Vespers, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Evening in Support of Priestly Vocations
St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore
September 8, 2026
We’ve gathered on the beautiful feast of the birthday of the Bl. Virgin Mary, in support of priestly vocations in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The birth of a child brings joy, for every life is a miracle of love. Yet, we can only imagine the joy of Joachim and Anne at the birth of their daughter, Mary, a child given them in their advancing years. Joachim and Anne could not have known the unique vocation to which their daughter was called. But divine intuition was at work in their hearts. After all, they were part of the remnant of Israel, holy and faithful men and women who trusted that God’s promises would be fulfilled.
Nor could they have known how God in his providence prepared their daughter for her vocation— namely, complete freedom from the sin of Adam. What they did see was her total openness to the Word of God, her spirit of total surrender to the designs of Providence. That did not start only at the Annunciation. By the time the angel announced that she was to be the Mother of the Savior, Mary was well-practiced in saying ‘yes’ to God – both by the example of her parents & by the grace of God at work within her. Her parents embraced the Law and the Prophets. Their lives were shaped and guided by the Word God spoke in history, and the Word that he spoke in their daily lives. The same was true of their friends and neighbors who sensed that the time of fulfillment had arrived. Mary’s ‘yes’ to God did not materialize out of thin air. The fullness of God’s grace was communicated to her in and through her family and the faithful few who believed, trusted, hoped.
Mary’s vocation was utterly unique. Only she, blessed among women, was chosen to the Mother of God. Such a thing will never happen again. Mary’s sinlessness and her vocation are, by God’s decree, unrepeatable, but that does not mean that her birth and her vocation having nothing to say to us. On the contrary, she, who was born to be the Mother of the Savior was born also to be our Mother in order of grace. She has everything to say to us.
Is not Mary smiling upon us this evening as we give thanks to God for raising up so many priestly vocations in our midst? She knows that, while priestly vocations are not unique, each vocational story is unique – for each of us is unrepeatable – each with a distinct personality, family, and history. That is why we like to listen to vocational stories – we love to hear how God is working in the hearts of our seminarians. And this night we rejoice, because Mary, who was born to her vocation accompanies these men who, like her, are seeking the will of God and are disposed to say “yes” to whatever he will ask of them.
But their “yes” to God does not materialize out of thin air. As was true of Mary, God’s grace works through others. Often, it is the example of faithful discipleship they learnt at home – and this evening I would like to greet and thank our seminarians – thank you for saying “yes” to the Lord. I also want to greet and thank parents, sisters and brothers, and relatives who have joined us. Often, it is the fidelity and joy of a parish priest – and again, I want to thank so many priests of the Archdiocese whose example has inspired our seminarians. Sometimes their “yes” to a priestly vocation begins when a friend or parishioner suggests they would make a good priest. And surely, you who generously support priestly vocations play an important role in the communication of God’s grace to these men. Your support speaks of your love for the priesthood, and your love for the Church, the ‘incubator’ of every vocation. For your generosity is accompanied by love and by encouragement, and also by the challenge our seminarians to become good, faithful, generous priests.
St. Andrew of Crete, an 8th century monk who became an archbishop, exulted in today’s feast. He spoke of Mary’s birth as “a birthday and a remodeling of our race.” Let our joy be great, dear friends, for the renewing of the human race, signaled by the birth of Mary, continues in our midst – as Christ comes to birth in each of our hearts, as our priests carry forward the work of salvation, and as so many vocations are birthed in our midst. Mary, the Mother of Priests, pray for us!