God With Us

(Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of Maria Bambinella, Sta. Ana Shrine Parish, September 8, 2023.)

We continue to ask, what could be a particular reason why we rejoice, I would like us to go to the opening prayer it says, “impart to your servants, we pray O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her son, was the dawning of salvation.”

The first reading tells us, ingon si St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, “brothers and sisters, we know that all things, work for good for those who love God.” He is not passive, He prepares us just as the logic of this feast, of the birth of Mary, atras ka December 8, who is this baby girl born today, conceived without sin?

If you examine the list of names in the kaliwat ni Jesus, long many generations paatras, the list is not clean, is not neat, some are even considered in the Jewish mind, impure in the lineage of Jesus. But in the end, the Savior was born because God is always ahead of us, He prepares.

So today, we rejoice in the birthday of the mother of our Savior. All things will be alright not because of us, but because of the Lord. When we see our lives, quite out of control, when we plan ahead but the plan does not work…if we keep our faith in the Lord, He will give us deeper peace, because …that boy Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, that savior is called Emmanuel, meaning God with us.