FIVE GIFTS TO GIVE TO MARY FOR HER
BIRTHDAY
Birthdays are times of celebration in
which we bring gifts to the “celebrated one.” The two most important birthdays
in the history of the world are Jesus, the Son of the living God that each year
we celebrate on December 25. The second most important person that came into
the world is the Mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
the Mother of the Church and our Mother in the order of grace. The day that we
celebrate Mary’s birthday is less known—it is September 8th. This is exactly nine months after we celebrate
Mary’s Immaculate Conception—December 8th.
Therefore to show our love,
gratitude, respect and the highest honor to Mary we would all like to give hers
some Birthday gifts; there are many that we could give to our Heavenly Mother,
but let us mention just five.
1.
OUR SENSES. Let us give to Our Lady our senses so that
they would be used to glorify God in all times and places. Our eyes so that with Mary we might
contemplate the beauty of God in natures, persons, places and circumstances.
Our ears so that we might be always attentive to listening to the Word of God
that is spoken to us in so many different ways. Our tongue, so that we might,
like Mary, proclaim the greatness of the Lord and praise God as Saint Ignatius
teaches us. Let us offer out tongue that we might taste and see the goodness of
the Lord—that we might have a taste and hunger for Jesus, the Bread of Life
every time we receive Holy Communion. Finally, our smell that we might sense
the good and be attracted by it and that we might be, in imitation of Mary, the
sweet fragrance of Christ.

2.
OUR TIME- past, present and
future. Let us give all of the time that
God has given to us to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With respect to the past, let us entrust it
to God’s mercy and the merciful heart of Mary; the future, let us entrust all
the years, months, days, and hours to Divine Providence and Our Lady’s loving
guidance and protection. Finally, the present, let us live intensely the
present moment—that is all we really have. St. Catherine of Siena
comments: “The two most important
moments of our lives are now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
3.
FEARS, DOUBTS AND ANXIETIES. In a world filled with so many fears, doubts,
confusion, tensions, war and strife, where can we turn? Why not place all of
the fears and anxieties bottled up in your heart and deposit them in the depths
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Remember the prayer of Saint Bernard: “Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary that
never was it known that anyone who fled to your help was left unaided.” In the
midst of fear and confusion Our Lady stands out as a shining beacon, a shine
star—the Stella Maris—the star of the Sea to guide us safely to the port of
salvation.
4.
TEMPTATIONS AND SINS. Why not say it! Let us run to Mary in the midst of our
temptations. Life indeed is a battle field! And if it does happen that we fall
into sin, let us turn to Our Lady of Mercy who will lift our eyes to Jesus, the
King of Mercy and God the Father always ready to receive the Prodigal Son or
daughter into His loving embrace. (Lk. 15—Parable of the Prodigal Son) A Mother always loves her child, but
especially when the child has fallen into the mud or fallen off the bike and
scraped his/her knee and sees in bleeding. Jesus and Mary do not love us less
when we sin. They love us so much that they want to embrace us in Mercy.

5.
PRAYERS/ROSARIES/CONSTANT
CONVERSATION. What Mary ardently desires
from her children are prayers. Prayer is
simply talking to God, the angels, the saints and to Our Lady. At Fatima Our
Lady six times told the children—Jacinta. Francisco and Lucia—to pray the most
Holy Rosary. Saint Pope John Paul II insisted that the Rosary be prayed,
especially in the family, for world peace as well as for the salvation of the
family. Evert time we say the Hail Mary it is as if we were saying “Mary I love
you.” Our Lady never gets tired of hearing over and over again the HAIL MARY!
In conclusion, let us wish Our Lady a
very happy birthday by offering her five special gifts: 1) Let us consecrate
our senses to Mary; 2)Let us give our time to Mary—past, present and future; 3)
Let us cast our fears and doubts and worries in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a
refuge solid and secure; 4) Let us even give Mary our moral struggles and
failures; 5) Finally, let us generously and constantly give Our Lady our
prayers and especially our HAIL MARYS and Rosaries. Happy Birthday Mary! Receive
our humble gifts!