The Birth of Mary: The Beacon of Salvation

 Reflection on Today's Readings and the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8th, 2020

Texts: Micah 5:2-5; Ps. 13:5.6; Matt. 1:1-16.18-23

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary signals the salvation of man. The fulfilment of God's promise of salvation to man begins with the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was the first to enjoy freedom from original sin; at her conception she was preserved from original sin. She was born without sin. In the birth of the blessed Virgin Mary we see what our coming to birth in the Son of God will be: The freedom from original sin. 

The Bethlehem, in the first reading is the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary from whom the saviour of the world comes forth. The reading announces that though she may have a lowly birth, but from her the saviour of the world will come forth. Her lowly birth tells us about her virtues: Humility, poor in spirit, gentility, calmness, obedience etc.

The birth of the Blessed Virgin is the introduction of the Temple of God into the world; it is temple that is built by God, not man.  With the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a body and a dwelling place is prepared for the Son of God. We could see the relevance of the birth of Mary in these words of St. John: "I saw the holy City, the Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, 'Look, here God lives among human beings. He will make his home among them; they will be his people, and he will be their God, God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain. The world of the old has gone" (Rev. 21:2-4). The birth of Mary announces the salvation of man. Mary is the morning star that announces the rising of the Sun of Justice

The birth of the blessed Virgin Mary is an opening of the gate of heaven for God to come down to meet man. It is through the blessed Virgin Mary that God came down to encouter man in the flesh. Hence, Blessed Virgin Mary is called the Gate of Heaven. 

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also a birth of the new Ark of the Covenant; Ark built by God, not man. The Ark of the Covenant is a place where the glory of God abides among his people. Mary bears the glory of God.

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a beacon of new era in the history of man. In the birth of Mary we see man's victory over sin, a break from original sin. The birth of Blessed Virgin Mary shows that man shall live in holiness once again by the power of God.

God our Father, we beg you, as you preserved Mary, the mother of your Son, from sin, always preserve us from sin. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke