September 8, 2014

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a

The LORD says:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
From you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
And the rest of his brethren shall return
to the children of Israel.)
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
And they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.

or Rom 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 13:6ab, 6c

R. (Isaiah 61:10) With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

Gospel Mt 1:1-16, 18-23

The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

or Mt 1:18-23

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

From: Micah 5:2-5a (NAB - Micah 5:1-4a)

The Messiah, the saviour who will be born in Bethlehem

[2] But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
[3] Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in travail has brought forth;
then the rest of his brethren shall return
to the people of Israel.
[4] And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.

Assyria repulsed

[5] And this shall be peace,
when the Assyrian comes into our land
and treads upon our soil.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

5:2-4. The scenario, darkened for a moment in the previous three verses (4:9-5:
1), becomes bright again with the announcement of a “ruler” or governor in Israel,
who will be born (”come forth from” O Bethlehem, the city of David, a city in the
region of “Ephrath” (Gen 35:16). The region is often distinguished from its leading
city (cf. 1 Sam 17:12), but in some passages the region and the city are treated
as one and the same (Gen 35:19).

There are many contrasts here, a typical feature of salvation oracles: the future
king will have humble origins, for he will be born in a small town (”you … who are
little” in v. 2 could also be translated as “you … who are least”); still, Bethlehem
is not without honour, for it was the birthplace of David and is therefore the place
that guaranteed one’s belonging to the line of David; this ruler comes from an an-
cient line, but to perceive his presence one must wait until “she who is in travail
has brought forth” (v. 3); all he will do is tend his flock, yet the benefits of his rule
will extend to the ends of the earth (v. 4). No contemporary king could match this
description; the prophet is referring to the future Messiah-king. There are many
elements in this passage that link it to the messianic passages in Isaiah (Is 7:
14; 9:5-6; 11:1-4) and to passages about the future offspring of David (2 Sam 7:
12-16; Ps 89:3).

Jewish tradition read this passage as a messianic prophecy, as can be seen
from passages in the Talmud (Pesahim, 51, 1 and Nedarim, 39, 2). The New
Testament contains clear references to it: for example, the verses in the Gospel
of St John that report the opinion of Jesus’ contemporaries as to where the Mes-
siah would come from: “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture
said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the
village where David was? (Jn 7:40-42); but Matthew 2:4-6 is the main text that
applies the prophecy to Jesus: the evangelist subtly ennobles the city of David
(he says: “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah are by no means least
among the rulers of Judah”, instead of Micah’s “who are little” or “least” — in or-
der to enhance the figure of Jesus, the Messiah).

Going along with this interpretation in St Matthew, Christian tradition has seen
the Micah passage as an announcement of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The Fa-
thers developed many arguments to try to convince Jews that Jesus was the
expected Messiah. For example, Tertullian wrote: “Since the children of Israel
accuse us of grave error because we believe in Christ, who has come, let us
show them from the Scriptures that the Christ who was foretold has come […].
He was born in Bethlehem in Judah, as the prophet foretold: But you, O Beth-
lehem, are by no means least . . . (v. 2)” (”Adversus Iudaeos”, 13). And St Ire-
naeus said: “In his day, the prophet Micah told us of the place where the Christ
would be born: Bethlehem, in Judah. O Bethlehem . . . , who are little to be a-
mong the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth from me one who is to be
ruler of Israel. Bethlehem is also in the homeland of David, and Christ comes
from the line of David, not only because he was born of the Virgin, but because
he was born in Bethlehem” (”Demonstratio praedicationis apostolicae”, 63).

5:5-6. “This [the Messiah who will be born in Bethlehem] shall be peace” (v. 5).
In the same way as “Egypt” was synonymous with “bondage”, now Assyria has
come to symbolize the oppressive nation. This oracle, then, comes prior to the
appearance of Babylon on the horizon of the chosen people. A Christian reading
of the passage sees in it a description of any crisis experienced by the people
of God or by a sincere believer, who looks to his Lord for peace. Ephesians 2:
13-14 echoes 5:4: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both
one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility.”

