The Church in this feast, celebrates the dawning of the Redemption when, after much waiting, Mary who was to be the Mother of our Saviour was born. Her place in salvation history is unique. Heaven rejoices at her birth. The Lord reserves for her the highest mission ever given to any creature. We rejoice in the certainty that the Mother of God is our Mother, too. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1630)
Joy over the birth of Our Lady
“Let us celebrate with joyful hearts the birth of the Virgin Mary of whom was born the Sun of justice, Christ our Lord.” (“Entrance Antiphon”, “Daily Roman Missal”)
Ever since the ancient inception of this feast the liturgical texts invite us to rejoice today with uplifted hearts. (cf J Pascher, “The Liturgical Year”, Madrid, 1965) We exult on the Blessed Mother’s birthday just as family, friends and neighbors delight in the birth of a newborn child. So happy an event is a foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah yet to be born.
Mary is the Morning Star who precedes the Saviour, the Sun of justice, into the history of the human race. (cf John Paul II, Encyclical, “Redemptoris Mater”, 3) An ancient writer observes: “The most significant deed of God’s coming to dwell among men certainly required a joyful prelude to introduce for us the great gift of salvation. The present festival, the birth of the Mother of God, is this prelude. The final act is the foreordained union of the Word with flesh ...
“Therefore, let all creation sing and dance and unite to make worthy contribution to the celebration of this day. Let there be one common festival for saints in heaven and men on earth. Let everything, mundane things and those above, join in festive celebration.” (“Liturgy of the Hours”, “Second Reading”: St Andrew of Crete, 1)
The Liturgy of the Mass calls the newborn Virgin the fulfilment of God’s design in calling all men to everlasting life. (Rom 8:28-30) From all eternity, the Blessed Trinity predestines Mary to be the Mother of the Son. God adorns her with all graces for this purpose. “She is the most beautiful fully human soul ever created, second only to the Incarnation of the Word.” (St Alphonsus Liguori, “The Glories of Mary”, II, 2)
God gives each person the necessary strength for a specific mission in the world. (cf St Thomas, “Summa Theologiae”, 3, q27, a5) Given Mary’s exalted vocation, her grace from the time of her conception surpasses that bestowed on all the angels and saints together. Her tremendous participation in the divine nature was proportional to the singular dignity to which God called her from all eternity. (cf op cit, 3, q7, a10)
St Bernard deduces: “Mary’s sanctity and beauty were so superlative that it was fitting God be her Son and she His Mother.” (cf “Sermon 4 on the Assumption”, 5) St Bonaventure affirms: “God could have made a greater world, but he could not have made a mother more perfect than the Mother of God.” (“Speculum”, 8)
Let us remember that we, too have received from God a personal call to sanctity to fulfil a specific mission in the world. Besides the joy of contemplating the plenitude of Our Lady’s grace we should not forget that God gives unfailingly to each person, sufficient grace to bring to completion this specific mission.
“Lord, may your Church renewed in this Holy Eucharist be filled with joy at the birth of the Virgin Mary who brought the dawn of hope and salvation to the world.” (“Roman Missal”, “Prayer after Communion”)
Nothing spectacular accompanied Mary’s birth. The Gospels make no mention of it. She was born in a city of Galilee, probably in Nazareth itself. No extraordinary revelation took place. The world continued giving importance to other events which would soon fade and vanish from all memory.
The Blessed Virgin spent many years of her life in obscurity. All Israel awaited the handmaid foretold in Sacred Scripture (cf Gen 3:15; Is 7:14) without realizing her presence. She hardly differed from others in the small town; but kept her mind serving the mysteries she gradually grew to understand more deeply.
Our Lady could learn to sew and cook. She must have known how to make life more pleasant for others, especially during sickness or misfortune. Mary, also would have joyfully carried out her worldly duties, often, unnoticed; but she was aware that God lovingly looked at her while fulfilling those numerous daily tasks.
By reflecting on her daily life we learn to do our ordinary work in God’s presence. We will serve others sans fanfare, finish our work well, and avoid expecting privileges. By imitating Our Lady, we learn to value doing little things out of love. May we shower Our Lady with much affection, a second nature to her children.
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:133-8
“Prayer
“O most holy Mother Mary, how is it possible that I, having so holy a mother, should be so wicked? A mother all burning with the love of God, and I loving creatures; a mother so rich in virtue, and I so poor? Ah, amiable Mother, it is true that I do not deserve any longer to be thy son, for by my wicked life I have rendered myself unworthy of so great an honor. I am satisfied that thou shouldst accept me for thy servant; and in order to be admitted amongst the vilest of them, I am ready to renounce all the kingdoms of the world. Yes, I am satisfied. But still thou must not forbid me to call thee mother.
"This name consoles and fills me with tenderness, and reminds me of my obligation to love thee. This name excites me to great confidence in thee. When my sins and the divine justice fill me most with consternation, I am all consoled at the thought that thou art my mother. Thus do I call thee, and thus will I always call thee. Thou, after God, must be my hope, my refuge, my love in this valley of tears. Thus do I hope to die, breathing forth my soul into thy hands, and saying, My Mother, my Mother Mary, help me, have pity on me! Amen.”
Ref: St Alphonsus Liguori, “The Blessed Virgin Mary”, 1982, p26
• The Nativity of Our Lady, which happened, according to Baronius, in the year of the creation of the world 4007, on a Saturday, at daybreak, fifteen years before the birth of our Saviour. This feast was instituted on the 8th of September, in the Greek Church and in the Latin, in the year 436, according to the same Baronius; and in France, by St Maurillus, Bishop of Angers. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Nativity of Our Lady. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Nativity of Mary (Universally celebrated since the reign of Pope Sergius I 687). (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Nativity of Mary. Feast: Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 15 BC. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 BC). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady’s Nativity. (http://mariedenazareth.com)
• Dedication of the church of Our Lady of Liesse, in the diocese of Laon, ten leagues from Rheims. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Dedication of Our Lady of Montserrat, in Catalonia. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Charity. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• “Nuestra Señora de Filermo”. Malta. Celebrates lifting of the Turkish siege. 1565. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Good Health. Vailankannia, India. (Celebrated in other locations on December 8.)
Basilica in India, and story of 16th Century apparition there. Known as the “Lourdes of the East". Shrine. This shrine also attracts Hindus, especially during the annual nine-day festival. Celebrated in Kuwait. Marian Institute: Known as "Our Lady's Tank".
Pope John Paul II: "Vailankanny attracts not only Christian pilgrims but also many followers of other religions, especially Hindus, who see in Our Lady of Good Health the caring and compassionate Mother of suffering humanity. In a land of such ancient and deep religiosity like India, this Shrine dedicated to the Mother of God is truly a meeting-point for members of different religions, and an outstanding example of inter-religious harmony and exchange." Historical origins in Dutch persecution. Feast customs. At the National Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Good Health. India. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Apparecida, Patroness of Brazil. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.starharbor.com/santiago/m feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Monserrat Benedictine Abbey. San Miguel, Manila PHL. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Meritxell. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Covadonga 722 Apparition. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Victories. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Siluva. Lithuania. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
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