Mary's Birthday

Everyone loves a birthday celebration, with its cards, gifts, special foods, gathering of family, friends, and expressions of gratitude and appreciation.  The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated by the universal church today, stems from stories in the apocryphal Gospel of James (a document not accepted as part of the New Testament, but the seed of the tradition of Mary's long-awaited birth to the elderly Joachim and Anne).  It parallels the story of the birth of John the Baptist and dates as a feast initiated in Jerusalem in the middle of the seventh century.  As with any feast of Mary, poetry and imagery abound to surround the initimacy that Mary experienced as the Mother of God, carrying Jesus in her womb and presenting him to the world for the salvation of the human race. In the Byzantine Liturgy, we see the image of a throne:  Today God welcomes on earth the holy throne which he had prepared for himself.  He who estalished the heavens in wisdom has fashioned a living heaven.  In another antiphon we see the images of sun, dawn and light:  Sun of Justice, the Virgin was born before you as dawn comes before day:  make us walk in your light.  The Church always views Mary in her mission to bring forth Jesus for the sake of us all. Never is the focus just on Mary herself, but as the bridge between God and us.
As Marists we again see in Mary our role as bridge builders, making Jesus known and loved to all who cross our paths. In wishing Mary a "Happy Birthday", we remind ourselves of our Marist Mission.
Bro. Rene