St Michael The Consoler of poor Souls

ST. MICHAEL THE CONSOLER OF SOULS
In order to properly analyze and present the role of Archangel Michael as the consoler of souls, one must first understand angels, their nature, and their office.

ANGELS
The word ‘angel’ is derived from the Greek word ‘angelos’ which is the translation of the Hebrew word ‘mal’kah’ and in Latin ‘angelus’ all of which mean “messenger from God or Legate”. They were viewed at first as the personification of the will of God, then as members of a Heavenly Host, that is, army of the court of God the King.

THE NATURE OF ANGELS
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, angels are purely spiritual creatures who have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.

THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS
Ministry is defined as the work of a minister, and a minister is a person who cares for somebody.
Scott Hahn in his work “angels” presents the ministry of angels as to announce the divine will; to rebuke, encourage, assist, punish, teach and to execute judgment. They serve as key mediators between God and man. For instance, angels were sent by God to assist a number of individuals: Hagar(Gen. 16:7, 21:17), Abraham (Gen. 18, 22:11), Jacob( Gen. 28:12) and so on.

HIERARCHY OF ANGELS
Here is a fascinating and interesting area about angels. Indeed there are hierarchies and orders among angels. In fact, scriptures list various types of angels, and not all angels are equal.
St. Thomas Aquinas, a great master of the system refined the list and divided angels based on how near they are to God this way;
The Supreme Hierarchy
Seraphim – Cherubim – Thrones
Middle Hierarchy
Dominations – Virtues – Powers
Lower Hierarchy
Principalities – Archangels – Angels

The first three levels see and adore God directly
The Seraphim is the highest choir, comprehend God with maximum clarity, and their love flames the hottest (Seraphim means the burning ones). Lucifer, the light bearer belongs to this and he was powerful and is still powerful.
The Cherubim contemplate God too, function as attendants of God. (Cherubim means fullness of wisdom and with admirable knowledge)
The Thrones contemplate God’s power and Judgment. Thrones mean juridical power.
The next three choirs fulfill God’s providential plans for the universe
The dominions command the lesser angels below them.
The virtues receive their orders from the dominions and run the universe, especially the heavenly bodies.
The Powers serve the virtues by fighting against evil influences that oppose the Virtue’s providential plan.
The last three choirs directly order human affairs, they are like warriors
The Principalities care for the earthly cities, nations and kingdoms.
The Archangels carry out God’s important messages to man.
Angels are ordinarily guardians. One for each individual.

PURGATORY
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Purgatory as a “purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven”, which is experienced by those” who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect…is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031).
The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
CONSOLER OF THE POOR SOULS
“The prince of the heavenly Militia,” says St. Anselm, “is all-powerful in purgatory and he can assist the poor souls whom the justice and sanctity of the almighty retain in this place of punishment”. “It is incontestably recognized since the foundation of Christianity,” declares St. Robert Belarmine, “that the souls of the faithful departed are delivered from purgatory through the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel.” Let us add to these authorities the words of St. Alphonsus Ligouri: “St. Michael has received the care of consoling and helping the souls in purgatory.”
In her beautiful prayers in the mass for the dead, the church places the souls of the departed in the hands of St. Michael, that he may lead them into the kingdom of everlasting light. Since St. Michael is so solicitous for the welfare of souls during their lifetime as at the hour of death, we may be certain that he will also befriend them during their stay in purgatory and will hasten to bring them consolation.
A Cistern monk appeared to his priest friend shortly after his death and told him he would be delivered from purgatory if during Holy Mass the priest would recommend his soul to St. Michael. The priest complied with his request, and he, together with others present gad the consolation of seeing the soul of his friend taken to heaven by the Archangel.
It is told that a certain priest one day while offering the holy sacrifice for the dead recommended some souls I a particular manner when pronouncing the words ; “may the prince of the Angels, St. Michael, lead them into the glory of heaven”. At the same time he saw the glorious Archangel descend from heaven into purgatory to deliver those souls and to conduct them into paradise.
Let us be encouraged by these examples to invoke St. Michael frequently on behalf of our departed loved ones, and in particular to recommend them to his powerful intercession during the celebration of the Holy Mass.

