Yesterday, September 8th, was the feast of the Nativity of Mary - in other words, Mary's birthday. How do we know when Mary's birthday was, you ask? Well, it's exactly like Jesus' birthday, in the sense that it is calculated as exactly 9 months after the conception:
Jesus' conception = the Annunciation, March 25;
Jesus' birthday = Christmas, December 25
Mary's conception = the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8
Mary's birthday = the feast of the Nativity of Mary, Sept. 8
I think it's important to notice that in each case, the conception is actually more important than the birthday, and has a certain priority. The birthday is calculated based on the assumption of a "perfect" gestation/pregnancy - which means the date for the birthday is based on math, while the date for the conception is based on historical and theological factors.
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
I hope to have another installment of THE JOURNEY up this Saturday - here's the text for the rest of the chapter - I didn't bother with the colored text since this is all from the Gospel of John.
