SEPT. 8: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER MARY!
A SERMON OF ST. ANDREW CRETE ON THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
“Happy are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ the Lord (Gospel Acclamation).”
“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.”
–Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church
“A man is no true Christian if he has no devotion to the Mother of Jesus Christ.”
–Saint John Eudes
Happy Birthday, dearest Mother Mary!
Thank you for your maternal love and concern for us and for the blessing God has bestowed us through your maternal intercession!
Prepare and preserve the way which leads us to your son, Our Lord Jesus Christ!
We love you Ma and we want to love you the way Jesus did!
Below you’ll the Responsory and the 2nd reading of today’s Divine Office taken from a writing of St. Andrew Creta, 650 AD, Damascus, Syria. Let us take advantage as well to ask God through Our Lady for the peace in Syria and all over the world and for all the refugees.
Happy reading and meditation!
Today the Virgin Mary was born of a virgin’s seed. Through her the salvation of the world has been revealed to all believers; her glorious life has shone upon the world.
Let us keep with devotion the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her glorious life has shone upon the world.
From a discourse by Saint Andrew of Crete, bishop (Oratio 1: PG 97, 806-810)
The old has passed away: all things are made new
‘The fulfilment of the law is Christ himself, who does not so much lead us away from the letter as lift us up to its spirit. For the law’s consummation was this, that the very lawgiver accomplished his work and changed letter into spirit, summing everything up in himself and, though subject to the law, living by grace. He subordinated the law, yet harmoniously united grace with it, not confusing the distinctive characteristics of the one with the other, but effecting the transition in a way most fitting for God. He changed whatever was burdensome, servile and oppressive to what is light and liberating, so that we should be enslaved no longer under the elemental spirits of the world, as the Apostle says, nor held fast as bondservants under the letter of the law.
This is the highest, all-embracing benefit that Christ has bestowed on us. This is the revelation of the mystery, this is the emptying out of the divine nature, the union of God and man, and the deification of the manhood that was assumed. THIS RADIANT AND MANIFEST COMING OF GOD TO MEN MOST CERTAINLY NEEDED A JOYFUL PRELUDE TO INTRODUCE THE GREAT GIFT OF SALVATION TO US. THE PRESENT FESTIVAL, THE BIRTH OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, IS THE PRELUDE, WHILE THE FINAL ACT IS THE FORE-ORDAINED UNION OF THE WORD WITH FLESH. 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.
Justly, then, DO WE CELEBRATE THIS MYSTERY SINCE IT SIGNIFIES FOR US A DOUBLE GRACE. WE ARE LED TOWARD THE TRUTH, AND WE ARE LED AWAY FROM OUR CONDITION OF SLAVERY TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW. HOW CAN THIS BE? DARKNESS YIELDS BEFORE THE COMING OF THE LIGHT, AND GRACE EXCHANGES LEGALISM FOR FREEDOM. BUT MIDWAY BETWEEN THE TWO STANDS TODAY’S MYSTERY, AT THE FRONTIER WHERE TYPES AND SYMBOLS GIVE WAY TO REALITY, AND THE OLD IS REPLACED BY THE NEW. THEREFORE, LET ALL CREATION SING AND DANCE AND UNITE TO MAKE WORTHY CONTRIBUTION TO THE CELEBRATION OF THIS DAY. Let there be one common festival for saints in heaven and men on earth. Let everything, mundane things and those above, join in festive celebration. 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.
RESPONSORY
Today let us celebrate with devotion the birth of Mary, the ever-virgin Mother of God
– whose splendid life has illumined the Church.
With heart and mind let us sing praise and glory to Christ on this holy feast day of the glorious Virgin Mother of God.
– Whose splendid life has illumined the Church.
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 to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord.
READING SOURCE: http://www.liturgies.net/saints/mary/nativity/officeofreadings.htm (bold letters mine).
VIDEO REFLECTION TOPIC: HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED THE FLYING NOVENA?
Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us give her the birthday gift she deserves – that we practice the virtues that she possessed to earn the place of glory God gave her when she expired.
HISTORY OF THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LADY in https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.org/sept-8-the-nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-happy-birthday-dearest-mother-mary-best-with-sound/
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