and they will call him Emmanuel
Saints Joachim and Anne were an old childless couple, but a miracle happened and today we celebrate the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Last week we went to Oklahoma City to visit our granddaughter, Rachel and to celebrate the sixth Birthday of her first-born daughter. Rachel has two other children 3 and 8 months. Great grandma and grandpa were worn out from the noise and mayhem of a children’s party. We went back the next day for quality time with mother and children.
It is only in recent history that we started to celebrate birthdays. It was only the Birthday of the King or Queen that was celebrated. It turns out that Mary is the Queen of Heaven. When Social Security started in the 1930’s in the United States my parents and grandparents had to go to their family Bible to find out their dates of birth or Baptism. My Uncle Dick’s Birth Date was approximate by a year or two either way. Gradually we started celebrating everyone’s birthday because it became landmarks on official documents, and we gauged whether you were too old or too young to sign up for the draft or vote. As Catholics we celebrate life in all forms and it is not always pretty life like young children, but life of all humans. We celebrate the old and the young; the healthy and the sick.
In a way were not only celebrate Mary’s birth today but also the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception that made her different that other humans. Mary was designated by God to be born without Original Sin.
On a tombstone there is the date of birth and the date of death. What is most important to us is the dash in between.
How did the person live their life?
Hebrews 4:12-13 The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts more incisively than any two-edged sword: it can seek out the place where soul is divided from spirit, or joints from marrow; it can pass judgement on secret emotions and T. No created thing is hidden from him; everything is uncovered and stretched fully open to the eyeks of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.
My secret emotions and thoughts are my biggest downfall. It is not what I do or don’t do, but my thoughts. They sneak into my physic, and I drive them out. Sometimes I let them into my head but in the end, they have to go. I know that there is no escape. I don’t want escape. I want to be in God’s graces and want to have God’s blessing when I leave this world.
Therefore, we need Mary to intercede for us. We only have our life to answer for, but in the process we need all the help we can get before we get to that moment. We need it from our neighbors and friends but also from the Mother of Jesus who saved us. In the meantime we are on a journey to remain sinless and unstained as Mary.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for peace! Continue to pray for hurricane and wildfire victims.
