Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Matthew 1:18-23
The Littleness of Mary, the Greatness of God

Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Church invites us to rejoice at the birth of the one through whom God’s dream of salvation began to take flesh. In Mary’s birth, something so small, so hidden, becomes the doorway to something vast and beautiful. This is God’s way: everything begins in littleness.

The Prophet Micah reminds us: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.” God chooses what is little, humble, and hidden to do great works. From the small village of Bethlehem comes the Savior. From the small, pure life of Mary comes the Prince of Peace. In her littleness, God opens a horizon of reconciliation and unity for the world.

Mary’s birth is not accompanied by great spectacles or signs. She is born quietly, into an ordinary family. And yet, in her, God’s dream takes root. She will say “yes” to God, and through her, Jesus, the reconciler of all, will enter the world. This is how God works: not with noise or power, not with worldly greatness, but in humility, simplicity, and patience.

The Gospel gives us a long genealogy—names upon names, a journey through saints and sinners, heroes and failures. It may seem monotonous, but it tells us something important: God walks with His people. He does not save us with a magic wand. He journeys through history, through generations, through human weakness and sin, until the birth of Mary prepares the way for Jesus. God is not afraid of our faults; He enters into them. He is close, and He never abandons His people.

On this feast, we also learn that God reconciles and makes peace not in great assemblies or documents, but in the small steps of everyday life. Peace begins in the little things: in a gesture of forgiveness, in a word of kindness, in listening patiently, in welcoming the one who is different. Mary shows us this way: her littleness becomes the space where God’s peace takes flesh.

There is another gift in today’s celebration: hope. Mary’s birth is the dawn of salvation. It is the sign that God has not forgotten His people, that His promises are true. Like Joseph in the Gospel, who dreams of God’s plan, we too are invited to dream. And even more: God Himself dreams. He dreams of a reconciled humanity, a family where no one is excluded, a people who walk together in peace. Mary’s birth is the first light of this dream fulfilled.

Brothers and sisters, as we celebrate the Nativity of Mary, let us ask for the grace of unity and peace. Let us learn from her littleness to walk with God, step by step, in humility. Let us not be afraid of small beginnings, of hidden acts of love. In the Eucharist, too, everything is hidden in littleness: a small piece of bread, a little wine—yet there is the whole dream of God, His love, His peace, His Son.

In Mary’s birth, we see God’s great horizon opening before us: peace through littleness, reconciliation through walking together, and hope that never fails.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025