Matthew 1,1-16.18-23: «The creature in her comes from the Holy Spirit»
Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. In today’s Gospel, Christ Jesus is the center of attention. It has two parts, which would be good to read in their entirety: the genealogical list of Jesus, which goes as far as «Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom Jesus was born, called Christ,» and the account of how Jesus was born. The list of the ancestors of Jesus, which we also read in Advent (December 17), makes us rejoice that God has truly wanted to incardinate himself in the history of our human race. By taking over the people of Judah and, specifically, the messianic line of the house of David, God has shown that he wants to be «God-with-us» and has assumed our history, sometimes not too glorious because of the names that appear in the genealogy of Jesus. The announcement of the angel to Joseph places us before the mystery of a birth, that of Jesus, whose protagonist is God and his Spirit, but also has the humble and fine collaboration of Joseph and Mary.
The Nativity of the Virgin Mary is like the dawn that precedes the day, nor the Sun that «comes from above», Christ Jesus. The texts of this party ooze joy. Christians see in this birth the beginning of salvation: «The birth of the Virgin Mary was for the world hope and dawn of salvation» (post-communion), «when the Blessed Virgin was born, the world was enlightened» (Lauds antiphon) . If there is a day when a poetic language fits into our prayer, it is precisely today.
Naturally, as in every morning party, the center of our faith continues to be her Son: «Your birth, Virgin Mother of God, announces joy to the whole world: from you was born the sun of justice, Christ, our God» ( antiphon of the Benedictus). That is why we read the genealogy of Christ, in which «the Word became man», in whom we have seen and experienced the fullness of God’s love. We look at Mary with hope because she knew how to be docile to God’s plan and collaborated humbly and joyfully with him: «May it be done to me according to your word.»
As we celebrate this feast, we all hope that it will bring us an increase in grace and peace. In today’s prayer we ask God that «all of us who have received the first fruits of salvation through the motherhood of the Virgin Mary, may we obtain an increase in peace on the feast of her Birth».
Peace and good
Br. Antonio Majeesh George Kallely, OFM
