Nine months after the Immaculate Conception we celebrate today the Birth of the Virgin Mary. According to tradition she was born in the city of Jerusalem. Our faith says that the unique feature of her birth was that she was born without the stain of original sin. While this was unique to her, in a sense it is how God works in every life.
God gave Mary the gift she needed to carry out her role in the Kingdom of God, each of us are also born with the gifts we need. There is no suck thing as a life without purpose. As we celebrate the birth of Mary, the mother of Christ, and the mother of his Body, the church, may each of us strive to carry out the will of god, and carry out our role in God's plan.
This year it happens that we mark the birth of her life, on the same day that our Jewish brothers and sisters mark the beginning of a new year, Rosh Hashana. Let us wish them over these next two days of celebration, Shana Tova.
