Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 1:1-5 The Different Kind of Monks

Mass: Micah 5:1-4a or Rm 8:28-30; Resp Ps 13; Mt 1:1-16, 18-23

With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

TODAY THE VIRGIN IS BORN, TENDED AND FORMED, AND PREPARED FOR HER ROLE AS MOTHER OF GOD, WHO IS THE UNIVERSAL KING OF THE AGES ... TODAY THIS CREATED WORLD IS RAISED TO THE DIGNITY OF A HOLY PLACE FOR HIM WHO MADE ALL THINGS. THE CREATURE IS NEWLY PREPARED TO BE A DIVINE DWELLING PLACE FOR THE CREATOR.

(From a discourse by Saint Andrew of Crete, bishop, in Office of Readings, September 8)

Today's Gospel, "The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" is one of my favorite passages in the Gospels, and I am not referring to the "shorter form", rather the full deal that includes Mt 1:1-17. These important verses with the beautiful names of our ancestors. These verses are the musical prelude to "how the birth of Jesus Christ came about" (Mt 1:18). As we "celebrate with joy the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (Entrance Antiphon, Mass), read the text aloud and let the names roll off your tongue. It is she, Mary, who bore a Son, and Joseph named Him Jesus (Mt 1:25).

Mary 

has been exalted

above the choirs of angels.

The Mother

can contemplate

nothing above herself

but her Son alone.

The Queen

can gaze in wonder

at nothing above herself

but the King.

The Mediatrix

can venerate

nothing above herself

but the Mediator.

May she

by her prayers

represent

reconcile

and commend us

to her Only begotten Son

Jesus Christ

to whom be honor and glory

for endless ages.

(Guerric of Igny, 1050-1157, from his First Sermon for the Feast of the Assumption, in Mary Most Holy: Meditating With the Early Cistercians, pp. 369-70)

MARY, HOLY VIRGIN OF VIRGINS,

SAINT JOSEPH, CHASTE GUARDIAN OF THE VIRGIN,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Dear readers, I have changed today's photo three times. And this scene, captured moments ago was calling me to capture it before any haze might decide to roll in. And this morning's sky came as blue, to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. God is praised!

© Gertrude Feick 2021