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Romans 8:28-30

Christians are Children of God (Continuation)

[28] We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him,
who are called according to his purpose. [29] For those whom he foreknew he
also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might
be the first-born among many brethren. [30] And those whom he predestined he
also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he jus-
tified he also glorified.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

28. Awareness of God as Father helps us see all the events of our life as orche-
strated by the lovable Will of God. Our Father gives us what is best for us and
expects us to discover his paternal love in adverse as well as in favorable events.
“Notice”, St Bernard points out, “that he does not say that things suit our whims
but that they work for our good. They serve not caprice but usefulness; not plea-
sure but salvation; not what we desire but what is good for us. In that sense
everything works for our good, even death itself, even sin [...]. Is it not the case
that sins do good to him who on their account becomes more humble, more fer-
vent, more solicitous, more on guard, more prudent?” (”De Fallacia Et Brevitate
Vitae”, 6). If we have this optimistic, hopeful attitude, we will overcome every dif-
ficulty we meet: “The whole world seems to be coming down on top of you.
Whichever way you turn you find no way out. This time, it is impossible to over-
come the difficulties.

“But, have you again forgotten that God is your Father?—all-powerful, infinitely
wise, full of mercy. He would never send you anything evil. That thing that is wor-
rying you is good for you, even though those earthbound eyes of yours may not
be able to see it now.

“’Omnia in bonum!’ Lord, once again and always, may your most wise Will be
done!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way of the Cross”, IX, 4).

29. Christ is called the “first-born” for many reasons. He is “the first-born of all
creation” (Col 1:15) because he is eternally begotten and because “all things
were made through him” (Jn 1:3). He is also the new Adam and therefore the
head of the human race in the work of redemption (cf. 1 Cor 15:22, 45). He is
“the first-born from the dead” (cf. Col 1:18; Rev 1:5) and therefore is the head
of all those who have reached heaven and all who are awaiting their future resur-
rection (1 Cor 15:20, 23). Finally, he is the “first-born among many brethren” be-
cause, in the order of grace, he gives us a share in his divine sonship: by means
of habitual grace—”sanctifying” grace—we become children of God and brothers
and sisters of Jesus Christ. “For, just as God chose to communicate to others
his natural goodness, giving them a share in that goodness, so that he might be
not only good but also the author of good things; so the Son of God chose to
communicate to others a sonship like his own, so that he might be not only a
son, but the first-born of many sons” (St Thomas Aquinas, “Commentary on
Rom, ad loc.”).

This remarkable fact is what leads the Christian to imitate Christ: our divine son-
ship moves us to reflect the words and gestures of his Only-begotten Son.

“Lord, help me decide to tear off, through penance, this pitiful mask I have fa-
shioned with my wretched doings.... Then, and only then, by following the path
of contemplation and atonement, will my life begin to copy faithfully the features
of your life. We will find ourselves becoming more and more like you.

“We will be other Christs, Christ himself, ‘ipse Christus’” (St. J. Escriva, “The
Way of the Cross”, VI).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

The Ancestry of Jesus Christ

[1] The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of
Abraham.

[2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob
the father of Judah and his brothers, [3] and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah
by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, [4] and
Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahson, and Nah-
son the father of Salmon, [5] and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz
the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, [6] and Jesse the fa-
ther of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, [7] and Solomon the
father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of
Asa, [8] and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
and Joram the father of Uzziah, [9] and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham
the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, [10] and Hezekiah the father
of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah,
[11] and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the depor-
tation to Babylon.

[12] And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,
and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, [13] and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, [14] and Azor the
father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim and Achim the father of Eliud,
[15] and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Mat-
than the father of Jacob, [16] and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of
Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

The Virginal Conception of Jesus, and His Birth

[18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary
had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be
with child of the Holy Spirit; [19] and her husband Joseph, being a just man and
unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. [20] But as he
considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is con-
ceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; [21] she will bear a son, and you shall call His
name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” [22] All this took place
to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: [23] “Behold, a virgin shall con-
ceive and bear a son and His name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means
God with us).

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. This verse is a kind of title to St Matthew’s entire Gospel. The promises God
made to Abraham for the salvation of mankind (Gen 12:3) are fulfilled in Jesus
Christ, as is Nathan’s prophecy to King David of an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam
7:12-16).

The genealogy presented here by St Matthew shows Jesus’ human ancestry and
also indicates that salvation history has reached its climax with the birth of the
Son of God through the working of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, true God and
true man, is the expected Messiah.

The genealogy is presented in a framework of three series, each consisting of
fourteen links which show the progressive development of salvation history.

For the Jews (and for other Eastern peoples of nomadic origin) genealogical trees
were of great importance because a person’s identity was especially linked to fa-
mily and tribe, with place of birth taking secondary importance. In the case of the
Jewish people there was the added religious significance of belonging by blood to
the chosen people.

In Christ’s time each family still kept a careful record of its genealogical tree,
since because of it people acquired rights and duties.

6. Four women are named in these genealogies—Tamar (cf. Gen 38; 1 Chron 2:4),
Rahab (cf. Josh 2:6,17), Bathsheba (cf. 2 Sam 11:12, 24) and Ruth (cf. Book of
Ruth). These four foreign women, who in one way or another are brought into the
history of Israel, are one sign among many others of God’s design to save all
men.

By mentioning sinful people, God’s ways are shown to be different from man’s.
God will sometimes carry out his plan of salvation by means of people whose
conduct has not been just. God saves us, sanctifies us and chooses us to do
good despite our sins and infidelities—and he chose to leave evidence of this at
various stages in the history of our salvation.

11. The deportation to Babylon, described in 2 Kings 24-25, fulfilled the prophets’
warning to the people of Israel and their kings that they would be punished for
their infidelity to the commandments of the Law of God, especially the first
commandment.

16. Jewish genealogies followed the male line. Joseph, being Mary’s husband,
was the legal father of Jesus. The legal father is on a par with the real father as
regards rights and duties. This fact provides a sound basis for recognizing St
Joseph as Patron of the whole Church, since he was chosen to play a very spe-
cial role in God’s plan for our salvation; with St Joseph as his legal father, Jesus
the Messiah has David as his ancestor.

Since it was quite usual for people to marry within their clan, it can be concluded
that Mary belonged to the house of David. Several early Fathers of the Church
testify to this—for example, St Ignatius of Antioch, St Irenaeus, St Justin and Ter-
tullian, who base their testimony on an unbroken oral tradition.

It should also be pointed out that when St Matthew comes to speak of the birth
of Jesus, he uses an expression which is completely different from that used for
the other people in the genealogy. With these words the text positively teaches
that Mary conceived Jesus while still a virgin, without the intervention of man.

18. St. Matthew relates here how Christ was conceived (cf. Luke 1:25-38): “We
truly honor and venerate (Mary) as Mother of God, because she gave birth to a
person who is at the same time both God and man” (”St. Pius V Catechism”,
I, 4, 7).

According to the provisions of the Law of Moses, engagement took place about
one year before marriage and enjoyed almost the same legal validity. The mar-
riage proper consisted, among other ceremonies, in the bride being brought so-
lemnly and joyously to her husband’s house (cf. Deuteronomy 20:7).

From the moment of engagement onwards, a certificate of divorce was needed
in the event of a break in the relationship between the couple.

The entire account of Jesus’ birth teaches, through the fulfillment of the prophe-
cy of Isaiah 7:14 (which is expressly quoted in verses 22-23) that: 1) Jesus has
David as His ancestor since Joseph is His legal father; 2) Mary is the Virgin
who gives birth according to the prophecy; 3) the Child’s conception without the
intervention of man was miraculous.

19. “St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great
things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event
that went to make up his life. That is why Scripture praises Joseph as ‘a just
man’. In Hebrew a just man means a good and faithful servant of God, someone
who fulfills the divine will (cf. Genesis 7:1; 18:23-32; Ezekiel 18:5ff.; Proverbs 12:
10), or who is honorable and charitable toward his neighbor (cf. Tobias 7:6; 9:6).
So a just man is someone who loves God and proves his love by keeping God’s
commandments and directing his whole life towards the service of his brothers,
his fellow men” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 40).

Joseph considered his spouse to be holy despite the signs that she was going
to have a child. He was therefore faced with a situation he could not explain. Pre-
cisely because he was trying to do God’s will, he felt obliged to put her away; but
to shield her from public shame he decided to send her away quietly.

Mary’s silence is admirable. Her perfect surrender to God even leads her to the
extreme of not defending her honor or innocence. She prefers to suffer suspicion
and shame rather than reveal the work of grace in her. Faced with a fact which
was inexplicable in human terms she abandons herself confidently to the love
and providence of God. God certainly submitted the holy souls of Joseph and Ma-
ry to a severe trial. We ought not to be surprised if we also undergo difficult trials
in the course of our lives. We ought to trust in God during them, and remain faith-
ful to Him, following the example they gave us.

