Monday
8 September 2025 – The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mass
Readings:
Mic
5:1-4 Ps 13 Mt 1:1-16. 18-23
Key
Verse to Meditate:
"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him
Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us" (Mt 1:23; Is 7:14).
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Today the Church celebrates the
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her birth is a sign that God
has prepared salvation for us, for in His divine plan He fashioned the body and
soul of the Mother of Jesus—who is also our Mother. After the solemnity of
Christmas, the birthday of our Saviour, the Church celebrates only two other
birthdays: that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that of John the Baptist. In the
case of Mary, because of her Immaculate Conception, it is most fitting that her
nativity is celebrated liturgically.
Birthdays remind us that life
itself is God’s greatest gift. Along with life comes our vocation, our calling.
What matters is how we respond to these gifts—by offering our lives back to God
as an act of thanksgiving. As St. Paul reminds the Christians in Rome: “For the
gifts and the call of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29).
Our Lady of Good Health
In India, especially in Tamil Nadu,
this feast coincides with the celebration of ‘Our Lady of Good Health,’
affectionately known as ‘Our Lady of Velankanni.’ The Basilica of Our Lady of
Good Health, located in the Diocese of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam District, is
often called the “Lourdes of the East.” It is one of the most popular Christian
pilgrimage centers in India, drawing thousands of pilgrims each year who come
to receive God’s mercy, pardon, and healing through the intercession of Our
Lady of Good Health.
Similarly, in Karnataka, St. Mary’s
Minor Basilica at Shivajinagar, another important pilgrimage center, also
celebrates with great devotion the maternal feast of Our Lady of Good Health,
once again attracting thousands of pilgrims from across the state.
The Gospel Reading
- Joseph, the “son of David”
On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Gospel reading from Matthew
highlights not only Mary but especially the character of Joseph: “and
to Jacob was born Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is
called Christ” (Mt 1:16).
Joseph is addressed as
the “son of David”
(Mt 1:20), showing that the promise made to Abraham and David is
fulfilled through him at the announcement of the Saviour’s birth, whose reign
will never end. As a human being, Joseph must have struggled when he discovered
that Mary was with child through the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18, 20). Though he
trusted that God’s hand was at work, convincing others—especially the religious
authorities—would have been futile. Thus, being a righteous man unwilling to
expose her to shame, Joseph planned to dismiss her quietly (Mt 1:19).
The Second Annunciation
But God never leaves His chosen ones in doubt.
Through a dream, the angel strengthened Joseph: “Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for
he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21).
This was almost a “second annunciation.” Joseph
was told that Mary’s child was not ordinary, but the Saviour. Though uncertain
about the consequences, Joseph chose to embrace God’s plan: “When
Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took
her as his wife” (Mt 1:24). His faith triumphed over doubt. With
courage and trust, he entered into a divine mystery beyond his understanding,
strengthened by grace.
Joseph’s greatness lies in his obedience. By naming the child ‘Jesus,’
he shared in the unfolding of God’s promise. Without grace, no one can say
“yes” to God’s plan. Joseph was not only courageous but deeply faith-filled.
When faith shines, the darkness of doubt is dispelled.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace
Like Joseph, Mary too found favour with God (Lk
1:30). No patriarch, prophet, or saint of the Old Law received this privilege.
Mary alone gave life to the Author of all grace, and so she is rightly called
the Mother of Grace.
Today, as we celebrate her birth, we remember
that the gift of her immaculate life is also God’s gift to us. Through Mary,
the Saviour was born to take away our sins (Mt 1:21) and bring us abundant life
(Jn 10:10). The real focus of her nativity is God, the giver of life. Every
birthday, including Mary’s, should lead us to thank Him as the Author of life: “From
birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will
ever praise you” (Ps 71:6–8).
When we pray the Hail Mary,
we remember that grace is also offered to us. St. Louis-Marie de Montfort
teaches that Mary is the surest way to receive the grace needed for holiness.
Grace is the fuel of the spiritual life; without it, we cannot reach heaven.
