Word to the Wise
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 - Sept. 8 - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Micah 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30 and Matt 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23,1259]We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.....[Romans]
Those who are good at liturgical mathematics can figure out that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is set exactly nine months after the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I could not find a particular calendar reason for the December 8th date except that the feast had its origins in the Eastern Church on December 9th. Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854. The feast is celebrated with much greater solemnity in other countries, but receives little notice here, even though one might wonder why Mary's conception is more important than Mary's birth? We don't celebrate a "conception" date! It has to do with the question of original sin. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception holds that Mary was free of original sin from the first moment of her conception. Dogma trumps nativity in this case. The birthdate is set by the nine month natural period of gestation. The rank of the feast is the same as that of the birth of John the Baptist.
Putting the liturgical calendar speculations aside, the scriptural words from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans speaks of being called according to God's purpose. The church has seen this as an apt description of Mary's role in God's plan of salvation. The genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel According to Matthew seems to give greater emphasis to Jesus' male ancestry, but her special status is revealed to Joseph.
Culturally, we do tend to celebrate the birthday of our mothers with some festivity (at least breakfast in bed, better behavior, etc.), Maybe all we need to say today, despite all the theological and liturgical musings is "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!" AMEN