“THOSE WHOM HE CALLED… HE ALSO GLORIFIED” (Rom 8:30)

⏰Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (08 Sept. 2018)

📕Mic 5:2-5a; Ps 13:5, 6 (R. Isa 61:10a); Matt 1:1-16, 18-23

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit abide with you both now and for ever. Amen.

Today, we celebrate with joy the work of the redemption of man by God in history. This is the major role which the genealogical accounts of Jesus’ birth serve to play in the Gospels (Matt 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38). They show that the promised Messiah comes in history as the son of David, to also purify the history which has been distorted by sin.

With that importance placed at the coming of Jesus in history, we normally give special honour to those who were honoured first by God as instruments for bringing that messianic purpose to fruition (cf. Rom 8:30). That is why the Church celebrates the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Is that not fetish and foolish? Does that appeal to common sense? Maybe, we begin from there – common sense.

The world today has the Mandela Day in its calendar in celebration of his role in fighting for the freedom of the black South Africans. In Western Nigeria, Chief Awolowo’s birthday is still celebrated with much enthusiasm because of his role in the political life of the Yorubas. Same with Tafawa Belewa in the North. Recently, the Igbos also began the celebration of Ojukwu’s birthday.

Can you see how we find meaning in those worldly celebrations but sometimes thought it foolish to honour those whom God himself honoured?

The prophet Micah placed so much importance around the Maiden (cf. Mic 5:2-5) and the angel Gabriel honoured her with a kind of greeting meant for royalty, “Hail!” (cf. Luke 1:28).

Can you today put aside the worldly bias about some matters of faith (read Heb 11:1-2) and join the Psalmist in greatly rejoicing in the Lord for his love for humanity?

Remember that these celebrations would amount to nothing without the person of Jesus. So the celebration is actually an acknowledgment of the power of God in using what is weak to do great things.

As we rejoice in the Lord today, may he who also called us enable us to share in the glory of his Son. May this glory manifest itself in all that we shall undertake in this week and beyond. Amen.

Have a glorious day ahead. Peace be with you.