September 8, feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, is a day characterised by joy. This is so because the mother of Jesus Christ was born. The feast falls precisely nine months after the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

This Marian feast endorses the theme of light because, thanks to Mary’s birth, the darkness is expelled and, instead, rises in our world the dawn which proclaims the Sun of Justice, Chist the Lord.

As the liturgy of the day announces to us: “Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of whom was born the Sun of Justice.... Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world.... Her image is light for the whole Christian people”.

The birth of Mary is important due to her singular mission as the mother of our saviour Jesus Christ.

She is great because of Christ. Hence, God’s mysterious plan concerning the incarnation of the Word incorporates the Virgin who is His mother too.

Therefore, the birth of Our Lady is placed at the hub of the history of Salvation.