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By Bro Bobot Apit

The great paradox and terrible mystery at the heart of it all is that of virgin-mother. Can emptiness be fruitful? Can the barrenness of virginity become the home of abundance? Can the aridity of the desert-womb turn out to be the very dwelling place of fertility? It seems so, right? Our celebration of the birth of Mary proclaims these awe-inspiring yet humbling mysteries.
 
And what is true about her is true about Jesus. And what is true about Christ will be true about the Body of Christ and the church. Our lack will bear much fruit in God’s sweet time through the very sweet workings of Grace.
 
Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Psalm 13:6ab, 6cd

M atthew 1:1-16, 18-23  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 Ammin'adab, and Ammin'adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, (5) and Salmon the father of Bo'az by Rahab, and Bo'az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, (6) and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri'ah, (7) and Solomon the father of Rehobo'am, and Rehobo'am the father of Abi'jah, and Abi'jah the father of Asa, (8) and Asa the father of Jehosh'aphat, and Jehosh'aphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi'ah, (9) and Uzzi'ah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki'ah, (10) and Hezeki'ah the father of Manas'seh, and Manas'seh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josi'ah, (11) and Josi'ah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. (12) And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni'ah was the father of She-al'ti-el, and She-al'ti-el the father of Zerub'babel, (13) and Zerub'babel the father of Abi'ud, and Abi'ud the father of Eli'akim, and Eli'akim the father of Azor, (14) and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eli'ud, (15) and Eli'ud the father of Elea'zar, and Elea'zar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, (16) and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

(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 divorce her 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 conceived 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 conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).

Meditation by Roc O'Connor SJ 

T his feast finds its historical roots in a sixth-century hymn by St. Romanos the Melodist who used the apocryphal gospel of St. James (ca. 150 AD) as his source. The feast occurs nine months after the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th).

Our feast demonstrates the clear and undeniable option that Catholics and Orthodox make for paradox centered on Mary.
 
It’s also a dear little feast that is shaped by the scripture readings chosen for it. Since there are choices for the first reading, I selected the passages from Micah and Matthew for reflection.
 
The prophet Micah gave one of the more interesting and seldom referred to prophecies that speak of Jesus and Mary in terms of the restoration of Israel:
 
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.

The Exile was one of the more problematic parts of the history of God’s people. It raised deep and painful questions. Why did God forsake the many promises to be faithful to Israel, to keep the covenant forever, and to protect the Temple?
 
Micah doesn’t answer these questions. Rather he assumes the givenness of the Exile (“The Lord will give them up until the time…”) as he announces the time when Exile will end (“when she who is to give birth has borne…”) and proclaims the return of the People.
 
This birth heralds a return of great and paradoxical proportions.
It is a return based upon reconciliation and restoration after Exile.
It is a return based upon the mother giving birth, a separation for the sake of return.
It is a ‘receiving’ based upon giving.
It is a gift of one for the sake of the all.

In fact, the mysteries of separation and return, giving and receiving, as well as the one and the many play throughout the scriptures, don’t they?
 
The great paradox and terrible mystery at the heart of it all is that of Virgin-Mother. Can emptiness be fruitful? Can the barrenness of virginity become the home of abundance? Can the aridity of the desert-womb turn out to be the very dwelling place of fertility? It seems so, right? Our celebration of the birth of Mary proclaims these awe-inspiring yet humbling mysteries.
 
And what is true about her is true about Jesus. And what is true about Christ will be true about the Body of Christ and the church. Our lack will bear much fruit in God’s sweet time through the very sweet workings of Grace.
 
Happy Feast! # # #

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU. – Bobot Apit

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