The Archangels

Today the Holy mother Church celebrates the feast of the three Archangels Those
mysterious creatures identified in the
Bible as messengers of God’s plan and
presence to humans in various ways.
The Scriptures today focus on God made
present in power and glory in human
manifestation. The Gospel , which is a
call passage from John’s first chapter,
witnesses that the very human Jesus
reads human hearts (a divine attribute)
and then promises that he can do far
greater things.
If we focus on the first reading from the
Book of the Prophet Daniel, we
understand that the Church wants us
to appreciate the angels as expressions
(symbols) of the immense power and
glory of the messianic figure of the “Son
of Man.” Early Christians knew, after
Jesus’ resurrection that Jesus fulfilled this
prophecy of Daniel.
In other biblical texts, the angelic figures
of Michael, Raphael and Gabriel are
presented as immensely powerful
messengers of God’s protection
(Michael), communication of the Divine
plan (Gabriel), and revelatory healing
(Raphael). The various aspects of speed,
power, and authority are communicated
through a number of symbolic media
(wings, war gear, size, multiple eyes,

trumpets etc.).
Angels are real and they communicate the mystery of God to us let us ask for there intercessions as we celebrate them today may God hear our prayers Amen

A SUMARY ON POPE JOHN PAUL II ENCYCLICAL LETTER: UT UNUM SINT

INTRODUCTION

The Catholic Church committed herself to ecumenical dialogue during the Second Vatican council with the aim of fulfilling the prayer of Jesus Christ “That they may be one” (John 17:21) hence Pope John Paul II says it is his earnest desires to renew this call to unity with this Encyclical “UT UNUM SINT” Of May 25th 1995. Like many encyclicals, he derives its title from the first few words, which was taken from the prayer of Jesus. Christians cannot underestimate the burden of long-standing misgiving inherited from the past, and of mutual misunderstanding and prejudices. Complacency, indifference and insufficient knowledge of one another often make this situation worst. As such the ecumenical dialogue must be based on conversion of heart and prayer, which will lead to purification of memories. The ultimate goal of the ecumenical movement is to re-establish full visible unity among all the baptized, basically the encyclical deals with the Roman Catholic Church’s relations with the Orthodox Church and other Christian ecclesial communities. In this three chapter document with an introduction and exhortation, John Paul II shows that the Roman Catholic Church is officially moved to unity.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S COMMITMENT TO ECUMENISM
The Catholic Church embarked on the call for Christian unity as a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by love. It becomes pivotal to call for unity because division openly contradicts the will of Christ, and makes the work of proclaiming the one message of Christ, the good news to every creature difficult.
This unity that is guided by the Holy Spirit is not just a gathering of individuals, rather it is a unity constituted by the bounds of the profession of faith, the sacraments, and hierarchical communion. God is the biding force, hence for the Catholic Church; the communion of Christians is none other than the manifestation of the grace by which God makes them share in his own communion which is eternal.
It is of great importance to mention that the Second Vatican Council states that the Church of Christ “subsists in the catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of peter and by the bishops who remain in communion with him. However, one can still find elements of sanctification and truth outside her visible structure. This statement is a clear indication that the Church is indeed open to ecumenical dialogue. In contrast to the ancient opinion of Cyprian that: “Outside the Church there is no salvation.” Cyprian maintains that “one cannot have God for his Father when one does not have the church for his Mother.” Cyprian completely spoke of the Church as sacrament and thus maintains that the church of God is above defilement and violation. In his work “On the Unity of the Catholic Church” he opines that:
“The bride of Christ cannot be defiled. She is inviolate and chaste. She knows one home only in all honesty; she keeps faithfully to one chamber. It is she who preserves us for God, she who seals for the Kingdom the sons born to her. Whoever breaks with the church and enters on an adulterous union cuts himself off from the promises made to the church. He who turns his back on the Church of Christ will not come to the rewards of Christ; he is alien, a wording, and an enemy. You cannot have God for your Father if you no longer have the church for your Mother.”
In John Paul’s opinion the objective basis of the communion is the element of sanctification and truth that is found in other Christian communities. Though this communion according to the Second Vatican Council is imperfect, the Dogmatic Constitution asserts that “in many ways the Catholic Church is linked with other ecclesia communities in the Holy Spirit.
