HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Why do we celebrate birthdays? One reason is to thank God for the gift of life and for the blessings we have received. Birthdays also invite us to recall our humble origins.

As we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary today, we recall her lowly beginnings. Her birth is not recorded in the Bible or any historical text. Not even her parents’ names, Joachim and Anne, are mentioned in the Bible. When Mary was born, there were no firecrackers, loud music, or singing angels to announce her birth. She came from an ordinary family in Nazareth and grew up no differently from other girls in her community.

If Mary had humble beginnings, then God, in Jesus, also had humble beginnings. In our First Reading, we hear the prophecy about the Messiah coming from the small town of Bethlehem. The Messiah did not only come from a small town but also from humble people, like Mary and Joseph, as we hear in our Gospel today. Jerusalem, the great city, would have been a more fitting place for the Messiah to be born. God  could have chosen wealthier, more prominent parents for his Son. However, the Savior of the world emerged from Bethlehem and from simple, ordinary people like Mary and Joseph.

"Great things have small beginnings; from Mary’s humble birth came our salvation."

Today’s feast encourages us to reflect on and reconnect with our humble beginnings. We all have humble beginnings. Not everyone was born with famous surnames or affluent families. Even those born with a silver spoon started out small, weak, and dependent. We were born without knowledge, power, or authority. Sadly, some intentionally overlook their roots. When we ignore our origins, we risk becoming proud. Forgetting our humble beginnings leads to ingratitude. It is only by looking back that we realize how truly blessed we are and how good the Lord has been to us.

As we celebrate the birth of Mary and remember her humble beginnings, let us also be in touch with our humble beginnings. Let us pray for the grace of humility. Remember, great things start from small, humble beginnings. From the little town of Bethlehem came the Messiah. From Mary came Jesus. And from Jesus came our salvation.