How do we know she was born on September 8th? We don't (nor do we know what day Jesus was born, but we celebrate His birthday on December 25th). However, as early as the 7th century the Syrian church was celebrating the Feast of the Conception of Mary on December 9th. This feast spread to the west and the date (for reasons I haven't discovered) was changed to December 8th. And 9 months after December 8th is September 8th.
Of the canonized saints, the Catholic Church only celebrates the birthdays of two as feast days: the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. Nearly all the other saints' feast days are celebrated on (or near) the date of their deaths.
Why is that? As I understand it, this is because when a saint dies (and you and I are called to be saints; "be holy for I am holy" Leviticus 11:44) that is his or her birthday into eternity with God.
| Mary with parents Joachim and Anne |
"For your freedom and ours"
September 1st was the 73rd anniversary of Germany's invasion of Poland which started World War II. One of the many interesting stories concerning Poland's part in the war is about the thousands of Polish pilots and aircraft technicians who managed to escape from Poland through (then) neutral Romania or Hungary to France where they regrouped into air combat units.
Unfortunately the French provided the Polish pilots with inferior fighter planes. However, the Polish pilots gained combat experience against German pilots and even managed to shoot down some of the far superior German Messerschmitt fighter planes.
After France collapsed from the German invasion of May-June 1940, the Polish air forces were evacuated to England. The British high command distrusted the capabilities of the Polish pilots and forced them to wait in training centers to learn English and RAF (Royal Air Force) command procedures.
As the Battle of Britain (an ongoing air battle between Germany and Britain, July 10 to October 31 1940) geared up during the summer of 1940, the RAF suffered many losses due to inexperienced pilots, while most of the experienced Polish pilots remained grounded.
Eventually the Brits let the Poles fly and the Poles distinguished themselves. They flew courageously (if at times even recklessly) and though they made up about 5% of RAF pilots during this time, they are credited with 12% of the "kills" or German bombers and fighters shot down.
World War II ended with Poland under Soviet occupation and so most Polish pilots who had fought on the side of the allies all during the war, with the idea that by helping the allies defeat Nazi Germany they would eventually free Poland, opted not to return home. Had they returned home to Poland they would have been imprisoned by the communist authorities and most likely die far away in bleak and cold Siberia. So they stayed to live in England or emigrated to the USA, Canada or Australia and so lived out their lives far from home, but free.
For some more detail on the action of Polish pilots in the RAF, see http://www.historynet.com/the-forgotten-few-polish-airmen-fought-during-the-battle-of-britain.htm
Are you ready for some football?
The National Football League kicks off it's 93rd season this week. That's reason for joy for many (including this writer) and a matter of indifference or dread for others. A lot of guys are obsessed with football and a lot of wives have a long string of Sundays ahead (plus Saturdays if their men are into college football) where they're effectively widows.
Yes, I know, lots of women love football and not all men do.
The Christian rule to follow in this of course is moderation. With the morning pre-game shows followed by games at noon (CT) and then 3 pm (CT), then post-game shows and now Sunday night football, a person could be glued to the TV for over 12 hours.
Healthy?
Oh, and by the way, Sunday is the Lord's Day, is it not? (Well, thank God for early Sunday mass, right?)
One of my boyhood heros, Green Bay Packer James Lofton, #80
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