Star of Bethlehem/Birth pains

Q In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 2, the Magi searching for the king of the Jews state, “We saw his star at its rising” and later, after they left King Herod, “And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.”  Was there really a Star of Bethlehem?

A There have been numerous explanations for the Star of Bethlehem.  One is that the star was a one-time miracle that God placed in the heavens to lead the Wise Men to the Christ child.

There are other possible scientific explanations.  When two planets align with each other in the sky (a “conjunction”) it makes for a remarkable sight.  The two planets may seem to be one bright star.  On Aug. 12, 3 B.C., Venus and Jupiter did just that, coming within .15 degrees of each other as seen from the Middle East.  

Then on Sept. 14, 3 B.C., Jupiter conjoined with the star Regulus, the “King Star.”  This happened three times within that astronomical year.  In Dec. 2 B.C., Jupiter became stationary (or “stopped”) directly over Bethlehem, pointing out the exact location of the new born king for the Magi.  

This might seem impossible, but it is not.  Because of movements of the earth and the planets, at times a planet may seem to be stationary.  For a detailed explanation of this event and what it meant to the Magi, google:  Chapter 4: The Real Star of Bethlehem.

Even if the Star of Bethlehem was the result of the conjunction of planets and stars, we must remember that God created the universe.  He knew when these events would take place and could have planned that his son be born at that precise moment in time.

Q  Just a few days ago, we celebrated the birthday of Jesus.  Did Mary experience birth pains?

A  Reason, Scripture and early church saints and writings support the fact that Mary’s birth was painless.

In Genesis, after Adam and Eve committed the first sin, God spoke to Eve, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children” (Gn 3:16).  Since Mary was the new Eve and was conceived without original sin, why would she bear the pains associated with this “original sin?”

The prophet Isaiah prophesies the painless birth of the Christ, the Messiah: “Before she is in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son” (Is 66:7).

St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote in 380 A.D. “his conception (the birth of Our Lord) did not result from the union of two humans; his birth was not polluted in any way; there were no labor pangs.”   

St. Peter Chrysologus (circa 430 A.D.) states, “She conceives as a virgin, she gives birth as a virgin, and she remains a virgin.  Therefore, her flesh knows the power of the miracle but does not know pain.  In giving birth, it gains in integrity and knows nothing of physical suffering.”

St. John of Damascus (circa 730 A.D.) states, “His birth was in accordance with the laws of parturition (childbirth), while in that it was painless it was above the laws of generation.”     

Although not addressed in the current Catechism of the Catholic Church, it was addressed in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, published in 1566: “From Eve we are born children of wrath; from Mary we have received Jesus Christ. To Eve it was said: ‘In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children.’  Mary was exempt from this law, for preserving her virginal integrity inviolate she brought forth Jesus without experiencing, as we have already said, any sense of pain.”

For more information on this topic, search Evidence for Mary’s Painless Childbirth – Catholic Answers. 

Deacon Hooper is a deacon assistant at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. He can be reached at ghooper@diobr.org.