SEPTEMBER 8: NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN MARY

“This is the Virgin who conceived in her womb, this is the Virgin who gave birth to a son… She is the gate of the sanctuary, which no one shall pass through except the God of Israel alone. This gate is the blessed Mary; of her it was written: ‘The Lord shall pass through her,’ and it shall be shut after her childbirth; for she conceived as a virgin and gave birth as a virgin.”

~Saint Ambrose (Epist. 42,4 PL, XVI)

Lope de Vega, born in 1562 and one of the most representative poets and playwrights of the Spanish Golden Age, composed the following:

Let the angels sing today,

for You are born, great Lady,

and let them rehearse, from now,

for when God Himself is born.

Let them sing today, for they come

to behold their lovely Queen,

for the fruit they await from You

is He through whom they find grace.

Let them proclaim, O Lady, of You,

that You shall be their Sovereign,

and let them rehearse, from now,

for when God Himself is born.

For in fourteen years’ time,

when You reach that blessed age,

they shall see the good You give us,

the remedy for so many ills.

Let them sing and proclaim, through You,

that from today they have their Queen,

and let them rehearse, from now,

for when God Himself is born.

And we, who await with longing

that Bethlehem may soon arrive,

let us prepare as well

our hearts and our hands.

Go on sowing, O Lady,

peace within our hearts,

and let us rehearse, from now,

for when God Himself is born. Amen.