DAILY- HOMILY

SATURDAY, NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast. White.

Mi 5: 1- 4a [or Rom 8: 28- 30] / 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

When they asked St. Bernadette Soubirous to describe the woman who appeared to her at the grotto of Massabielle, she said, "The virgin was beautiful, when one had seen her one longs to die."

When we honor Mary we also honor her Son Jesus and God who blessed and freed her from sin from the moment she was conceived. Today's Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is nine months after the celebration of her Immaculate Conception on 08 December.

We call on Mary in many various titles, Stella Maris, Mystical Rose, Morning Star, and many others. Her primary title is her primary role in salvation history as the Mother of God, which we celebrate on 01 January. Hanging on the cross, Jesus gave her to John, the beloved disciple, to the Church and to all of us, "He said to the Mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' Then he said to the disciple, "There is your mother.' And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home." (Jn 19: 26- 28)

As we honor Mary in our celebration of her birth, we also honor our mothers, who have nurtured, protected and loved us from our conception, birth and growth in the family. We thank our parents for their love and care for us.

In glory in heaven Mary our Mother intercedes for us with the Father and her Son that we may grow in our love for God and live our lives in obedience to God's will. Learning from Mary's example, we pray that we may be faithful followers of Jesus. Human love may fail us, but the love of God and of Mary will never fail us.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death."

Have a good day!

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