DAILY- HOMILY

September 8, 2017 – FRIDAY, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast, White

Mi 5:1- 4a / Mt 1:1 -16, 18- 23

     This fifth-century feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the dedication of a basilica in Jerusalem built, according to tradition, at the location of the home of St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1st READING:     Mi 5:1 - 4a

     But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel. For he comes forth from old, from the ancient times. Yahweh, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she who is to give birth has given birth.

     Then the rest of his deported brothers will return to the people of Israel. He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the glorious Name of Yahweh, his God. They will live safely while he wins renown to the ends of the earth. He shall be peace.

From the GOSPEL READING:        Mt 1: 1, 16

     This is the document of the origins of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham... Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ- the Messiah.

REFLECTION

     For God there is no time. He exists from all eternity. And his plans are also from eternity. Our minds cannot really comprehend eternity, timeless, without beginning and end, and forever and ever. We can only be in awe and wonder at God and his ways: we really cannot fully understand, especially his workings and interventions in time and human history.

     It does seem that God's ways are so different from our ways. He works with and chooses what is small and insignificant in the world's eyes: he chose Bethlehem, "so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel."

     And God bides his time; he is not in any hurry. God waits. He waited for the birth of the maiden who would give birth to his Son. Amazing how he prepared for the coming of his Son as man.

     Mary's birth was insignificant, the ordinary birth of an ordinary baby girl to ordinary parents, Joachim and Anne. But in God's plan, Mary's birth was crucial in God's salvific plan for humankind. "Preserved from all stain of original sin from the first moment of her conception," the maiden Mary, "full of grace," was in the "fullness of time" chosen to be the Mother of the Son of the Most High.

     We rejoice and celebrate Mary's birth as the "new beginning" of the dignity and vocation of women. Mary's Fiat at the annunciation and her Magnificat at the visitation summarize her generous response to God.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     BELUE REYES VILLANUEVA

     HANANI M. BAUTISTA

     FR. RODNEY A. HART SJ

IN MEMORIAM (†) 

     ESPERANZA U. QUE (MAY 5, 1919 ·SEPT. 8, 2002)

THANSGIVING

     PILAR O. JOSON & DELLY O. JOSON

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+