Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Of Mary

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Mary, the Mother of God, is very specially honored today.  Now why is Mary being honored during advent?  In an earlier article, we saw that advent was a time of great hope and a time when in preparing for the coming of the Messiah, we need to take stock of who and where we are spiritually.

The opening prayer at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist said,

“Let us pray, that through the prayers of the sinless Virgin Mary, God will free us from our sins.  Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of your son.  You let her share beforehand in the salvation Christ would bring by his death, and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.  Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

The Church prayed that Mother Mary, who was conceived without sin and remained sinless, that she would pray for us to ‘live in God’s presence without sin.  What a beautiful prayer.

It’s important and vital for you to understand what the Immaculate Conception is and what it is not. A number of people think that the term makes reference to Christ’s conception in Mary’s womb devoid of the intervention of any biological father.  Others believe that the Immaculate Conception means that Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” in the way Christ was.  Both are incorrect. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about in the ordinary way, was conceived without original sin or its stain – that’s what “immaculate” means: devoid of stain.  The effects of original sin include the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its blemish is a corrupt nature. Mary was protected from all these defects through God’s grace; starting from the very first moment of her existence she has been in the state of sanctifying grace and was completely free from the corrupt nature original sin produces.

The first reading today was taken from the book of Genesis, chapter 3, verses 9 – 15 and 20, and speaks about the fall of man, God made an important declaration.  He said “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”  The “woman” God was speaking of here was Mary, the new Eve.   Jesus confirms this at the wedding feast in Cana when he said, “Woman, why turn to me?  My hour has not yet come.”  It was not a custom for anyone to refer to their mother and “woman”.  By saying this, Jesus was identifying her as the new Woman, the one who will crush the head of the serpent – of the devil.

In the gospel reading of today, taken from Luke 1:  26 – 38, we see the angel Gabriel, sent by God to Mary to make a life changing pronouncement that she was chosen to be the Mother of our Lord.  But Mary was troubled and so the angel assured her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”  God chose Mary from before all time, to be the Mother or our Lord, to bear the Redeemer of the world, to bring the precious Lamb of God into this world, to conquer sin and death and to bridge the gap between the human race and eternity. 

The prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 52: 7, “How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of one who brings good news.”  Mary brought “Good News” into this lost world.  In fact, she brought the best news this world could ever hope for – Jesus the Light of the world.  By saying yes to God’s plan of salvation, Mary brought hope to mankind that had completely lost its way.  She gave new purpose and a new direction through Jesus, to us all to have everlasting life.

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.