That, at any rate, is how the Feast of the Blessed Virgin’s Nativity was denominated in the back of the old German CPH Bibles, with their lists of Sundays, Feasts and Minor Festivals: Mary’s Birthday. I was delighted to see the observance making a bit of a comeback in our day, at least among those who use The Brotherhood Prayerbook and also in The Daily Divine Service Book. Both of these books assign it to its traditional date, September 8th, and provide this as the collect:.

Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, unto Thy servants the gift of Thy heavenly grace: that as the child-bearing of the blessed virgin Mary was the beginning of our salvation, so the joyful festival of her nativity may bring us an increase of peace; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

To me there is something utterly joyous in pausing to remember the birthday of that particular human being through whom God would assume our flesh and blood, the last rung (if you will) on Jacob’s ladder, the birth of that little one who was destined to become the very Mother of God. So let us give thanks and glory to God for keeping His promises and for preparing this amazing vessel of His grace! Let us indeed draw peace (as the collect asks) from His foresight in mightily governing all things and shepherding them toward the culmination of our salvation in the birth, suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who would be born of that little girl whose birth we celebrate September 8th!