The unity willed by God can be attained only by the adherence of all to the content of revealed faith in the entirety. In matters of faith, compromise is in contradiction with God who is Truth. Hence, in ecumenical dialogue, Catholic theologians standing fast by the teaching of the Church and investigating the divine mysteries with the separated brethren must proceed with love for the truth, with charity, and with humility. When comparing doctrines with one another, they should remember that in Catholic doctrine, there exists a hierarchy of truths, since they vary in their relation to the fundamental Christian faith. (Unitatis Redintegratio no.11)
THE FRUITS OF DIALOGUE
In the past thirty years the fruit of ecumenical dialogue is visible and appreciated in many of the ecumenical celebrations that took place in and outside the shores of Rome, it is indisputable that the universal brotherhood of Christians has become a firm ecumenical conviction. Today we speak of other Christians not in terms of separated brethren but as Churches and Ecclesial communities that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church. Such inclusive language in my own opinion will create a better grand for ecumenical discussion and deepen the awareness that we all belong to Christ through baptism under the same umbrella of Christ followers.
Another prominent fruit of this dialogue is the fact that Christian communities join together in the positive service to humanity, this is because one of the task of Christianity is to safeguard human existence which is created in the image and lankness of God as such the Church promotes Justice, peace and the positive future of the world. Again, a valuable result of the contact between Christian and of the theological dialogue in which they engage is the growth of communion, both parties are more sensitized on the matters of faith they have in common.
There is a hierarchical progression in the ecumenical dialogue as I observe, the Pope place above all, our sister church from the Patriarchal Churches. According to him, the church’s journey began in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and its original expansion in the oikoumene of that time was centered on Peter and the eleven. Hence, the unity we clamor for is that unity that existed in the first millennium where all were in communion with the bishop of Rome. There is also a progress in the fraternal relation with the ancient Churches of the East which rejected the dogmatic formulations of the council of Ephesus and Chalcedon. And lastly, the Church wishes to create a climate of Christian fraternity and dialogue with the Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the West with guidelines that are historical, psychological, theological and doctrinal in nature. The churches with roots in the reformation Church came first in this dialogue this is because of long time history.
QUANTA EST NOBIS VIA?
What is the future direction? How much further do we need to struggle in anticipation of a unity where all the baptized can celebrate the Holy Eucharist of the Lord in peace. We need to go beyond our present achievement based on the basis of a certain fundamental doctrinal unity on Baptism, Eucharist, ministry and authority, to a visible unity which is manifested in a real and concrete way so that the Church may truly be a sign of that full communion in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church which will be expressed in the common celebration of the Eucharist. To reach a true consensus of faith, the following areas must be addressed:
• The relationship between the Scripture and the sacred tradition
• The Eucharist
• Ordination
• The magisterium of the Church
• The Virgin Mary as Mother of God and Icon of the Church
Finally, the Catholic Church is conscious that she has preserved the ministry of the successor of the Apostle Peter, the bishop of Rome, whom God established as her perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity. The bishop of Rome must ensure the communion of all the Churches, for this reason he is the first servant of unity. Hence the communion of the particular Churches with the Church of Rome is in God’s plan.
CONCLUSION
This view of union or unity of the Church and the faithful in the Church was supported by Michael Schmaus. For he declares that “the Church is a union of men who are bound together through the confession of the Christian faith and through participation in the same sacraments under the guidance of legitimate pastors, above all of one vicar of Christ on earth, the Supreme Pontiff.” The Church’s documents really acknowledge that it is possible to build the Ecclesia edifice where all will be one. This, the CBCN deem necessary when it tries to build her Church with the coming together of Churches in Nigeria to form CAN . But to what extent has this been realized?

