Mother Mary is the “Celestial Dawn”. Mary’s birth to the devout couple  Joachim and Anna of David’s Royal lineage in the early first century in a little Galilean town of Nazareth which in Hebrew means “Flower”(Nazar) marked the dawn of our salvation. Her birth heralded the nearing proximity of Jesus the “Sun of Justice” in an unjust world that since centuries awaited its saviour.

Immaculately conceived in view of the infinite merit of Jesus, her son, full of grace and God’s favour, Mary’s birth heralded the unfolding of God’s saving scheme for the erred humanity. God willed Mary to be fair and sinless at the very instant of her conception. The parents of Mary, St. Joachim and St. Anne grieved by their childlessness, prayed to God for a child and finally God heard their prayers by giving them a girl child together with the promise that the child will commence God’s plan of salvation for the world. Kneeling before his adorable Girl Child of adorable radiance, Joachim chose to call her “Lady” which has its Aramic rendering ‘Mariam’ and “Star of the sea” (cfr. Protoevangelium of James).

Mary is filled with gracefulness, purity, gentleness, meekness, humility, surrendering faith in God’s plan.

St. Augustine affirming the strain that Mary is ‘our tainted natures solitary boast connected “Mary’s birth with Jesus’ saving work. He beckoned the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of Mary’s birth as ‘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.”

Mary occupies a unique role and place in the history of salvation. The most blessed Trinity has reserved for Mary the highest mission ever extolled to any creature. Through her generous “Fiat” to God’s will, salvation has come into the world. For this reason heaven and earth rejoice at her birth. Pope Francis in his first encyclical “Luman Fidei” (Light of Faith-5, July 2013) has called us to gaze upon Mary the perfect icon of faith, as the Mother of Jesus conceived faith and joy. Seeking Mother Mary’s intercession thus prayed the Pope: “ Teach us to see all things with the eyes of Jesus that He may be light for our path and may this light of faith always increase in us until the ‘dawn’ of that undying day which is Christ Himself your Son Our Lord.”