MT 1:1-16, 18-2
11:OOAM Mass, Wed,Sept 8, 2004
PFL Staff Meeting
There is no mention in Sacred Scripture of the Birth of Mary. St Matthew records the Genealogy of Christ...born of the Virgin Mary..... is the direct descendant of Abraham...the Father of the Chosen people.
We know very little about her early life...but we do know that Jewish parents were obligated to offer their first born sons to God...as so we have the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple.
But there is also a pious tradition that holds that.... St Joachim & St Anne....parents of..MARY....brought their 3 year old Daughter into the Temple...and LEFT her there..... to be educated & cared for..... by the Holy Women.
The origin of this pious Tradition can be traced as far back as the 8th Century...in the EASTERN CHURCH. We find this account in the PROTOEVANGELIUM of St James....one of the APOCRYPHAL Books....which is NOT considered CANONICAL...but nevertheless ...held in high esteem...and reverence.
We read in BUTLER'S Lives of the Saints..."the child was 3 years old....& they went up to the Temple of the Lord. & the Priest received her & kissed her & blessed her saying...The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In You...on the last of days ...the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. And he set her down upon the 3rd step of the Altar, & the Lord God sent His Grace upon her. She danced with her feet & all the House of Israel loved her. Her parents went down marveling & praising the Lord God...because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the Temple of the Lord, as if she were a Dove that dwelled there."
What a beautiful description...of MARY'S Holiness...for she was always FULL of Grace....because she always sought the WILL OF GOD in all things.
HISTORY itself records that this is in fact what has actually happened....& what has occurred in every generation. MARY herself...testifies to her UNIQUE position as...QUEEN of ALL Angels ...Queen of ALL Saints.....the most perfect...& most HOLY of all God's...Men & Women ....ever created by God.
SHE does say in her prophetic ...MAGNIFICAT........."henceforth...all generations shall call me blessed". All generations ...have in fact...HAILED MARY...& have call her...... BLESSED.
MARY lived a simple ...hidden...ordinary life....while Jesus was growing up in NAZ ARETH........TOTALY in love with..&... UNITED to.... the all Holy God...as the Daughter of the Father...MOTHER of the Son...and SPOUSE of the Holy Spirit.
We see in Her Birth...in her whole Life...HOW GOD works in the world through people and places......that appear...LOWLY...Improbable...& insignificant.
CHRIST is born of a young Virgin...in BETHLEHEM ...a TOWN ...MICAH 5:1-4......describes ...as "too small" to be among the clans of Judah. Christ Himself is criticized..."Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Sacred Scripture says God... "Chooses the weak things of the world...to confound the wise" so that.. Divine power is made manifest in human weakness ."
She had total complete..... FAITH...LOVE...& TRUST in God. This is what is so sorely lacking..... In mankind today....so sorely needed..... by so many......to KNOW & TO FOLLOW.....the EXAMPLE of Our Lady herself in trying to KNOW & TO FOLLOW the Will of God in our daily Lives. GOD does reward this kind of effort in this Life & in the next!
ST THERESA ...the Little Flower says....Our Lady is more MOTHER....than QUEEN.
JESUS...truly LOVED His own Mother...very much. SO TOO is God pleased when we GO TO MARY...as Her Children....to SEEK Her GUIDANCE & HELP .....her PROTECTION & COUNSEL. .....which of course......is what EVERY Child wants & needs of its Parents. May we all pray......through our own love & devotion to MARY...that we too ...will be