MARY IS PRE-EMINENTLY A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH

INTRODUCTION
Perhaps you have seen the film: “The gods must be crazy!” The story line began with a family of natives that stumbled at an empty coke bottle. The fascination about, and the quest to unravel the “mystery” behind this strange material plunged the hero and his children into a search. Along the line the event turned out to be a scattered family that was searching for its member, the result was adventurous encounters and a happy end!
The story of Mary is also fascinating, even more than an empty bottle of coke among primitive natives. And so, there is the natural human quest and search to unravel the mystery behind the Mother of God.
WHO IS MARY
First of all who is Mary? According to the teaching of the Church, Mary of Nazareth was an obscure Jewish maiden chosen from all eternity and formed to the Divine plan from the first moment of her existence, she was exempted from any stain of the original sin. She cooperates with the will of God for the salvation of Man. By this most significant fact, the Church made it clear indeed that the conception of Mary is to be venerated She was called Mary which signifies “light Giver” for she gave birth to the light of the world, Also Mary means “lady”, since she gave birth to the lord. She is the Mother of God thereby mother of the church. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.
God drew Mary to himself when he sent a message to her through Angel Gabriel thus: “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” (cf., Luke 1:28). Mary’s response to the angels message, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) inspired the Council Fathers to assert that:
This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation.
As a result, the Church in her wisdom seeks Mary’s inspiration and intercession because she lived a life of faith perfectly well as she accompanies her Son in the salvific work of redemption. This work aims at expounding the relation between Mary and the Church as taught by the Council Fathers in Lumen Gentium.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT DEVOTION TO MARY
Over the years, Scholars and Theologian had argued for and against, devotion to Mary. The veneration of Mary was essentially included in the rites of adoration of her son from the first century. However, this century only witnessed indirect testimonies of the Marian cult. Among them are, the archaeological remains of the catacombs, that demonstrate the veneration of the first Christians towards Mary, another magnificent demonstration of the Marian cult is the prayer “ sub tuum praesidium” (we fly to your patronage) that dates back to the third century, to illustrates the intercession of Mary. St Ignatius of Antioch was the first to write about Mary among the church fathers, (c 110) he defended the veracity of the humanity of Christ against the Docetists by affirming that Jesus pertained to the line of David because he was born of Mary. furthermore, St Justin in his book “Dialogue with Trypho” (c 167) insists on the reality of the human nature of Jesus, to prove this, he also insisted on the maternity of Mary over Jesus, he based his Marian reflection on the Eve and Mary parallelism as the passage of the book of Genesis suggest (Gen: 3:15) his Mariology serve as the basis of the Marian theological reflection of the latter church fathers.
The use of “Theotokos” (Mother of God) became more wide spread during the third century, first apply by Origen and latter used by Alexander of Alexandria in opposition to the doctrine of Arius. This truth of the divine maternity of Mary was proclaimed a dogma in the council of Ephesus in 431 AD.
MARY’S RELATION WITH THE CHURCH
According to some people Mary cannot be considered a member of the Church, since the privileges conferred on her, the Immaculate Conception, her divine motherhood and her unique cooperation in the work of salvation, place her in a condition of superiority with respect to the community of believers. The Second Vatican Council, however, does not hesitate to present Mary as a member of the Church, nevertheless specifying that she is “pre-eminent and … wholly unique” (Lumen gentium , n. 53) in the words of John Paul II “Aware of the gift she has received, Mary shares with believers the attitudes of filial obedience and heartfelt gratitude, encouraging each one to recognize the signs of divine benevolence in his/her own life.”
