Francis Gayang csc –
Readings: Mic 5:2-5a; Mt 1:18-23
The feast of the Nativity of Mother Mary was traditionally commemorated since the beginning of the sixth century. Though there is no mention of her birth in the scripture, Christians around the world marked 8th of September as Mother Mary’s birthday. She was born to the couple Joachim and Anne.
The feast may have been originated and celebrated among the Christians in Syria and Palestine and was intensified after the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. Mary gains high respect in the Quran as well; her life of purity and virginity (Quran 19:20-21) stand as a perfect human model of holiness. She is also an example for trusting God radically. The Church recognized that God specially prepared her for the mission of bringing forth his son to this world. Her low status and humble origin didn’t prevent God from doing great things in her life. Her trustworthiness and readiness to serve the Lord prepared her to be the perfect and most trustworthy person God could ever find to entrust his only begotten son under her care for thirty-three long years on earth.
She is a woman from whom Jesus learnt the human way of loving the people. Jesus possessed certain traits of his mother- “like mother, like son”. She accompanied him from womb to tomb. God was constantly protecting her and intervened as well in her relationship with Joseph. In commemorating Mary’s birthday, we are also invited to reflect and remind ourselves of the sacrifices that our own mothers made for us. Let us honor Mary by honoring all the mothers and spreading devotion to Mary who is fragrance of peace, love, and unity in the family. Let us imitate the way she keeps God’s word in her heart and allows it to bear fruit in life.