In Festo Maternitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis (Oct. 11), Homilia

In Festo Maternitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis (Oct. 11), Homilia

Source: www.breviary.net

Ex Sermóne sancti Leónis Papæ	The Lesson is taken from a Sermon by St Leo the Pope
Sermo 1 de Nativitate Domini
Virgo régia Davídicæ stirpis elígitur, quæ sacro gravidánda fœtu divínam humanámque prolem prius concíperet mente quam córpore : et ne supérni ignára consílii ad inusitátos pavéret affátus, quod in ea operándum erat a Spíritu Sancto, collóquio dídicit angélico, nec damnum crédidit pudóris Dei Génitrix mox futúra.  Cur enim de conceptiónis novitáte despéret, cui efficiéntia de Altíssimi virtúte promíttitur?  Confirmátur credéntis fides étiam præeúntis attestatióne miráculi.  Donátur Elísabeth inopináta fœcúnditas, ut qui concéptum déderat stérili, datúrus non dubitarétur et Vírgini.  Verbum ígitur Dei Fílius, qui in princípio erat apud Deum, per quem facta sunt ómnia, et sine quo factum est nihil, propter liberándum hóminem ab ætérna morte, factus est homo.	His Mother was chosen a Virgin of the kingly lineage of David, and when she was to grow heavy with the sacred Child, her soul had already conceived him before her body.  She learned the counsel of God announced to her by the Angel, lest the unwonted events should alarm her.  The future Mother of God knew what was to be wrought in her by the Holy Ghost, and that her modesty was absolutely safe.  For why should she, unto whom was promised all sufficient strength through the power of the Highest, have felt hopeless merely because of the unexampled character of such a conception?  She believeth, and her belief is confirmed by the attestation of a miracle which hath already been wrought.  The fruitfulness of Elizabeth, before unhoped for, is brought forward that she might not doubt that he who had given conception unto her that was barren, would give the same unto her that was Virgin.  And so the Word of God, the Son of God, who was in the beginning with God, by whom all things were made, and without whom was not anything made that was made, to deliver man from eternal death, was made man.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Gloriósæ Vírginis Maríæ Maternitátem digníssimam recolámus : * Cujus Dóminus humilitátem respéxit, quæ Angelo nuntiánte concépit Salvatórem mundi. V.  Christo canámus glóriam in hac sacra solemnitáte mirábilis Genitrícis Dei. R.  Cujus Dóminus humilitátem respéxit, quæ Angelo nuntiánte concépit Salvatórem mundi.	R.  Let us tell again of the right worthy Motherhood of the glorious Virgin Mary : * The same is she whose lowliness the Lord regarded, she who by the message of an Angel conceived the Saviour of the world. V.  Let us sing praise to Christ on this the solemn Feastday of the wondrous Mother of God. R.  The same is she whose lowliness the Lord regarded, she who by the message of an Angel conceived the Saviour of the world.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ. R.  Amen.	Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal. R.  Amen.
Lesson v
Sermo 2 de Nativitate Domini
Ingréditur hæc ínfima Jesus Christus Dóminus noster de cæli sede descéndens, et a patérna glória non recédens, novo órdine, nova nativitáte generátus.  Novo órdine, quia invisíbilis in suis, visíbilis factus est in nostris : incomprehensíbilis vóluit comprehéndi : ante témpora manens, esse cœpit in témpore.  Nova autem nativitáte génitus est : concéptus a Vírgine, natus ex Vírgine, sine patérnæ carnis concupiscéntia, sine matérnæ integritátis injúria : quia futúrum hóminum Salvatórem talis ortus decébat, qui et in se habéret humánæ substántiæ natúram, et humánæ carnis inquinaménta nescíret.  Orígo dissímilis, sed natúra consímilis ; humáno usu et consuetúdine, quod crédimus, caret : sed divína potestáte subníxum est, quod Virgo concéperit, Virgo pepérerit, Virgo permánserit.	Our Lord Jesus Christ, descending from his throne in heaven, but leaving not that glory which he hath with the Father, cometh into this lower world by being born after a new order and in a new birth.  He cometh after a new order, in that he who is unseen among his own, was seen among us ; the Incomprehensible was fain to be comprehended, and he that is from everlasting to everlasting began to be in time.  He was the Offspring of a new birth ; conceived of a maiden, without the passion of any fleshly father, without any breach of his Mother's virginity, since such a birth beseemed the coming Saviour of mankind, who was to have in him the nature of man's being, and to be free of any defilement of man's flesh.  Though he sprung not as we spring, yet is his nature as our nature ; we believe that he is free from the use and custom of men ; but it was the power of God which wrought that a maiden should conceive, that a maiden should bring forth, and yet abide a maiden still.