We inherited this amazing book called
The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, by The Abbe Orsini, which received the Imprimatur from John Cardinal McCloskey, the Archbishop of New York on January 12th, 1880.
I spent some time today, on this beautiful Feast of the Nativity of Mary, reading through this book. Carefully turning each yellow stained page making sure the book stays in tact. I was so blown away by the beautiful harmony of poetry and history that is on each page...
I couldn't resist sharing an excerpt from Chapter III entitled
"Birth of Mary."
"Towards the decline of the religion and affairs of the Hebrews, at the time marked out by the prophets, and when the regal sceptre was in the hands of a stranger, according to the grand prediction of Jacob, there was at Nazareth, a town of lower Galilee, not far distant from Mount Carmel, a just man, named Joachim, of the tribe of Judah, and of the race of David, through Nathan; his wife--who, according to the opinion of St. Agustine, was the of the priestly tribe- was called Ann, a name which signifies in Hebrew gracious.
They were both just before Jehovah and walked in his Commandments with a perfect heart; but the Lord seemed to have turned away from them the light of his countenance, for one great blessing was wanting to their life; they were without children, which made them sad, because in Israel sterility was a reproach.
Joachim, who loved his wife for her wonderful meekness an eminent virtues, would not add to her misfortune by giving her a bill of divorce, which the law at that time granted so easily; he kept her in his house, and this pious couple, humbly resigned to the Divine decrees, passed their days in labor, prayer, and almsdeeds.
So many virtues could not fail of their reward: after twenty years of barrenness, Ann conceived as if it were by miracle, and brought forth that blessed creature who was more perfect, more holy, and more pleasing in the eyes of the Lord than all the elect put together.
It was about the beginning of the month of Tisri, which is the first of the civil year of the Jews, while the smoke of holocausts ascended to heaven for the expiation of the sins of the people, that the predestined Virgin was born who was to repair the primeval transgression. Her birth was silent and unknown, like that of her divine Son; her parents were of the people, although descended from a long succession of kings, and led, to all appearances, an obscure life: this mystical Rose, which St. John saw later on clothed with the sun as with radiant garments, was to expand to the burning wind of adversity upon a stem poor and despoiled.”
Happy Birthday to our dear Mother Mary!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Amen.