The Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

Text is from “The Liturgical Year”.

By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.

   Volume 14.

   Time After Pentecost.

   Book V.

“Let us Celebrate The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary; let us adore her Son, Christ Our Lord.” [Invitatory of The Feast]. Such is the invitation addressed to us today by The Church. Let us hearken to her call; let us enter into her over-flowing joy.

The Bridegroom is at hand, for His throne is now set up on Earth; yet a little while, and He will appear in the diadem of our human nature, wherewith His Mother is to crown Him on the day of the joy of His heart, and of ours.

Today, as on the glorious Assumption, the sacred Canticle is heard [Lessons of The First Nocturn]; but,, this time, it belongs more to Earth than to Heaven.

Truly, a better Paradise than the first is given us at this hour. Eden, fear no more that man will endeavour to enter thee; thy Cherubim may leave the gates and return to Heaven. What are thy beautiful fruits to us, since we cannot touch them without dying ?

Death is now for those who will not eat of the fruit so soon to appear amid the flowers of the virgin Earth to which our God has led us.

Hail, new World, far surpassing in magnificence the first creation ! Hail, Blessed haven, where we find a calm after so many storms ! Aurora dawns; the rainbow glitters in the heavens; the dove comes forth; the ark rests upon the Earth, offering new destinies to the World.

The haven, the aurora, the rainbow, the dove, the ark of salvation, the paradise of the heavenly Adam, the creation whereof the former was but a shadow: All this art thou, sweet infant, in whom already dwell all grace, all truth, all life.

Thou art the little cloud, which the father of prophets in the suppliant anguish of his Soul awaited; and thou bringest refreshment to the parched Earth. Under the weakness of thy fragile form, appears the Mother of fair love and of holy hope.

Thou art that other light cloud of exquisite fragrance, which our desert sends up to Heaven. In the incomparable humility of thy Soul, which knows not itself, the Angles, standing like armed warriors around thy cradle, recognise their Queen.

O Tower of the true David; citadel withstanding the first shock of Satan's attack, and breaking all his power; true Sion, founded on the holy mountains, the highest summits of virtue; temple and palace, feebly foreshadowed by those of Solomon; house built by eternal Wisdom for herself: The faultless lines of thy fair architecture were planned from all eternity.

Together with Emmanuel, Who predestined thee for His home of delights, thou art thyself, O Blessed Child, the crowning point of creation, the divine ideal fully realised on Earth.

The rest of this Article can be read, in full, in The Liturgical Year”.

By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.

   Volume 14.

   Time After Pentecost.

   Book V.