'O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations'…And he brought her to the chief priests, and they blessed her, saying: 'O God most high, look upon this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be forever.'”
The protoevangelium goes on to describe how Mary's parents, along with the temple priests, subsequently decided that she would be offered to God as a consecrated Virgin for the rest of her life, and enter a chaste marriage with the carpenter Joseph.
As the story of our salvation goes, however, Mary was chosen by God to be the bearer of God's Son into the world. God chose, of all the people, a poor, unknown and humble handmaid notwithstanding the domination of kings, powerful rulers, mighty warriors, wise judges, rich and influential people during her lifetime. Because of bearing God into the world, she was, indeed, “full of grace” and “blessed among all women/men.” God's election of Mary which brought forth the savior in the world will be a cause of joy for all generations. This is the primary reason why we are celebrating today her birthday. This celebration is not so much about herself but about all the wonders and bountiful graces that God has done to her. Mary herself would proclaim this in her Magnificat, “From this day all generations will call me blessed, the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name”.
St. Augustine described the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an event of cosmic and historic significance, and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ.
She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.”
Mary is called the firstborn of the redeemed and her nativity is “the hope of the entire world and the dawn of salvation”(Pope Paul VI, Marialis Cultus).
In the liturgy on this day, the primary theme portrayed on this feast day is that the world had been in darkness, and with the arrival of Mary begins a glimmer of light. That light that appears at Mary's holy birth pre-announces the arrival of Christ, the Light of the World. Her birth is the beginning of a better world. The antiphon for the Canticle of Zechariah at the Morning Prayer of this day expressed these sentiments in the following way: “Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, proclaims joy to the whole world, for from you arose the glorious Son of Justice, Christ our God; He freed us from the age-old curse and filled us with holiness; He destroyed death and gave us eternal life.”
The Blessed Virgin has a pivotal role in the history of salvation, and she was given the highest mission ever commended to any creature. We rejoice that the Mother of God is our Mother, too. Today and every day, let us often call upon the Blessed Virgin as the “Cause of our joy.”
Fr. Ronald J, SdC
Provincial Superior