September 8: The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.”
–St. Augustine of Hippo
Download the printable plan here!
Happy Birthday Blessed Mother!
This day’s feast finds it’s place on the calendar because it is exactly nine months after the day the Church celebrates Immaculate Conception. And, yes, that means Christmas is only a little over four months away!
In the Immaculate Conception we are reminded by the Church that the beginning Mary’s life is the dawn of salvation beginning to break on the earth. We mark her conception in a high and particular way as it is set apart as a holy day of obligation. Nine months later, her birthday, reminds us again that her work in salvation history continues by her birth.
In the readings from the Office of Readings for this day St. Andrew of Crete beautifully describes the significance of Mary’s birth. In writing on the Christ’s incarnation, the Law becoming man he writes:
This radiant and manifest coming of God to men most certainly needed a joyful prelude to introduce the great gift of salvation to us. The present festival, the birth of the Mother of God, is the prelude, while the final act is the fore-ordained union of the Word with flesh. Today the Virgin is born, tended and formed and prepared for her role as Mother of God, who is the universal King of the ages.
Justly, then, do we celebrate this mystery since it signifies for us a double grace. We are led toward the truth, and we are led away from our condition of slavery to the letter of the law. How can this be? Darkness yields before the coming of the light, and grace exchanges legalism for freedom. But midway between the two stands today’s mystery, at the frontier where types and symbols give way to reality, and the old is replaced by the new. Therefore, let all creation sing and dance and unite to make worthy contribution to the celebration of this day. Let there be one common festival for saints in heaven and men on earth. Let everything, mundane things and those above, join in festive celebration. Today this created world is raised to the dignity of a holy place for him who made all things. The creature is newly prepared to be a divine dwelling place for the Creator.
Do go back and read that again. I intended to highlight a line or two, but there were just too many instances of beautiful imagery and significance to choose!
One point I do want to highlight is this–he asks us to “sing and dance and unite to make worthy contribution to the celebration of this day”. And so, let us celebrate!
Story
For this day if you choose to do a story together, read any of the myriad of children’s books on the Mary. If you don’t own any books on Mary for children the Loyola Press Saints Stories for Kids has a lovely little one online for this day.
Or check your library or bookstore for these beautiful titles: Mary, Mother of Jesus(De Paola), Mary (Wildsmith), Hail Mary (Roche).
Do you have any favorites? I’d love to expand our collection, so do share!
Prayer
SONG
Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the Gate, Christ the Heav’nly Way!
Mary the Root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the Grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!
Mary the Wheat-sheaf, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the Rose-Tree, Christ the Rose Blood-red!
Mary the Font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the Chalice, Christ the Saving Blood!
Mary the Temple, Christ the Temple’s Lord;
Mary the Shrine, Christ the God adored!
Mary the Beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the Mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!
Mary the Mother, Christ the Mother’s Son.
Both ever blest while endless ages run.
Amen.
READING See Isaiah 11:1-3
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
RESPONSORY
The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.
– The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.
He has taken her to live with him,
– his loved one from the beginning.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.
Hail Mary
Coloring Page
http://www.catholicplayground.com/nativity-blessed-virgin-mary-coloring-page-september-8th/
Activity
Birthday bouquet for the Blessed Mother
What mother doesn’t like receiving flowers for her birthday? And this mother in particular is surrounded by flower imagery and tradition. Mary wants us to grow in holiness, to grow closer to her Son. This activity can be a concrete way to practice!
Supplies: construction or printer paper, markers or crayons, scissors, glue or tape
Prep: Cut flower shapes out of construction paper or plain printer paper. Cut out stems, too, if you like. You can pre-assemble the flowers and stems, or let the children glue them together. Take it a step further, maybe for older children, and cut out individual petals for the children to put together.
Before you begin your celebration, talk as a family about what kinds of spiritual gifts you can give our Blessed Mother. What actions or prayers can you offer as gifts? Encourage them to think of acts of love and kindness, virtues to remember, or prayers to offer. These are the things Mary would want as birthday gifts. Have the children draw or write their birthday offering onto a flower (or their petals), with the intention that they will, actually, offer that gift!
Color or decorate the flower as you wish. Fix each person’s flower on a single piece of paper to form a bouquet for Mary!
Treat
For the treat today, since it is a birthday celebration, do some kind of cake: Cake mix, store bought, homemade, cupcakes: whatever you can do. We make a chocolate cookie cake around here on September 8th, and add blue and white M&M’s to the batter. We call it the “Mother Mary” cake.
Mother Mary Cake
Adapted from LilLuna.com https://lilluna.com/cookie-bars-recipe/
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour sifted
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. baking soda
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup blue and white M&Ms (or a bag of regular M&Ms.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9” cake pan
- Melt butter in a medium microwave safe bowl, let cool.
- With a hand mixer, mix in brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet until dough forms.
- Pour batter into a greased 9” round cake pan. Top with chocolate chips and M&Ms.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
I hope you get the chance to celebrate Our Lady’s birthday! If you do be sure to leave a comment sharing your family’s traditions (old or new!) and share your photos with #hdahnativitybvm or #holydaysathome. Click below to print out this plan!
visitation home: life, love, joy 