Cycle A - Year I:  

8 September 2023: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

(Liturgical Color: White)

Readings:

First Reading:        Micah 5:1-4 (or Romans 8:28-30)

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 (or 1:18-23) 

Woman full of grace!

The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 8 September. Although there is no certainty on the actual birth of Mary, by tradition Catholics consider this date as her birthday for centuries already. Also, September 8 is nine months after December 8, which is the Immaculate Conception of Mary as the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne. 

From the very beginning of creation, by God's grace Mary was chosen to be the Mother of His only begotten Son. So that from her human womb God the Son became one like us in all things but sin.

Now, the Church usually honors the day on which saints died because that is considered the day when they entered into eternal life. There are three exceptions to this practice: Christ's own birth, His mother Mary, and that of St. John the Baptist. There is a common thread tying these feasts together that all three of them were born without Original Sin unlike the rest of us.

The catechism of the Church teaches that Mary was free from original sin from the very beginning because she is destined to be the Mother of God. In the case of St. John the Baptist, he is cleansed from original sin while still in his mother's womb. Virgin Mary who was pregnant at that time of Jesus visited her cousin St. Elizabeth who herself was pregnant of St. John the Baptist. When the two cousins met, Elizabeth said to Mary: "For at the moment the sound of your greetings reached my ears the infant in my womb (St. John the Baptist) leaped for joy." (Lk 1:44)      

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered an important event in salvation history. Christ needed a mother to be born as a human being like us. Therefore, Mary's conception and birth are events without which Christ's own birth would not have been possible.

The Gospel proclamation tells us about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's promise in the Old Testament. And Mary became the Mother of Jesus because she humbly accepted God's offer with her whole heart.

St. Augustin 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. He wrote: "She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley."    

Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass on this day to greet Mary, who is our Mother too, a Very Happy Birthday! Heaven rejoices at her birth.

Let us greet our dear Mama Mary on her birthday with the prayer of Hail Holy Queen in Latin version:

Salve Regina,

Mater misericordiae,

Vita, dulcedo,

et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus,

exsules filii Evae,

Ad te suspiramus,

gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos miserecordes oculos

ad nos converte; et lesum,

benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O Clemens; O Pia,

O Dulcis Virgo Maria!

Dear Mama Mary, please pray for us always, our country and the whole Church.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!