Today, the Gospel of Matthew tells us about Jesus' family tree and how he was conceived: Mary, his mother, found herself pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
The announcement to Joseph, Mary's husband, stands out:
«Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife» (Mt 1:20).
Looking through the Franciscan Sources, we see how Francis of Assisi always nurtured an indescribable love for the Mother of Jesus and followed her example in every situation where her virtues shone forth.
The Sources inform us in this regard:
"He surrounded the Mother of Jesus with unspeakable love, because she had made the Lord of Majesty our brother.
In her honour, he sang special praises, raised prayers, and offered so much affection that human language cannot express" (FF 786).
In his letter to the faithful, he writes:
"The Most High Heavenly Father, through the holy Angel Gabriel, announced this Word of the Father, so worthy, so Holy and glorious, in the womb of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, and from her womb he received the true flesh of our humanity and frailty" (FF 181).
But, in my opinion, Francis' sublime prayer to Mary [which sums up well what she was to him] is the famous "Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary".
It reads as follows:
«Hail Holy Lady, Holy Queen,
Holy Mother of God, Mary,
who art a virgin made Church
and chosen by the most holy Heavenly Father,
who consecrated you
together with his most holy beloved Son
and with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete;
you in whom was and is all fullness of grace and every good thing.
Hail, his palace,
Hail, his tabernacle,
Hail, his handmaid,
Hail, his Mother» (FF 259).
In addition, we note that Francis saw in Clare ‘the imprint of the Mother of God’ and loved her for this reason.
In fact, he saw the constant presence of Mary in her life.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mt 1:1-16, 18-23)
