St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

Mary: Born for God & the World

Dear brothers and sisters,   

     Today, we celebrate the birthday of the Virgin Mary (Sept. 8th) nine months after her Immaculate Conception. (Dec. 8th) The Virgin Mary's infancy and early life are not directly recorded in the Bible, but the “Gospel of James” describes Mary’s father,

     Joachim, as a wealthy member of the 12 tribes of Israel. His wife was Anna. Joachim and Anna began to devote themselves extensively and rigorously to prayer and fasting, initially wondering whether their inability to conceive a child might signify God's displeasure with them. But an angel revealed to Anna: “The Lord has heard your prayer and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth a child, and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.” A Baby is “a little bit of heaven sent down to the earth”; but in Mary’s birth, the heaven was sent to live on earth.

     After Mary's birth, according to the Protoevangelium of James, Anne “made a sanctuary” in the infant girl's room, and “allowed nothing common or unclean” on account of the special holiness of the child. When she was three years old, Mary's parents, along with the temple priests, decided that she would be offered to God as a consecrated Virgin for the rest of her life. (Nov. 21) This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless. Today, this tradition is practiced by our Mexican Catholics by the presentation of three year olds.

     The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an event of cosmic and historic significance, and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether anyone accepts God’s plan in Mary or not, God chose Mary - conceived sinless, grew up a virgin to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. (Is. 7:14) She is the Mother of God.

     For our part, as faithful Christians, let us commit to her all our needs with a perfect disposition of submission and trust, “not doubting” that they will turn out in the best way.

   Ave Maria!  Blessings!

Msgr. Xavier                                        

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