om as shown in creation, Holy Scripture,
according to the explanation of the Fathers, introduces Him as saying,
"When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God
made a joyful melody" (_Job_ xxxviii. 7), and by these words intends to
convey with what joy the angels praised God's omnipotence on beholding
the wonders of creation. What, then, must have been their joy 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.

PRACTICE

GOOD 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 as the cause of our joy,
let us remember the protection she extended to the Church in times of
adversity and persecution; let us, furthermore, remember all the graces
which, according to the holy Fathers, are dispensed to us by Mary's
hands. "Of her plenitude," says St. Bonaventure, "we have all received;
the captive liberty, the sick health, the sad consolation, the sinner
pardon, the just grace." Therefore the Church invokes Mary as the mother
of mercy, the health of the sick, the comforter of the afflicted, the
refuge of sinners, the help of Christians, in a word, as the cause of
our joy.

Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).

Litany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).

_Prayer_

WE HAIL thee, f