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Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
January 1, 2026
On this page you will find:
The readings for Mass, the Mass leaflet with the choice of hymns
A sample universal prayer available for download, in PDF and editable Word formats.
A meditation on the Sunday Gospel, a spiritual text and commentary by Marie-Noëlle Thabut
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Solemnity
59th WORLD DAY OF PEACE
When the fullness of time had come,
God sent his Son,
born of a woman
and subject to the law of Moses,
in order to redeem those who were subject to the Law
and so that we may be adopted as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5
Readings from the Mass
Universal Prayer
Consult the Lectio Divina page, which invites you to read the Gospel in a prayerful atmosphere so that you may be touched in your heart. It is important not to rush to read commentaries or homilies before having this personal experience of encountering Christ in Scripture.
Next, if you wish, you can read the meditations below which will enrich your personal reading and meditation.
Méditation
Meditation by Pope Francis
In recent days, we have gazed with adoration upon the Son of God, born in Bethlehem; today, the Solemnity of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, we turn our gaze to the Mother, but welcoming both in their close bond. This bond is not limited to the fact of having begotten and being begotten; Jesus was “born of a woman” (Gal 4:4) for a mission of salvation, and his mother is not excluded from this mission, on the contrary, she is intimately associated with it. Mary is aware of this, which is why she does not confine herself solely to considering her maternal relationship with Jesus, but remains open and attentive to all the events that occur around him: she cherishes and meditates, observes and reflects upon them, as today’s Gospel reminds us (cf. Lk 2:19). She has already said her "yes" and given her willingness to participate in the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation, who "has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:51-53). Now, silent and attentive, she seeks to understand what God wants from her, day by day.
The shepherds' visit offers her the opportunity to grasp some aspects of God's will, manifested in the presence of these humble and poor people. The evangelist Luke recounts the shepherds' visit to the cave with a compelling succession of verbs that express movement. He says: they went there with haste, they found the child with Mary and Joseph, they saw him, they told what had been said to them about him, and finally they glorified God (cf. Lk 2:16-20). Mary attentively follows this passage, what the shepherds say, what happened to them, because she already perceives in this the movement of salvation that will spring from the work of Jesus, and she adapts, ready to respond to each of the Lord's requests. God asks Mary not only to be the mother of his only Son, but also to cooperate with the Son and for the Son in the plan of salvation, so that in her, humble servant, the great works of divine mercy may be accomplished.
Homily
Draw from the source
It is a joy that we begin this new year by celebrating Mary, Mother of God. On Christmas night, we celebrated the birth of our Savior. The shepherds were the first to receive this good news; they were the first to discover Mary and Joseph with the newborn child lying in a manger. Saint Luke tells us that they returned, glorifying God and praising him for all they had heard and seen.
This good news must be proclaimed throughout the world. The shepherds recounted "what had been told them about the child." This is important for us today. For faith to spread, people must speak out. A Christian community that is not missionary is a dead community. Faith can only grow within us if we share it with those around us.
Understanding the readings
with Marie-Noëlle THABUT
Une parole pour la route
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