The Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary is eternal!

Matthew 1:18-23 

Listen to this anecdote of Pope Francis:

"On (a) Saturday evening, in the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, Pope Francis was with a group of young people from the Diocese of Rome who are involved in vocational discernment.

Pope Francis said he feels said when he hears Christians say they do not seek the Mary or pray to Mary. He recalled a conversation with two young catechists in the seventies, a couple with young children, who spoke beautifully about Jesus:

“At one point I said, ‘And devotion to the Madonna?’ ‘But we have passed that stage. We know Jesus Christ so well, that we have no need of the Madonna.’ And what came into my heart and my mind was ‘Oh… poor orphans!’ … because a Christian without the Madonna is an orphan. And a Christian without the Church is an orphan. A Christian needs these two women, these two women who are mothers, two women who are virgins: the Church and the Madonna." (source: airmaria.com)

It's impossible to talk about salvation and Jesus without referring to the Blessed Virgin.  Even the readings that talk about "Emmanuel" or "He who will stand and feed his flock with the power of the Lord" refer to the "woman who will give birth to a son."  The virgin is Mary and the Son is Jesus.

The world can attest of Mary's profound loving presence as the "maidservant of the Lord."  Her fiat resounds to all the ends of the earth and in every generation.  It's as if the whole world at all times is saying 'yes' to God.

Second, Mary's presence is a direct witness of the mercy of God.  As we just celebrated the canonization of St. Teresa of Calcutta, we remember the many concrete ways she showed mercy to the poorest of the poor.  Mary also showed the same compassion of God.

Third, Mary showed us how to "go on a mission".   Her mission till today is not over.  As long as the world exists, there will always be children to attend to, to lead them all to God.  Her mission could be our mission as well.

Happy birthday, dear Lady!


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