LIVE IT TODAY: Thursday, January 1, 2026 | Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
I draw near in humility and peace, inviting you to receive My salvation with wonder and trust.
Christmas Blessings!
We are deeply grateful to share this journey with you—encountering Jesus Christ more fully and becoming instruments of His presence.
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We are delighted to share with you The Inn Crowd — a very moving Christmas short story. Weekly Live IT radio program and podcast coming soon.
We wish you and your family abundant Christmas blessings!
LIVE IT TODAY: Thursday, January 1, 2026 | Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
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GOD’S DECLARATION TO YOU TODAY
I draw near in humility and peace, inviting you to receive My salvation with wonder and trust.
INVOCATION
Come, Holy Spirit! Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, open my heart to hear and receive all that You desire for me. Draw me ever more deeply into the Love and Life of the Blessed Trinity!
GOSPEL | Luke 2:16–21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
EVERY DAY QUESTION
What struck you? Challenged you? Inspired you? What questions did it raise?
GOING DEEPER
Those who hurry to behold the Savior are sent back to glorify God and carry His peace.
The shepherds move quickly, but not carelessly. Their haste is born of desire, not anxiety. Having heard the angel’s message, they go to Bethlehem to see what the Lord has made known. When they arrive, they do not find spectacle or power, but a family and a Child laid in a manger. God’s glory is revealed in simplicity.
They do not keep the encounter to themselves. What they have seen and heard becomes testimony. Their wonder overflows into proclamation, and amazement spreads among all who listen. Encounter with Christ always bears fruit beyond the moment—it sends us outward, changed and grateful.
Mary’s response is quieter. She treasures these events and reflects on them in her heart. While others speak, she listens. While others marvel aloud, she ponders. Faith grows not only through proclamation, but through contemplation. The domestic church is sustained by this hidden fidelity—holding God’s work gently, trusting its unfolding.
The naming of Jesus seals the mystery. His name, given by the angel before His conception, reveals His mission. Salvation is not abstract; it is personal and near. God saves, and He does so by entering our lives with humility and mercy.
This Gospel shapes our homes. We are invited to be both shepherd and Mary—quick to seek the Lord, bold to speak of Him, and attentive enough to ponder His work in our hearts. Families flourish when wonder and reflection live together.
As parents, we receive our children as gifts entrusted to us. We speak blessing, carry peace, and return to daily life glorifying God. Pray over your children by name, trusting that the Savior who came quietly continues to save powerfully.
“Jesus means in Hebrew: ‘God saves.’” (CCC 430)
LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS
In My Heart: Where is God inviting me to respond with wonder rather than familiarity?
In My Home: How can our family better treasure and reflect on God’s work among us?
In My World: Where can I carry Christ’s peace into ordinary conversations today?
FAMILY LIVE IT
Make some time today to gather together and, going around, share one moment this week where you sensed God’s presence.
Then, one by one, pray over each person by name, asking for an outpouring of grace to know God’s love personally, freedom from the whispers and lies of the Enemy, strength to overcome temptation, and joy in living the Gospel concretely each day.
Daily Challenge:
Speak the Holy Name of Jesus intentionally today—in gratitude, in difficulty, and in hope.
DAILY PARENT & GRANDPARENT BLESSING
LORD JESUS CHRIST, let Your holy anointing be upon each of our children, grandchildren, and godchildren this day and week, including all to whom they are called in vocation, and all future generations! In Your Sacred Name we claim them for You! We renounce all whispers, lies, and influences of the Enemy! We pray right now that each know Your loving Presence, be forged in virtue, and be flooded with an abundance of Your Holy Spirit to live fully their identity and mission in You now and through all eternity, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother! Amen.
PARENT BLESSING PROJECT: bit.ly/ParentBlessing
GOING VERTICAL
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Just as the vertical beam upholds the horizontal beam of the Cross, so too does undistracted, dedicated daily turning to God as our lifeblood uphold and strengthen every part of life. Start with just three minutes. Wait patiently for the breakthrough beyond the noise. Let Him speak.
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