Micah 5:1-4, Psalm 13; Matthew 1:1-6, 18-23
Today, the church commemorates the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her parents were Saints Joachim and Anne. Though the Scripture did not give an account of Mary’s birth, her birthday narrative is found in the Apocryphal protoevangelium of James.
The Apocryphal protoevangelium of James was written about AD 145. The word protoevangelium means “proto-gospel” or “precursor to the gospel”. This book gives additional details about the miraculous conception of the Virgin Mary, her upbringing and marriage to Joseph, their journey to Bethlehem, and the birth of Jesus.
Anna and Joachim were infertile couples who prayed for a child and waited on God. Eventually, they were blessed with a daughter, Mary. This was a fulfillment of the promise of a child who will advance God’s plan of salvation for the world as given in the prophecy of Micah (5:1-4).
Saint Augustine relates the birth of Mary to Jesus’ redemptive work. He exhorts the planet to be glad and to shine in the brightness of her birth. He says, “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.” Her birth brought forth hope and light over darkness and captivity. It was the dawn of a new dawn and a turning point in the genealogy of human history.
As we commemorate Mary’s birth today, may we have renewed faith in God’s purpose to save the world. May we also understand that the purpose of our birth is to bring Christ into the world. Last but not least, may we discover the grace to graciously receive children from God without compromising their right to life.
LET US PRAY
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace, renewal, and restoration to our world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
