Page:MaryHelpOfChristians.djvu/105

 on beholding  this  new  wonder  of  divine  power  and wisdom, the  child  Mary,  destined  to  be  their queen. Filled with  admiration  they  exclaimed, "Who is  she  that  cometh  forth  as  the  morning rising,  fair  as  the  moon,  bright  as  the  sun,  terrible as  an  army  set  in  array?" (Cant. vi.  9.)  And moreover, if,  as  Our  Lord  declares,  the  angels rejoice at  the  conversion  of  a  sinner,  how  great must have  been  their  joy  at  the  birth  of  her  who was to  be  the  refuge  of  sinners  and  the  mother of Him  who  was  to  be  the  Redeemer  of  sinners? Again, the  angels  rejoiced  at  Mary's  birth,  because she  would  fill,  through  the  salvation  of  .mankind by  her  divine  Son,  the  places  made  vacant  in heaven  by  the  apostate  angels.

ood children  rejoice  on  the  birthday  of  their parents and  gratefully  remember  all  the  benefits they  have  received  from  them. Thus should we, also,  celebrate  the  nativity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin by  a  grateful  remembrance  of  the  innumerable graces,  individual  and  general,  we  received through her  intercession. In acknowledging Mary's co-operation  with  our  salvation,  Holy Church calls  her  our  mediatrix,  and  greets  her  as the  "Cause  of  our  joy,"  because,  though  we  receive grace  from  Christ,  it  comes  to  us  through her mediation. What cause,  then,  have  we  not for rejoicing  at  her  birth! Again, greeting  Mary