Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The reality I have experienced is that many Catholics aren’t aware of what we mean by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our feast celebrates that, “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her Conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in the view of the merits of Jesus Christ was preserved from all stain of original sin.” Simply put, Mary, the Mother of God was conceived without the stain of original sin. The Church teaches us that this Dogma is essential to our faith. Thus we have churches named Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
Today’s scriptures give us both contrasts and parallels to ponder. Eve was to be the mother of all the living. Instead by choosing to eat the fruit of the tree, Eve and Adam disobeyed God and opened the door for all of us to make choices that do not follow God’s will. In short, Eve modeled how to say “no” to God through disobedience.
In Luke’s Gospel, an angel appears to Mary. It says she was afraid, and I believe I would be as well. I imagine someone in this situation saying, “Lord, you want me to do what?” Instead Mary asks, one question, how can this be? Upon the angel’s answer, she responds, “Be it done to me according to your will.” Mary aligns her will with God’s will for her. She gave this response freely and it is essential that we understand the power of her “yes.” God asks Mary to do something difficult and she says your will be done. Mary, our Model of discipleship, also taught her son how to respond to God. Jesus asks, Let this cup pass. Upon hearing God’s answer, Jesus said, be it done to me according to your word. Both Mary and Jesus show us how to in obedience, say yes.
If we stop and consider what are the best qualities our mother’s gave us?
If we all could share, we would hear much of what the scriptures do not share about Mary’s relationship with Jesus. We would hear about how we are who we are because of the love, discipline, and example of our mothers, for better or worse we reflect the values with which we have been raised. This is why we celebrate the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. The Mother of God needed to be pure and holy, so that the child she would raise would be pure and holy and to know how to say yes.