Our Lady’s Birthday

^{Welcome to this celebration of Our Lady’s Birthday. If you have the heart of a child, then its a party and all are invited. Here are some things to remember when invited to a party.}

^{Acknowledge the situation and respond appropriately. You dare not ignore or forget. Either Accept graciously or express regret that you cannot come.}

^{Focus on the one whose Birthday it is, rather be wrapped up in yourself.}

^{Have a good time but above all reach out and rejoice with your host. The food and drink are important, but more important are the relatives and friends around the table with you. When we pray we have words and thoughts to share, but above all we try to be totally present to the sacred persons we are meeting with.}

^{Since it is our Mother Mary’s Birthday we are speaking of I am reminded of a four-year old child who was pestering his Mum for something that was not good for him, she gently said: “No!”}

^{“You stink!” he snapped}

^{“Is that so son?” Mum quietly replied.}

^{Remembering what he heard in play- school from his pals, the four-year old came back. “Yes, you stink the whole world!”}

^{There are times when we adults act like that four year old and treat God and his Blessed Mother in more or less the same fashion. How often we hear the remark: “I’m sick and sore of asking. If I don’t get my request this time, that’s the end of it. I’m giving up on prayer and going to Mass. It’s all a cod or a con job!”}

^{Perhaps Our Lady replies in her gentle way. “Is that so child?” Mothers being what they are understand our frustration and what is really best for us.}

^{But surely we are called to grow up and find a better way of relating to life and to the ways of heaven. The secret is to realise that heaven knows what is best for us. At the Birthday party we take the focus off ourselves and reach out to the one who has invited us.}

^{Mary is a Mother, with a large family to care for. So our prayer should never be self-centred or selfish. We should have something of her mind and heart and pray But mothers But mothers as she did: Behold the Handmaid of the Lord. Let your word be done unto me.}