36. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fairest Love

FIRST READING

I am the mother of fairest love.

Sirach 24:17-21

 

I bud forth delights like the vine,

   my blossoms become fruit fair and rich.

Come to me, all you that yearn for me,

   and be filled with my fruits.

You will remember me as sweeter than honey,

   better to have than the honeycomb.

Whoever eats of me will hunger still,

   whoever drinks of me will thirst for more;

whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,

   whoever serves me will never fail.

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Commentary on Sir 24:17-21

 

“In this chapter Wisdom speaks in the first person, describing her origin, her dwelling place in Israel, and the reward she gives her followers. As in Proverbs 8 Wisdom is described as a being who comes from God and is distinct from him. While we do not say with certainty that this description applies to a personal being, it does foreshadow the beautiful doctrine of the Word of God later developed in St. John's Gospel (John 1:1-14). In the liturgy this chapter is applied to the Blessed Virgin because of her constant and intimate association with Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom.”[1]

 

CCC: Sir 24 721

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

 

Song of Songs 2:10bc and 14ef; 4:8a and 9a,11cd and 12,15

 

R. (See 4:7) O Mary, you are all fair; there is no blemish in you.

 

Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!

For your voice is sweet,

and you are lovely.

R. O Mary, you are all fair; there is no blemish in you.

 

Come from Lebanon, my bride,

you have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride.

R. O Mary, you are all fair; there is no blemish in you.

 

And the fragrance of your garments

is the fragrance of Lebanon.

You are an enclosed garden, my sister, my bride,

an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed.

R. O Mary, you are all fair; there is no blemish in you.

 

You are a garden fountain, a well of water

flowing fresh from Lebanon.

R. O Mary, you are all fair; there is no blemish in you.

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Commentary on Sgs 2:10bc and 14ef; 4:8a and 9a,11cd and 12,15

This selection contains two different voices from the Song of Songs.  In the verses from the second chapter (the first strophe) the woman expresses her wish to come away with her love.  In the final three strophes from the fourth chapter, the bridegroom proclaims his love for the woman comparing her to a fragrant garden with fresh flowing streams of water. Used in the context of Marian devotion, we see the love of the bride of Christ, his Church for his mother and his own love for her as well.

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GOSPEL

 

Hail, full of grace.



Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

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Commentary on Lk 1:26-38

 

This passage, from St. Luke’s Gospel, is the story of Mary being informed by the archangel Gabriel that she has been chosen for the great privilege of bearing the Savior of the world. St. Mary graciously accepts this honor, although with very human fear, indicating that her free will is at play. This response makes her obedience to God’s will more powerful. It is proposed that, with this acceptance, Mary entered into a vow of perpetual virginity because of the demands of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel."

 

In St. Luke’s story of the Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her she will bear a son and name him Jesus (the eternal implication of this statement is made clear in the greeting which presupposes knowledge of Mary’s entire existence). Mary confirms the title “Virgin” as she questions Gabriel saying: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Even though she does not understand, Mary accepts her role and is told that the Holy Spirit will be the agent of the life within her. She then utters those amazing words: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

 

This announcement parallels Zechariah’s news about John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-23), also delivered by the archangel Gabriel. This passage clearly identifies Jesus as Son of David and Son of God, thus linking it with the messianic predictions from the Old Testament.

 

CCC: Lk 1:26-38 497, 706, 723, 2571; Lk 1:26-27 488; Lk 1:26 332; Lk 1:28-37 494; Lk 1:28 490, 491; Lk 1:31 430, 2812; Lk 1:32-33 709; Lk 1:32 559; Lk 1:34 484, 497, 505; Lk 1:35 437, 484, 486, 697; Lk 1:37-38 494; Lk 1:37 148, 269, 273, 276; Lk 1:38 64, 148, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, 2856

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[1] See NAB footnote on Sirach 24:1-27