also learn to keep secrets.
– We ask the intercession of Mary that despite our sinful life, we should made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us be glued to Christ by his grace and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Callist also reminded the Christians that as the year unfolds, they should offer their plans and aspirations to the Lord. They should meet as family members and plan on what should be done to increase food production and income in their families. plan how to fully utilize the small plots of land and bring their resolutions to the Lord so that he blesses them (Numbers 6:22-27).
Rev. Fr. Austen Christmas, parish priest of Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral Parish thanked Bishop Callist for ushering the Christians of Kabale Diocese into the New Year with Solemn Mass and for the new year message delivered that will help the people of God make plan on how to improve their lives in the New Year.
He reminded the people that 2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, a celebration which comes after every 25 years. In universal Church, Pope Francis opened the Jubilee Year on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2024) by opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. However, in Kabale Diocese the Jubilee Year will be opened on Sunday, January 5, 2025 and this will be marked by Bishop Callist Rubaramira opening the Holy Door of Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral.