Most people can answer that question instantly. It is fitting that we celebrate the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8th, nine months after the feast of her Immaculate Conception. St. Andrew of Crete explains the great joy of this day: the Nativity of Mary stands at the frontier where types and symbols give way to reality; it is the necessary prelude to the union of the Word with flesh. Mary’s fiat was the dawn of our salvation.
Our parents’ birthdays are occasions for wonder. Celebrating the birth of our parents gives us the opportunity to reflect on the incredible gift of our own lives. We’ve glimpsed enough of the joys and sorrows, challenges and triumphs faced by our parents and grandparents to appreciate the faithful providence of God through every generation.
It is no coincidence that the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows just one week after the Nativity of Mary. As with our own parents, we cannot celebrate her birth without contemplating the rest of her life. Mary experienced the pain of exile, the sorrow of widowhood, the agony of witnessing her Son’s execution, the grief of burying Him. And yet, through it all, our sinless Mother never wavered in her trust in God and His loving plan.
We ask Our Blessed Mother’s prayers that we, too, may faithfully fulfill the Lord’s will in our lives – no matter what sorrows we will face in this vale of tears – and one day join her among the angels and saints in heaven singing the praises of her Son.
Have you considered naming the Sisters as a beneficiary?
By naming the Sisters as a beneficiary of assets such as retirement plans, commercial annuities, Donor Advised Funds, and life insurance policies, you can help in the Sisters’ work of forming the coming generations and saving souls while helping your heirs avoid taxes on policy proceeds at the time your estate is settled. Learn more here or contact Robert Marcarelli at: bmarcarelli@sistersofmary.org.