Mary in the church according to the council fathers occupies a place in the Church which is the highest after Christ and also closest to us. Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation was seen and understood in the tradition of the church as the personification and prophetic image of the church. Mary is seen as the prototype of the Church. She is the most perfect disciple of Christ according to St Luke’s gospel, and she lived in its fullness, the mystery and vocation of the church. This is what the Church; the body of Christ is called to live. The Council Fathers affirms;
“In the meantime the Mother of Jesus in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10), a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.”
Thus the Church finds her own vocation, historically and eschatologicaly in Mary. Mary and the church are both seen as the New Eve, in the sense that Jesus is seen as the new Adam. The Dogmatic Constitution of the Church refers to both Mary and the church as Mother and as Virgin when it says:
“By reason of the gift and role of her divine motherhood, by which she is united with her Son, the Redeemer, and with her unique graces and functions, the Blessed Virgin is also intimately united to the Church. As St. Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity, and perfect union with Christ.(18) For in the mystery of the Church, which is itself rightly called mother and virgin, the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar both of virgin and mother.”
In giving birth to Jesus the head, Mary also gives birth to the body, the Church. This spiritual motherhood of Mary to us in order of grace continues even after the birth of the mystical body of Christ and the Church in turn becomes a mother as Lumen Gentium puts it:
“The Church indeed contemplating her hidden sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father’s will, by receiving the Word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By preaching and baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse. Imitating the mother of her Lord, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, she keeps intact faith, firm hope and sincere charity.”
According to John Paul II, the Conciliar teaching finds a significant basis in Sacred Scripture. The Acts of the Apostles show Mary present from the beginning of the primitive community (cf. Acts 1:14), while she shares with the disciples and some women believers the prayerful expectation of the Holy Spirit, who will descend on them. After Pentecost, the Blessed Virgin continues to live in fraternal communion with the community and takes part in the prayers, in listening to the Apostles’ teaching, and in the “breaking of bread”, that is, in the Eucharistic celebration (cf. Acts 2:42). She, who had lived in close union with Jesus in the house of Nazareth, now lives in the Church in intimate communion with her Son, present in the Eucharist.
As a member of the first community, “Mary the Mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:14) is respected and venerated by all. Each one understands the pre-eminence of her who brought forth the Son of God, the one universal Saviour. Furthermore, the virginal character of her motherhood allows her to witness to the extraordinary contribution to the Church’s good offered by the one who, giving up human fruitfulness through docility to the Holy Spirit, puts herself completely at the service of God’s kingdom.
Finally, the Church looks unto Mary for the fulfillment of the Gospel prayer of Jesus ‘that they may be one. According to the fathers:
“The entire body of the faithful pours forth urgent supplications to the Mother of God and of people that she, who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers, may now, exalted as she is above all the angels and saints, intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints, until all families of people, whether they are honored with the title of Christian or whether they still do not know the Savior, may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.”
CONCLUSION
Mary being the physical mother of Jesus, who is the head of the Church, is also the spiritual mother of the members of his mystical body, that is, the Church. Consequently, Mary is the mother of the whole Christ, both head and body. Interestingly, she is the mother of the Church as well a daughter and member of the Church. Finally, as a result of her role in the economy of salvation, she is the mother of God and the Church equally invokes her as her own mother also. by her example she encourages the other members of the Church to entrust themselves generously to the mysterious action of the Paraclete, and to live with him in constant communion of love.