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Benedícta fília tu a Dómino, quia per te fructum vitæ communicávimus : * Sola sine exémplo placuísti Dómino nostro Jesu Christo. V.  Nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus nostris, sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos sancta Dei Génitrix. R.  Sola sine exémplo placuísti Dómino nostro Jesu Christo.	R.  Blessed art thou of the Lord, O daughter, for through thee have we been given to eat of the tree of life : * Thou, without ensample before thee, didst make thyself well-pleasing in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ. V.  Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O holy Mother of God. R.  Thou, without ensample before thee, didst make thyself well-pleasing in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris. R.  Amen.	Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love. R.  Amen.
Lesson vi
Ex Actis Pii Papæ undécimi	The Lesson is taken from the Acts of Pope Pius XI
Cum anno millésimo nongentésimo trigésimo primo, univérso orbe cathólico plaudénte, solémnia celebraréntur expléti sæculi décimi quinti, postquam in Ephesína synodo beáta María Virgo, de qua natus est Jesus, contra Nestórii hæresim Mater Dei a Pátribus, Cælestíno Papa præeúnte, conclamáta est, Summus Póntifex Pius undécimus faustíssimi evéntus memóriam, perénni suæ pietátis testimónio perpetuándam vóluit.  Itaque quod jam in Urbe exstábat nóbile Ephesínæ proclamatiónis monuméntum, triumphálem arcum in Basílica sanctæ Maríæ Majóris in Exquíliis, a decessóre suo Xysto tértio mirábili ópere musívo ornátum, témporis injúria fatiscéntem felíciter restituéndum una cum ala transvérsa Basílicæ munificéntia sua curávit.  Lítteris vero encyclicis, œcuménici Concílii Ephesíni genuínis lineaméntis descríptis, ineffábile divínæ Maternitátis beátæ Maríæ Vírginis privilégium, pie copioséque illustrávit, ut tam excélsi mystérii doctrína áltius fidélium ánimis insidéret.  Insimul autem benedíctam inter omnes mulíeres, Maríam Matrem Dei Nazarethanámque Famíliam nobilíssimum præ ómnibus exémplum præpósuit imitándum tum dignitátis ac sanctitúdinis casti connúbii tum educatiónis juventúti sancte tradéndæ.  Demum ut neque litúrgicum deésset monuméntum jussit ut festum divínæ Maternitátis beátæ Maríæ Vírginis cum Missa et Offício própriis die undécima Octóbris sub ritu dúplici secúndæ classis quotánnis ab univérsa Ecclésia celebrarétur.	In the year 1931, amid the applause of the whole Catholic world, solemn rites were celebrated to mark the completion of the fifteen centuries which had elapsed since the Council of Ephesus, moving against the Nestorian heresy, had acclaimed the blessed Virgin Mary, of whom Jesus was born, as Mother of God.  This acclamation had been made by the Fathers of the Church under the leadership of Pope Celestine.  Pius XI, as Supreme Pontiff, wished to commemorate the notable event and to give lasting proof of his devotion to Mary.  Now there had existed for many years in Rome a grand memorial to the proclamation of Ephesus―the triumphal arch in the basilica of Saint Mary Major on the Esquiline Hill.  This monument had already been adorned by a previous pontiff, Sixtus III, with mosaics of marvellous workmanship, now falling to pieces from the decay of the passing ages.  Pius XI, therefore, out of his own munificence, caused these to be restored most exquisitely and with them the transept of the basilica.  In an Encyclical Letter Pius set forth also the true history of the Council of Ephesus, and expounded fervently and at great length the doctrine of the prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mother of God.  He did this that the doctrine of this lofty mystery might sink more deeply into the hearts of the faithful.  In it he set forth Mary, the Mother of God, blessed among women, and the most holy Family of Nazareth as the exemplars to be followed above all others, as models of the dignity and holiness of chaste wedlock, as patterns of the holy education to be given youth.  Finally that no liturgical detail be lacking, he decreed that the feast of the Divine Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary be celebrated annually on the 11th day of October by the universal Church with a proper Mass and Office under the rite of a double of the second class.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Benedícta tu inter mulíeres, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui : * Unde hoc mihi, ut véniat Mater Dómini mei ad me? V.  Respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ, et fecit mihi magna, qui potens est. R.  Unde hoc mihi, ut véniat Mater Dómini mei ad me? V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Unde hoc mihi, ut véniat Mater Dómini mei ad me?	R.  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb : * Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? V.  He hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden, and he that is mighty hath magnified me. R.  Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?