Genesis 3:9-15.20,
Psalm98:1.2-3ab.3cd-4,
Ephesians1:3-6.11-12,
Luke 1:26b-38 Full Readings
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin MaryMary the Second Eve
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God and the second Eve. We celebrate Mary as the virgin who is “full of grace,” as the archangel Gabriel said at the annunciation as seen in today's Gospel. From earliest times the Church expressed and developed the belief that Mary was conceived without original sin, but it was only in 1854 that Pope Pius IX proclaimed it a dogma. We give thanks to God for having chosen the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of the Lord, and our mother, and having preserved her from sin.
Mary is only a creature; she is and has nothing herself. All she is, she is by the power of the Almighty “and holy is his name” (Lk1:49). This is why the Gospel passage describes her as “favoured one,” full of grace, the same fullness of grace that God is ready to grant to each one of us.
In our celebration of the immaculate conception of Mary, the focus is on God who preserved Mary from Original Sin. The greeting of the angel to Mary, “Hail, full of grace” (LK 1:28) is an indication of that. Adam and Eve were created in precisely that state of grace (cf Gen 1:31), but by the abuse of their free will, they fell out of that grace. Mary on the other hand chose to cooperate with God (Lk 1:38). We too can choose either to cooperate with God and strive after holiness in life or remain and perish in sin. That decision is for everyone to make individually. May the spirit of God inspire and sustain in you, the decision to follow him faithfully in the holiness of life.
The story of the Fall as we see in the first reading is an analysis of human temptation and sin as it always happens, rather than a historical account of what happened once long ago, when human beings first evolved on earth. Sin brings shame on us: we do our best, like both the Man and the Woman, to blame someone else, but in the end we know we are defenceless and naked before God. We know that we deserve our penalties, but the wonderful thing about the biblical story is that God continues to care for us: he himself thoughtfully sews clothes for the Man and the Woman to hide their embarrassment. More importantly, God promises that evil will not triumph for ever. The penalties of hard labour and pain come not from divine vindictiveness but from human sinfulness: we are no longer in perfect harmony with God. If we were in harmony with God our confidence in him would spare us the pain. However, through his mercy, God gave us his own Son through Mary.
Brethren, it was Mary's Yes that wrought our salvation. We have all the right to thank Mary for her faithfulness to God. Though she was blessed from conception, she cooperated with God and kept this blessedness otherwise she had a choice to destroy it and even say no to God’s invitation. It was right that the son of God be born of a virgin and a spotless person like Mary. The Gospel shows us that her son's kingdom will last forever and he will save all his people from sin was the second Adam who came through second Eve, Mary.
This was in the plan of God as we see in the second reading. The second reading blesses God in sevenfold blessing which sums up God’s plan of salvation for humanity. The climax is in the centre, ‘to bring everything under Christ as head’. Christ is the Wisdom of God, the plan according to which and through which all things were created. Christ is also the completion of the creation, and the unity of all things in Christ is a special emphasis of the letter. All things are under Christ as head of creation, as nourishment for creation and as guidance of creation. These are the functions which a head performs for a body, which Christ performs for creation. The Immaculate Conception of Mary was the beginning of the completion of this plan: it was fitting and necessary that the mother who would form and shape the Son of God should be totally without blemish, a shining example of faultless motherhood, a perfect role-model for her Son. The aspect of conception in the womb of her mother is only a symbol of the totality of Mary’s goodness.
Reflect today on the Immaculate Conception of Mary. May it inspire you to always long for holiness in life and at last enjoy with her in heaven.
Let us Pray
Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
Be blessed
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