LIFE OF GRACE

Life of grace
What is grace?
Is unearned favor, freely bestowed by God on individuals who are thereby redeemed and sanctified. Grace (Hebrew hen) in this sense is mentioned in Hebrew Scripture. In the New Testament, grace (Greek charis) is associated almost exclusively with the figure of Christ. By Christ’s atoning death, the limitless favor of God was revealed.
According to the catechism of the catholic church no 1999
The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification
Why do we need grace?
After the fall of man from the glory of God which man consciously committed himself, a gulf was created between God and man. Mankind throws itself into a sinful situation. Its consequence includes deprivation of communion with God and exclusion from sharing in the eternal life. Anslem’s Cur Deus Homo teaches that to sin is to steal God’s honor. Man sinned, thereby he stole God’s honor which is infinite. If God over looked man’s sin it will be unjust, and God is a Just God. Therefore, Man must pay, but he cannot pay because God’s honor is infinite, and man is finite, for that reason, out of divine love God became man to pay for the sin of man thereby reconciled man with God.
CF, Anselm, Curs Deus Homo in A Scholastic Miscellany: Anselm to Ockham, ed. Eugene Fairweather (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1956)
Hence, according to Saint Augustine, man needs grace, to cooperate with the grace of God, to gain eternal life.
(remember grace is infused, yet you must cooperate with that grace for it to grow)
The implication is……. You have a role to play
Therefore, our redemption through the suffering of Christ is that deeper love within us which not only frees us from slavery to sin but also secures for us the true liberty of the children of God, in order that we might do all things out of love rather than out of fear – love for him who has shown us such grace that no greater can be found. (Peter Abailard, I.p.278)
Cf, Peter Abailard, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans in A Scholastic Miscellany: Anselm to Ockham, ed. Eugene Fairweather (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1956)
Man in a state of mortal sin cannot merit eternal life; he must be reconciled to God, through forgiveness of sin, which is brought about by grace because the sinner deserves not life, but death, according to Rm. 6:23: “The wages of sin is death.”
CF, (Summa Theologiae I-II q.114 a. 2)
Can grace be lost?
Yes we can break our relationship with God through serious (mortal) sin
1 Peter,2:1-3
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Cf, Rev William ,J. Cogan. A Catechism for Adults (Yaba; Dominican publications, 1990), p. 26.
Four things are required for the justification of a sinner:!!!
1. the infusion of grace
2. the movement of the free will towards God
3. the movement of the free will to hate sin
4. and the remission of sins.
CF, Summa Theologiae I-II q.113 a. 6)
How does grace operate?
God gives the grace which justifies; and moves man’s will to accept freely the justifying or sanctifying grace which removes the guilt of sin and restore original order.
CF, Summa Theologiae I-II q.113 a. 3)
How does God grant us this grace?
 In the sacrament : the church is a sacrament first, of all, who administer the sacrament of the church whose Christ is the primordial essence.
 Could it mean that no grace outside the Church?
The effect of the sacrament
 It restores us to God’s grace
 It forgives us our sins
 The remission of eternal punishment and part of the temporary punishments due to our sins
 It helps us to avoid future sins
 It helps us to restore our good works lost through sin

The Nativity of Mary

Today the Holy mother church celebrates the nativity of mother Mary.
INTRODUCTION
The Feast of the Nativity of Our
Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and
Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on
September 8 each year. The Feast
commemorates the birth of the
Mo ther of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
BACKGROUND
The birth and early life of the Virgin
Mary is not recorded in the Gospels
or other books of the New
Testament, however this information
can be found in a work dating from
the second century known as the
Book of James or Protevangelion.
According to the story found in this
book, Mary’s parents, Joachim and
Anna, were childless for many years.
They remained faithful to God, but
their prayers for a child were
unanswered. One day, when Joachim
came to the temple to make an
offering, he was turned away by the High Priest
who chastised him for his lack of children. To
hide his shame, Joachim retreated to the hill
country to live among the shepherds and their
flocks.
As Joachim was praying, his wife Anna was
praying at the same time at their house in
Jerusalem. An angel appeared to both of them
and announced that Anna would have a child
whose name would be known throughout the
world. Anna promised to offer her child as a gift
to the Lord. Joachim returned home, and in due
time Anna bore a daughter, Mary.
The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary
Therefore the Immaculate birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the near approach of salvation to the lost world. Mary was brought forth in the world not like other children of Adam, infected with the loathsome contagion of sin, but pure, holy, beautiful, and glorious, adorned with all the most precious graces which became her who was chosen to be the Mother of God. She appeared indeed in the weak state of our mortality; but in the eyes of Heaven she already transcended the highest seraph in purity, brightness, and the richest ornaments of grace. If we celebrate the birthdays of the great ones of this earth, how ought we to rejoice in that of the Virgin Mary, presenting to God the best homage of our praises and thanksgiving for the great mercies He has shown in her, and imploring her mediation with her Son in our behalf! Christ will not reject the supplications of His mother, whom He was pleased to obey whilst on earth. Her love, care, and tenderness for Him, the title and qualities which she bears, the charity and graces with which she is adorned, and the crown of glory with which she is honored, must incline Him readily to receive her recommendations and petitions.

Source: “Pictorial life of Saints with Reflections for Everyday”. And from my reflection
Happy birthday Mama Mary
Rev Fr Lawrence Sdv.