Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This Feast is a Holy Day of Obligation. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!
The Immaculate Conception is possibly the most misunderstood concept among Catholics,
I would guess that if you ask 9 out of 10 Catholics to explain "The
Immaculate Conception" they will explain to you the Virgin Birth of
Jesus. In fact it has diffused down to popular
vernacular. As in this simulated dialogue between two idiots:
"She has a baby but no husband,"
"Maybe it was an Immaculate Conception."
"Ha Ha ha ha."
Several years ago my daughter worked for Catholic Charities
in the Archdiocese of New York, at least ostensibly a Catholic
Organization....I'm so proud because she had to correct two superiors
who were confusing the Immaculate Conception with the Virgin Birth of Jesus.
After her educating the two biddies these mopes began to disagree
with her as she must be wrong. Thomas Aquinas calls this
condition invincible ignorance.
To add to this confusion the Gospel for today is the Annunciation
when the Angel Gabriel tells the Virgin she will give birth although she has
not been with a man. This Gospel is chosen to demonstrate Mary’s
specialness today.
The Immaculate Conception is a feast of the Blessed
Mother. The concept of the Immaculate Conception is that, from the
beginning of time Mary was chosen to be the Mother of God, so because of this
unique calling her soul was prepared from the beginning and as such her soul
was conceived without the stain of Original Sin…the sin we all share...the sin
of Adam and Eve. The Word was made flesh only when she
agreed to be the "Handmaiden of the Lord" actually, her obedience to
the will of God negated the disobedience of Eve.
As Gabriel said: "Hail Mary...Full of Grace...."
(Ave Maria....Gratia Plena). If she were “Full of Grace” as
the Angel says, then there is no room in her soul for sin (grace displaces
sin)…..like a glass of water filled to the brim you can’t even put a drop of
water in the glass without it overflowing.
Mary, in the incarnation of the Immaculate Conception, is the
Patron Saint of The United States of America. