SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION DECEMBER 8, 2022

MASS READING

A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to 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.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

REFLECTION

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

The Immaculate Conception is a doctrine that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. This doctrine was believed by many over the centuries. Pope Pius IX defined it as a formal doctrine in 1854: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” (1)

Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. The doctrine helps us understand more about the person of Jesus Christ, Incarnate. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset. (1)

With these words, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” we celebrate this solemnity, in Advent, with joy. With her "yes" the Birth of Jesus is not far away. Her sinless soul made her worthy to be the dwelling place of Jesus.

Mary is the best intercessor we have as she is always with Jesus. We have someone to look towards in our efforts to respond to the Lord's call for us. She knows the power of sin and what it can do to our lives as she saw first hand what sin did to her Son. And it is in confidence we ask her to pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

This major feast is a Holy Day of obligation. It is now a Solemnity. We celebrate Mary's complete response to God's call. We are so grateful in the United States to have her as our patron.

Are we ready to respond to all that God is asking of us?

God Bless You

(1) Franciscan Media