We have yet another great Feast day! The birth of our Blessed Mother Mary. She had been immaculately conceived in her mother Anne's womb, thus making her the purest of the pure. She is the one who is to crush the old serpent's head with her heel, and will lead us to her Son. She is the only one to say "Yes" of 'fiat', when told that she would be the mother of 'THE ONE' who is to come. She, who is our only hope, will bring us to eternal happiness. She, who has, and will continue, to crush all heresies, will come to our aid; if we ask. She, who was made the mother of us all, (through John, who stood in our place), while Jesus was on the Cross, will guide us to all Truth as she did the Apostles and disciples after Pentecost.
I put it to protestants this way; in a way maybe they can understand. A simple math solution: If A=B, and B=C; then A=C. Right? Now, if Jesus is God; and Mary is the mother of Jesus; she must be the Mother of God. See how easy this is? I also would ask them if they would take offense if I were to call their mother names or told lies about her, even though I had never met her? When they would reply that they definitely get mad, I would tell them: 'So does Jesus. He will remember all the times you were hateful towards His mother. If you can't say anything decent about her, SHUT UP!'
As the Jewish nation had the 'Ark of the Covenant', which held the Truth as they saw it, so now we have Mary as the 'ARK of the New Covenant', carrying Jesus Himself! She IS the tabernacle which held and still holds the True Manna for our souls.
Now, let's find out about Mary herself.
The NATIVITY
of the BLESSED VIRGIN
(ca. 15 B.C.)
The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the approaching salvation of a lost world. Mary was brought into the world not like other children of Adam, infected with the contagion of sin, but pure, holy, beautiful, and glorious, adorned with all the most precious graces fitting for the One predestined to be the Mother of the Saviour. Never did She have the slightest inclination towards anything other than the absolute and immediate Will of God. She appeared indeed in the weak condition of all mortals, but in the eyes of Heaven She already transcended the highest Seraphim in purity, humility, charity, and the richest ornaments of grace. God had created Her in the original grace, as in the beginning Adam and Eve had enjoyed that ineffable privilege; after original sin, it was lost for all Adam's posterity, until the time of the Redemption dawned in Mary. (Cf. I Cor. 15:21-23)
The nations celebrate, often too noisily, the birthdays of the great ones of this earth... How then ought we, Christians, to rejoice in that of the Virgin Mary, Mother of our Salvation, and to present publicly to God the homage of our best praises and thanksgiving for the great mercies He has shown in Her, imploring Her mediation with Her Divine Son! Jesus of Nazareth will not reject the supplications of His most holy Mother, through whom He chose to descend from Heaven; She, the Spouse of the Canticle, is all beautiful and is the One He was pleased to obey while on earth. Her love, care, and tenderness for Him, the title and qualities which She bears, the charity and graces with which She is adorned, and the crown of glory with which She is honored, incline Him readily to receive Her recommendations and petitions.
Reflection: The Angelical Salutation is the prayer which most pleases Mary; but when time is short we can invoke Her constantly by short ejaculatory prayers, such as the one She entrusted to Catherine Labouré in 1830 with the Miraculous Medal: 'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!' or, shorter yet: 'My Mother, my confidence!'
Or, even: 'Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I love thee, save souls.'
The prayer for today's Mass: 'Bestow upon Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that, as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the votive feast of her Nativity may bring us an increase of peace.'
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