On
this Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the missal gives us the gospel of the
Annunciation, which we celebrate on March 25th, in which, as you
heard, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the mother of the
Lord.
But the Immaculate Conception is in here. The angel addresses her as “full of grace,” and, “the Lord is with you.” Even before Christ has taken shape in her womb, her life has already been touched by God.
She was chosen, she was called, she was prepared to be the Mother of God. Sin is “no” to God. Eve said “no” to God, Adam said “no” to God. But Mary says “yes.” Her “yes” is a completely human act, which is wonderful, to see how we cooperate with the grace of God to bring about a great effect. But, by the Immaculate Conception, where she was freed from sin from the first moment of her conception, her yes is also of divine origins, from above. No human can bring about salvation. Sin is such an offense to God that only He can bring about the reconciliation, by His initiative, and by His grace freely given, to which we say “yes.”
We want to appreciate the first reading, which refers to the Logos, Christ, Who is the Word of God, spoken from all eternity. Logos also means plan, purpose, order. The world was created according to His design. He was present, “with a certain law and compass,” when all was made. But it was distorted by sin. It is from His plan, from above, that salvation, the new order, has entered the world, that Mary was kept free from sin from the first moment of her conception, that her “yes” brought forth the savior.
It is wonderful when we can recognize ourselves in the readings. There are beatitudes in this first reading. “Blessed are they that keep my ways.” We say “yes” to God and His ways. “Blessed are those who hear me and watch daily at my gates.” This is Mary, who watches and waits for the Lord. It is also ourselves. During Advent, we watch, wait, with joyful expectation for the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises. Our waiting is not empty, it is filled with sure hope. And it is the posture, the interior disposition, of those who receive, gifts from above.
But the Immaculate Conception is in here. The angel addresses her as “full of grace,” and, “the Lord is with you.” Even before Christ has taken shape in her womb, her life has already been touched by God.
She was chosen, she was called, she was prepared to be the Mother of God. Sin is “no” to God. Eve said “no” to God, Adam said “no” to God. But Mary says “yes.” Her “yes” is a completely human act, which is wonderful, to see how we cooperate with the grace of God to bring about a great effect. But, by the Immaculate Conception, where she was freed from sin from the first moment of her conception, her yes is also of divine origins, from above. No human can bring about salvation. Sin is such an offense to God that only He can bring about the reconciliation, by His initiative, and by His grace freely given, to which we say “yes.”
We want to appreciate the first reading, which refers to the Logos, Christ, Who is the Word of God, spoken from all eternity. Logos also means plan, purpose, order. The world was created according to His design. He was present, “with a certain law and compass,” when all was made. But it was distorted by sin. It is from His plan, from above, that salvation, the new order, has entered the world, that Mary was kept free from sin from the first moment of her conception, that her “yes” brought forth the savior.
It is wonderful when we can recognize ourselves in the readings. There are beatitudes in this first reading. “Blessed are they that keep my ways.” We say “yes” to God and His ways. “Blessed are those who hear me and watch daily at my gates.” This is Mary, who watches and waits for the Lord. It is also ourselves. During Advent, we watch, wait, with joyful expectation for the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises. Our waiting is not empty, it is filled with sure hope. And it is the posture, the interior disposition, of those who receive, gifts from above.
