Meditation;
Feast of the Nativity of Mary
by
Saint Alphonsus Liguori
First Meditation
Before the birth of Mary the world was
lost in the
darkness of sin. "Mary was born, and the
dawn arose", says one holy father. Of
Mary it had already been said, "Who is
she that cometh forth as the morning rising?" - Canticles 6:9.
As the earth rejoices when the dawn appears, because it is the precursor
of the sun, so also when
Mary was born the whole world rejoiced,
because she was the precursor of
Christ, the Sun of
Justice, Who being made
her Son,
came to save us by
His death; hence the
Church sings, "Thy
nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, announced joy to the whole world; for from
thee arose the Sun of Justice, who has given us life eternal". So
that when Mary was born, our
remedy, our
consolation, and our salvation
came into the world; for through Mary we
received our Savior.
Second Meditation
This child being, then, destined to become
the Mother of the
Eternal Word, God
enriched her
with such great grace, that in the
first moment of her
Immaculate Conception,
her sanctity exceeded that of
all the Saints and Angels together, for
she received grace of a higher
order; one which corresponded with the dignity
of Mother of God.
 O holy child! O full of grace! I,
miserable sinner that I am, salute and adore thee. Thou art the beloved one,
the delight of God; pity me, who on account of my sins have been hateful and
abominable in His sight. Thou, O most pure Virgin, knewest from thy very
childhood so well how to gain the heart of God, that He never did and never
will refuse thee anything, and grants thee all that thou askest. My hopes
are therefore in thee; recommend me to thy Son, and I shall be saved.
Amen
Third Meditation
When Mary was destined to be
the Mother of God,
she was also destined to become the
Mediatress between
God and sinners. Hence the
angelic Saint Thomas says, "that Mary received
sufficient grace to save all men"; and therefore Saint Bernard
calls her, "an
aqueduct, that of her plenitude we all may partake".
O my Queen, Mediatress of sinners,
perform thy office, intercede for me. My sins shall not prevent me from
trusting in thee, O great Mother of God; no, I trust in thee, and so great
is my confidence, that were my salvation in my own hands, I would place it
in thine. O Mary, receive me under thy protection, for that is all my
desire. Amen
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