Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Birth of Mary by Master of the Pfullendorf Altar

Come, all you faithful, let us hasten to the Virgin: for long before her conception in the womb, the one who was to be born of the stem of Jesse was destined to be the Mother of God. The one who is the treasury of virginity, the flowering Rod of Aaron, the object of the prophecies, the child of Joachim and Anne, is born today and the world is renewed in her. Through her birth, she floods the church with her splendor. O holy Temple, Vessel of the Godhead, Model of virgins and Strength of kings: in you the wondrous union of the two natures of Christ was realized. We worship Him and glorify your most pure birth, and we magnify you. ~Byzantine Daily Worship

Happy Birthday, dearest Mary!  Blessed are you among woman, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus!  Blessed, too, are we for you are our Mother Most Wonderful and you have given us your Beloved Son Jesus, our way, our truth and our life.  Alleluia!

Nativity of Mary continued

When Mary was born, she was like a new lamp, all ready to be lit; to be lit by God with a light burning like the three-fold flame of his own love. The first flame of her lover was her choice, for God's glory, to be ever a virgin. So pleasing was this to the Father that he willed to entrust to her his beloved Son, that Son who is inseparable from the Divinity of himself and the Holy Spirit. The second flame of her love was her humility, so pelasing to the Son that he willed to take from her a true human body, and that humanity which was destined to be honoured in heaven above all things. The third flame of her love was her obedience, which brought to her from the Holy Spirit the fulness of grace.

It is true that these flames of Mary's love were not lit at the moment of her birth. She was still, as other children, only a little one, unaware of God's will. Yet God took more pleasure in her than in all other beings. She was like a sweet-sounding harp, not yet in tune; but he whose treasure she was knew how lovely the music he would make with her.

from the Bridgettine Office

Dear Mary, I also want to be lit by God, but I'm a bit afraid of being so totally consumed by the fire of His Love, as you were. Walk with me, dear Mother, today and always, lest I lose heart and falter. Amen.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

'The Birth of the Virgin', fresco by Juan de Borgoña, Cathedral of Toledo, c. 1495

When the most holy Virgin was born,

the whole world was made radiant.
Morning Prayer, Antiphon 1, The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Church’s commemoration of Mary’s birth leads us to meditate on her closeness to us in our human condition. She too was born a daughter of the human race. She is our sister in the human family. At the same time we joyfully recognize that she is far above us. We are happy to call her our beloved Mother in the spiritual order. Her special greatness is the result of the unique and extraordinary mystery of God’s intervention “in the fullness of time” when he no longer spoke through the prophets, but through his Son. Because Mary offered herself as the humble servant of the Lord, the eternal Word was made flesh in her womb and the immense riches of redemptive love were released into human history. The whole life of the Church in every age and in every place is inseparably linked to the young Jewish woman who responded to the Angel’s message with total obedience to God’s will: “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luc. 1, 38).

In God’s eternal plan, Mary was called to give birth to the Savior whose Sacrifice on the Cross redeemed the world from its bondage to sin and death. In fulfilling her vocation she remained closely united to the saving work of her Son. As the Mother of the Church, “Mater Ecclesiae”, Mary invites all who have been reborn in Christ towards an ever deeper contemplation of the mystery of the Church. She inspires us to recognize the lofty vocation that each of us has received in Christ and guides us on our way towards the hope that has been stored up for us in heaven.

As we rejoice in her birth, let us invoke Mary’s maternal love and care upon [us]…. May she continue to draw [us] toward her divine Son. And through her prayers, may each of us find the strength we need to live fully our vocation as [members] of Christ’s one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

Pope John Paul II, 9/8/89