20. God gives His light to those who act in an upright way and who trust in His
power and wisdom when faced with situations which exceed human understan-
ding. By calling him the son of David, the angel reminds Joseph that he is the
providential link which joins Jesus with the family of David, according to Nathan’s
messianic prophecy (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12). As St. John Chrysostom says: “At the
very start he straightaway reminds him of David, of whom the Christ was to
spring, and he does not wish him to be worried from the moment he reminds him,
through naming his most illustrious ancestor, of the promise made to all his li-
neage” (”Hom. on St. Matthew”, 4).

“The same Jesus Christ, our only Lord, the Son of God, when He assumed hu-
man flesh for us in the womb of the Virgin, was not conceived like other men,
from the seed of man, but in a manner transcending the order of nature, that is,
by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the same person, remaining God as He
was from eternity, became man, which He was not before” (”St. Pius V Cate-
chism”, I, 4, 1).

21. According to the Hebrew root, the name Jesus means “savior”. After our
Lady, St. Joseph is the first person to be told by God that salvation has begun.

“Jesus is the proper name of the God-man and signifies ‘Savior’—a name given
Him not accidentally, or by the judgment or will of man, but by the counsel and
command of God” [...]. All other names which prophecy gave to the Son of God
— Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (cf.
Isaiah 9:6) — are comprised in this one name Jesus; for while they partially sig-
nified the salvation which He was to bestow on us, this name included the force
and meaning of all human salvation” (”St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 3, 5 and 6).

23. “Emmanuel”: the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, quoted in this verse, foretold about
700 years in advance that God’s salvation would be marked by the extraordinary
event of virgin giving birth to a son. The Gospel here, therefore, reveals two truths.

First, that Jesus is in fact the God-with-us foretold by the prophet. This is how
Christian tradition has always understood it. Indeed the Church has officially
condemned an interpretation denying the messianic sense of the Isaiah text
(cf. Pius VI, Brief, “Divina”, 1779). Christ is truly God-with-us, therefore, not only
because of His God-given mission but because He is God made man (cf. John
1:14). This does not mean that Jesus should normally be called Emmanuel, for
this name refers more directly to the mystery of His being the Incarnate Word.
At the Annunciation the angel said that He should be called Jesus, that is,
Savior. And that was the name St. Joseph gave Him.

The second truth revealed to us by the sacred text is that Mary, in whom the
prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled, was a virgin before and during the birth itself.
The miraculous sign given by God that salvation had arrived was precisely that a
woman would be a virgin and a mother at the same time.

“Jesus Christ came forth from His mother’s womb without injury to her maternal
virginity. This immaculate and perpetual virginity forms, therefore, the just theme
of our eulogy. Such was the work of the Holy Spirit, who at the conception and
birth of the Son so favored the Virgin Mother as to impart fruitfulness to her while
preserving inviolate her perpetual virginity” (”St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 4, 8).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

EITHER:

First reading

Micah 5:1-4 ©

The Lord says this:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

the least of the clans of Judah,

out of you will be born for me

the one who is to rule over Israel;

his origin goes back to the distant past,

to the days of old.

The Lord is therefore going to abandon them

till the time when she who is to give birth gives birth.

Then the remnant of his brothers will come back

to the sons of Israel.

He will stand and feed his flock

with the power of the Lord,

with the majesty of the name of his God.

They will live secure, for from then on he will extend his power

to the ends of the land.

He himself will be peace.

OR:

Alternative First reading

Romans 8:28-30 ©

We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.

Psalm

Psalm 12:6-7 ©

I exult for joy in the Lord.

Lord, I trust in your merciful love.

Let my heart rejoice in your saving help.

I exult for joy in the Lord.

Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me,

singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

I exult for joy in the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary,

and most worthy of all praise,

for the sun of justice, Christ our God,

was born of you.

Alleluia!

EITHER:

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-16,18-23 ©

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’

OR:

Alternative Gospel

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Joyful Mysteries
(Mondays and Saturdays)
1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Feast Day
September 8th

The Birth of the Virgin Mary - Esteban Murillo (Louvre, Paris)

Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God,
heralded joy to all the world.
For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

Destroying the curse, He gave blessing;
and damning death, He bestowed on us
life everlasting.

Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

from The Divine Office - Matins (Morning Prayer)

The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated in the Church at least since the 8th Century. The Church's calendar observes the birthdays of only two saints: Saint John the Baptist (June 24), and Mary, Mother of Jesus.

John the Baptist is considered especially sanctified even before his birth. His birth to Elizabeth and Zachariah is foretold in the first chapter of Luke, and it is also recorded (Lk 1:41) that Elizabeth felt the infant John "leap in her womb" when Mary approached her soon after the Annunciation.

The birth of Mary was also miraculous. She was conceived without sin as a special grace because God had selected her to become the mother of His Son (the feast of her Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8). The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, though generally believed throughout the Church for many centuries, was formally declared by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

There is nothing contained in Scripture about the birth of Mary or her parentage, though Joseph's lineage is given in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, appear in the apocryphal "Gospel of James", a book dating from the 2nd Century AD, not part of the authentic canon of Scripture. According to this account, Joachim and Anna were also beyond the years of child-bearing, but prayed and fasted that God would grant their desire for a child.

According to one tradition, the house in which Mary was born in Nazareth is the same one in which the Annunciation took place. By another tradition, the Annunciation site is beneath the Crusader church of Saint Anna in Jerusalem, under a 3rd Century oratory known as the "Gate of Mary".

In celebrating the nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and birth of her Divine Son, and give honor to the mother of Our Lord and Savior.

Readings of the Day

Collect:
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord,
the gift of heavenly grace,
that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
may bring deeper peace
to those for whom the birth of her Son
was the dawning of salvation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Micah 5:1-4a
Now you are walled about with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the rest of his brethren shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

or Romans 8:28-30
We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Gospel Reading: Long Form Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 [Short form Matthew 1:18-23]

[The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of She-alti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.]

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).

Family Observance of the Feast of the Birth of Mary

Mary's Birthday Cake
All children love birthday cakes -- so today, let's make a birthday cake for the Blessed Virgin Mary. A white layer cake or angel food cake would be appropriate, with white icing and blue icing for trim (white is a symbol of purity; blue symbolizes fidelity, and is a color especially used for Mary). We suggest letting the children help with the decorations, if possible. If you have a small statue of Mary, it could be placed in the center of the cake, which can be surrounded by 10 candles -- one for each "Hail Mary" prayer in a decade of the Rosary. (If you don't have a little statue, you can write Mary's name on the cake in blue icing.)

At the end of the evening meal, each child could take turns lighting the 10 candles as the whole family prays together a "Hail Mary" for each candle, ending with the Lord's Prayer.

If the children are too young to light candles, mother could light the candles, then the adults could pray one Hail Mary at the end, just before the cake is cut. After eating the birthday cake, the prayer below could be said (this prayer, the concluding prayer from "Matins" of the Divine Office, could also be said with the children at bedtime).

Lord God,
the day of our salvation dawned
when the Blessed Virgin gave birth to your Son.
As we celebrate her nativity
grant us your grace and your peace.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The ANGELUS and the LITANY of the Blessed Virgin Mary

If your family doesn't say the Angelus regularly before the evening meal, this would be a good day to introduce it. (Then say it on all Feasts of Mary and every day during the penitential seasons of Advent and Lent.) Click here to see the Angelus that you may print out for your family. (E-mail us or write to Women for Faith & Family, PO Box 300411, St. Louis, MO 63130, for copies of an Angelus "holy card".)

School-aged children could begin to learn the traditional Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A good time to say the litany together might be after homework is finished in the evening, just before bedtime. A litany is an ancient form of prayer read or chanted by a group, with a leader saying the versicles, and the rest of the group saying the responses.

Birthday Books
This would be a good time to get out the children's "baby books", which usually need updating. Go through the birthday book with your child, and do some reminiscing. Each child could make a drawing of their idea of baby Mary and her family, which could be pasted in their own birthday book as a memento. (Don't forget to have them put their name and age on the pictures!)

Other ideas...
If you have a nice statue of Mary, or a "Mary shrine" in your home, it would be appropriate to decorate it with flowers and candles today, in celebration of Mary's birthday. The family can gather around it during the reciting of the litany or other prayers -- and conclude by singing the lovely hymn, Mary the Dawn. (Click on the title here to see both the words and music to this hymn.)

Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, heralded joy to all the world.

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