Mary, the Mediatrix of all grace, shows us how to cooperate with God’s
gifts—whether great or small—in order to accomplish His will.
Continual Fidelity to the
Call of God
When we think of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, the first thing that comes to mind is her total
availability and continual fidelity to the call of God (Lk 1:38). Her vocation
to be the Mother of the only-begotten Son of God was indeed an unmerited gift,
yet she was found worthy in the eyes of the Most High to bear His Son: “She
will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people
from their sins” (Mt 1:21). Mary was chosen to carry in her womb Immanuel-“God
with us” (Mt 1:23)-the One who would save His people. Her Son was no ordinary
child, but the very Son of God: the Saviour, the Ruler who would shepherd
Israel. This is the holy event foretold by the prophet Micah in today’s first
reading: “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans
of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose
origin is from of old, from ancient days” (Mic 5:2).
The First “Yes”
From the very moment of her
conception, Mary was set apart by God for His saving plan. His grace was always
with her, enabling her to utter her first “yes.” Like St. Joseph, Mary too did
not fully understand, at the beginning, the depth of her vocation-the call to
be the Mother of God. Yet, step by step, God revealed to her that she had been
called into a life of grace, filled with both wonders and sufferings. But He
assured her of His abiding presence.
St. Joseph, too, could not
see clearly the path God had laid out for him. Yet together, these two holy
souls, through faith, endurance, and trust, welcomed the mystery of God made
flesh—their Son, Jesus Christ—who became the light of the world. Mary watched
her Son, the promised Messiah, grow, all the while treasuring these mysteries
in her heart.
Thus, she becomes for us
the holy Mother of God, wholly surrendered to His will, faithfully listening to
His word, and responding with faith: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). She abandoned herself
to the divine will, confident that the God who gave her grace to respond would
also sustain her until the end. As St. Paul affirms: “The one who began a
good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ”
(Phil 1:6).
The Silent Fidelity of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, whose name means “one who adds or
supplies,” embodies chastity, innocence, and grace. Once he accepted God’s
will, he carried it out silently and prayerfully. Like Mary, he dreamed of
God’s plan and surrendered himself to it. He believed, obeyed, and remained
faithful, teaching us never to stop dreaming of what God desires for our lives.
Though Joseph had doubts, he trusted in the Lord.
When God calls, He provides the grace needed to complete the mission. We too
are invited to bring our doubts and fears to God in prayer, following the
example of Joseph and Mary. When we trust Him, He grants guidance, consolation,
and reward.
Like Joseph, may we receive the grace to be
faithful in all situations—favourable or difficult—and like Mary, may we learn
the art of living joyfully in every circumstance.
Points for Personal
Reflection
The celebration of the Nativity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary together with the Feast of Our Lady of Good
Health reminds us that devotion to Mary is inseparable from devotion to
Christ, for Mary has given us Christ. To love and honour the Mother necessarily
leads us to love and honour the Son. The closer our union with Mary, our
Blessed Mother, the deeper and more intimate will be our communion with Christ.
This theological truth forms the foundation of all Marian devotion. Hence the
saying: “He who will not have Mary for his mother cannot have Christ for his
brother or sister.”
Mary loves Christ because
she is His Mother, and she loves us because she is our Mother. Her union with
God was essential for bringing forth Christ the Saviour into our sinful world.
She was most intimately united with God, as the angel proclaimed: “Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women” (Lk
1:28). For this reason, St. Gertrude, the German mystic (1256–c. 1302),
beautifully said: Christ is Mary’s firstborn according to the flesh, and we
are her second-born according to the spirit.
Today’s Gospel reveals that
God’s plan is often fulfilled through extraordinary and sometimes disconcerting
means—both in the life of our Blessed Mother and in the life of St. Joseph.
Personal Reflection Questions
- Do I
have the grace and freedom to realize God’s plan in my life?
- Do I
imitate Mary in saying “yes” to God’s will for me?
- If Mary’s birth was a great blessing for the earth, do I also make my life a blessing for others?
