Mary's birthday

Tuesday 9/8/09; Nativity of Mary the mother of God; of the 23rd week in ordinary time.
Readings: Micah 5: 1-4a Romans 8: 28-30 Psalm 13: Matthew 1: 1-12. 18-23
Psalm Response: " With delight I rejoice in the Lord"

The prophet Micah foresees the Davidic line continued through the least of the tribes of Israel, Bethlehem. He also forecasts the rejection, by the old Israel, the Jewish nation, the savior who, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, burned into their brain; would be born of a virgin as applied typologically to Jesus' mother.

Although the Church denies the fatalistic, general predestination, it agrees God predestined some souls to be His vessels and messengers from time immemorial. These are the predestined mentioned in Romans 8!

The psalmist presupposes the forthcoming of his salvation through the forgiveness of sin.
He has been good to us! Therefore we rejoice in the Lord!

The genealogy of Matthew categorizes many Jewish ancients as kin to Jesus going back to Abraham, who was the father of the Hebrew nation.
Although Christ was to His elder brethren, none-the less, to show His love for all people, through the Holy Spirit's prompting, He included several gentile women in His genealogy to open His salvation to all of His creation.
Joseph, His foster-father had the right to separate from Mary who in his mind was no longer a virgin. However, in a dream. emulating Jacob's son, Joseph, he was given a vision of her innocence. Therefore, he took her into his home as his wife. He was a righteous man and God's choice as Christ's early caretaker.
We can substitute for Joseph when we care for and attend to the needs of the Church, His Body!