Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patronal Feastday of the United States of America
“Hail, Mary, full of
grace, the LORD is with you. Blessed are you among women” - Luke 1:28
Today, we celebrate the
solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Mother of God. We also wait
in anticipation of what is to come this Christmas. Like Eve and Adam in the
garden, we wait. Aware of our sins and failings, we long for reconciliation
with God, our Father. We long for a savior.
Mary longed for a
savior as well. How beautiful it is, then, that she was given the gift of being
conceived without original sin, so that she would be a perfect vessel for the
Lord, her Savior. Not merited, it was God’s grace that made this gift possible.
And how does Mary respond when she is asked give up her body and soul—her whole
self—for the sake of the Lord? She does not respond in fear, like Adam and Eve.
She accepts, in trust and humility, recognizing that she is God’s servant. I
imagine, too, that when she responded, she felt great love and joy in her
heart. The thirst that she and her people had felt for so long was finally
going to be quenched. And she was going to play her “little” part in it.
Let us reflect today on
Mary’s heart when she received the Father’s gift of a savior. Let us spend some
time with our Savior Jesus Christ, who so gently came into this world to love
us and save us. Let us talk with the Holy Spirit, who overshadowed Mary so that
our joy would be complete.
Lord, help us to
respond to your gifts, both big and small, the way Mary did. Let us “sing to
the LORD a new song”, and praise all of your works continuously. Help us, Lord,
to become like Mary, so that we may know You in the intimate, unique way that
she did. Mary, help us to imitate your humility and trust, so that we may serve
the Lord, joyfully and faithfully, in this life and in the next.
“In him we were also
chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.”
-Ephesians 1:11-12destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.”
Laura Downing is a senior studying Social Work, a student worker with SLU’s Faith and Justice Collaborative, and a practicum student with the Crown Center for Senior Living.
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