Reflecting upon today’s Gospel, it occurs to me as the genealogy of Jesus is proclaimed that one of the things which this points out for us is that everyone’s life has meaning and purpose.  Little did Sts. Anne & Joachim know what was in store for their little girl when they gave birth to her, but aren’t we all glad that they did?  Even though Mary didn’t sin in her lifetime, and was given a very special grace which she responded to day by day throughout her life, not always easily we can well imagine and remained pure, holy, without sin, totally and completely devoted to God and to His plan as He revealed it to her throughout her life – a plan which included dedicating her life to her Son (as mothers often do for their children).  A plan which included the joys and triumphs of knowing her people would be saved by Him, but also that a sword of pain and suffering would pierce her heart too.  Mary saw the meaning of her life, because I’ll bet there were days when it was hard to see why she was born when Jesus was attacked publicly.  Knowing it was God’s plan, that it was all for a reason, a faith which was deep and pierced the same heart too I truly believe must have been one of Mary’s great gifts.

I think today of my own mother, who was young (19) when I was born.  I know in my adulthood she told me she felt unready and not mature enough to be a mother when I was born.  She lived in a time, culture and society where very young motherhood was no longer the norm.  But she did the best she could, she was a dedicated mother for my sister and I and I think of the great blessing I’ve received (but others too) of her life.  She is gone now, but her memory and all she has done to make a good life for me lives on.  I know that my own mother’s life had so much meaning and purpose, so much of that was evident in the people’s whose hearts she touched and the difference she made in the world.  But part of that meaning and purpose, she passed on by giving birth to my sister and I – and I thank God today that she did.  I think for each of us, no matter who we are, we ought to give thanks to our moms (with our dads of course) for bringing us into the world, as our Lord Jesus rejoices on this feast day the Birth of His Mother Mary!