Sunday:       Birth of Mary
Date:         September 8, 2001
Year:         C
The readings: [Rom. 8:29-30 OR Mic. 5:2-5; Mt. 1:1-16, 18-23]
The message:  Bestowed with the fullness of grace.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  1578

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Welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ to today's celebration of the Holy Mass. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Feast of the Birth of Mary.

September 8 th commemorates the birth of one of the three Temples that the Lord God has chosen to dwell within since the beginning of human history. It is a Feast that links the Old Testament to the New Testament. In the days of the Old Testament, the people of the Jewish nation worshipped God in a Temple. The Holy Bible provides us with numerous references to the building, the destruction and the rebuilding of the famous Temple of Jerusalem.

Today, we find the physical Divine Presence of the Lord Jesus in the Sacred Tabernacles of the Holy Catholic Church. Before them, throughout the world, the Lord God is worshipped all year round.

Between the days of the Old Testament when the chosen people of God worshipped in the Temple and today when the Lord is worshipped before the Sacred Tabernacle within the Catholic Churches, there existed for nine months a Holy Temple that had been created by God for a very special purpose. This holy Temple was the womb of Mary. The womb of Mary is referred to as a holy Temple because, the manner in which God made His indwelling in the Blessed Virgin Mary, was not the same type of indwelling as is found in the saints.

While God is spiritually present in the saints, He was physically present in the immaculate womb of Mary. While the grace of God comes as drops of rain during the sanctifying process of the saints, in the case of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Divine grace was given to her in its fullness as a sudden deluge while she was in the womb of her mother.

Furthermore, the holy Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the only one throughout the history of mankind that was truly a "living Temple." The first Temple and the present Tabernacle, both adorned in golden artwork, are physical structures in which dwells the Divine Presence of God. The womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary far surpassed such beauty and greatness. In its immaculate state, more valuable than gold, shining in splendour, it was an immaculate and living Temple in which dwelled the Living God.

In view of this truth, it is no wonder that throughout the history of the Holy Catholic Church, the Spirit of God has continuously drawn the faithful to reflect upon the Virgin Mary. In thanksgiving to God for the blessings that He has bestowed upon the Virgin Mary, the faithful have always and continue to rejoice by raising their voices upwards to echo songs and exaltation towards the Heavenly Father.

In the words of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori on the subject of the Birth of Mary, "Mary was born a Saint, and a great Saint; for the grace with which God enriched her from the beginning was great, and the fidelity with which she immediately corresponded with it was great."

Some have asked, "Why is the Feast of the Birth of Mary celebrated on September 8 th? Although it has not be substantiated, there is a tradition behind this date. In France, the church of Angers claims that St. Maurilius instituted this Feast following a revelation that he had received. It is claimed that on the night of September 8 th, a man heard the angels singing in Heaven. When he asked why they were singing, he was told that they were rejoicing because the Virgin Mary had been born on that night.

As to what year the celebration of this Feast began, one source of Catholic information states that the Feast of the Birth of Mary had its origin in Rome towards the end of the 7 th century. During the centuries that followed, the Feast spread to parts of the West. Beginning with the 13 th century, the Feast grew in importance, becoming a Solemnity with a major Octave and preceded by a Vigil calling for a fast. During the reform of St. Pius X, the Octave was reduced to a simple one and it was finally abolished altogether under the reform of Pius XII in 1955.

As is known, the Holy Scriptures, especially the Gospels, do not tell us anything about the birth of Mary. What knowledge we do have about her birth, it has been obtained from the Gospel of James, an apocryphal writing from the second century. Quoting the Gospel of James,

5. And on the following day he brought his offerings, saying in himself: If the Lord God has been rendered gracious to me, the plate on the priest's forehead will make it manifest to me. And Joachim brought his offerings, and observed attentively the priest's plate when he went up to the altar of the Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Joachim said: Now I know that the Lord has been gracious unto me, and has remitted all my sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and departed to his own house. And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl. And said Anna: My soul has been magnified this day. And she laid her down. And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the breast to the child, and called her name Mary.

Another source of Church tradition tells us that Joachim and Anna were beyond the years of child-bearing. Trusting in the Lord God, they prayed and fasted that God would grant their desire for a child. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, their prayers were answered.

As to where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born, one tradition tells us it was in a house in Nazareth, the same house in which the Annunciation took place. Another tradition tells us that the place of birth of Mary was beneath the Crusader Church of St. Anna in Jerusalem, under a third century Oratory known as the "Gate of Mary.

What is notable about the Feast of the Birth of Mary is that it parallels the Feast of John the Baptist. While the Feast of all the Saints commemorates the day on which they returned to the Lord, the Feasts of the Birth of Mary and John the Baptist place the emphasis on the day of their arrival in the world. This is because of their special mission in the history of salvation. Both, the Feasts of the Birth of Mary and John the Baptist are in direct relationship with the coming of the Saviour in the world.

Through the celebration of the Feast of the Birth of Mary, we are provided with the opportunity to reflect upon the extent of the fullness of the grace of God that dwelled within the Blessed Virgin Mary at the moment of her birth. Secondly, we are provided with the opportunity to reflect upon the anticipation of the people who awaited the Incarnation and birth of the Divine Son of Mary. Thirdly, we are provided with the opportunity to honour the mother of Our Lord and Saviour.

Regarding the fullness of the grace that was found in the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially regarding her sanctity before her birth, Saint Vincent Ferrer stated, "that the Blessed Virgin was sanctified" (surpassed in sanctity) "in her mother's womb above all Saints and angels." So great was the grace that was bestowed upon the Virgin Mary that it not only exceeded each particular Saint, but all the angels and saints combined.

Personally chosen by God as the Mother of the Divine Word, Mary was set apart for an order superior to that of all other creatures. As such, it is reasonable to suppose that with the dignity and honour of the title of Mother of God, from the moment of her creation, the Blessed Virgin Mary was endowed with gifts of a superior order, these surpassing all gifts bestowed upon any creations.

To qualify for such dignity and honour, the Blessed Virgin Mary had to be adorned with a sanctity so perfect that it rendered her worthy of such unique gifts.

At the Annunciation, the angel said to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." [Lk. 1:28; Latin Vulgate] Such a greeting was not meant to state that Mary was being filled with grace, but rather, that she herself was already full of grace to the highest degree of excellence, such immense grace being sufficient to qualify her for the dignity and honour that comes with the prominent title of Mother of God.

Having received the highest degree of excellence as the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary was destined to share in the ministry of Jesus on earth and in Heaven as co-redemptrix, mediatrix and advocate. To administer such an important office, her grace had to be so great so as to exceed that of all the Saints for whom she would intercede.

Mary was created to be a channel of mercies. When she came into the world, it was not only for her glory, but also for our good. Through the fullness of her grace, Mary intercedes on our behalf, dispensing to us the grace of God, so that we may be touched by her fullness.

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified." [Rom. 8:28-30]

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OR...

"The Lord says this. O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Therefore the Lord shall give them up until the time when she who is in labour has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel.

And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth: and he shall be the one of peace" [Mic. 5:2-5]

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Gospel Reading...

"An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father Hezron, Hezron the father Aram, Aram the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph, Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." [Mt. 1:1-16, 18-23]

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