In his last Advent homily of this year, the preacher of the pontifical household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, cited the Byzantine liturgy of vespers on Christmas Eve.
The prayer invites us to feel a “holy pride,” because we get to claim Mary as our own, a fellow human like us, and our mother!
Let us make the prayer our own in front of the crib this year.
What can we offer you as a gift, O Christ our God, for having appeared on earth taking on our own humanity? Each of the creatures shaped by your hands offers you something to give you thanks: the angels offer you their song, the heavens the star, the magi their gifts, the shepherds their wonder, the earth a cave, the desert a manger. But we offer you a virgin Mother!
Read more:
We have Mary in the same way Jesus did
And today we celebrate...