Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12
The Immaculate Conception of Mary
Blessed be the … Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Chosen to be holy and without blemish. Destined for adoption as children of God. While these phrases describe God’s eternal plan for all of us, they hold a special meaning when we consider the Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Conception.
On this special day, we celebrate Mary as the new Eve, a woman preserved from original sin by a unique gift of God before she was even born. When we wonder what humanity would be like if it weren’t for sin, we can look to Mary for an answer. In her we see a humble trust in God’s ways. We see a willingness to question God, coupled with a quiet, reflective heart that embraces his answers wholeheartedly. We don’t always see perfect peace, but we do see perfect faith. And that’s why we are constantly encouraged to look to Mary as our mother and as the model of the Christian life.
As the first daughter of the new creation, Mary received in advance all of the blessings that are now available to us in Christ. Through the cross, we have been made sons and daughters of God. Through baptism, we are cleansed of original sin. Because of the gift of the Holy Spirit, we too can become bearers of God, bringing Christ into the world.
Just as we have received the same blessings as Mary, we can follow Mary as our example. Every day we can choose to embrace God’s plan, even when it is hard to understand. Through quiet, listening hearts, we can become signposts to the heavenly kingdom, showing people a new way to live. When we give of ourselves to the poor or to help a neighbor, we build the kingdom of God. When we stay close to the Lord, even through times of heartbreak, we receive his comfort and manifest his transforming power. Yes, Mary is blessed above all people, but we too have been super-abundantly blessed! We too have received “every spiritual blessing.” May we never lose sight of who we are in Christ!
Prayer: “Father, as we celebrate the gifts you gave to Mary, may we too be transformed by your grace to live as part of your new creation.”
Readings Genesis 3:9-15,20; Psalm 98:1-4; Luke 1:26-38
AGL QUIRANTE
