On our Catholic calendar we honor three earthly births or nativities: The Nativity of Our Lord (December 25), The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (September 8) and The Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24). All three people are related and the Blessed Virgin is at the center of this trio.
To honor the Feast of the Virgin’s Birth, I’d like to share this beautiful painting of the Virgin as a little girl. The artist, the 15th century Spanish master Francisco Zurbarán, depicts the child Mary as falling asleep while she was praying. He captures the innocence and beauty of this perfect child. Although she has dozed off, note that she consciously has placed her finger where she “left off”. In other words, she fully intends to return to her devotions as soon as she awakes.
The other feature that is full of meaning is the porcelain container in the background. The container has three Marian flowers: the rose, the carnation and the lily. This site provides informative descriptions of Mary’s flowers. The rose, the queen of flowers, symbolizes Mary as Queen of Heaven. The spicy fragrance of the carnation refers to the crucifixion. The lily represents Our Lady’s perpetual virginity and purity.
I hope this lovely painting touches your heart in a loving way and that it will bring you closer to the Sweet Virgin Mary.
Let us celebrate with joy the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
for from her arose the sun of justice, Christ our God. (Entrance Antiphon, Mass of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary)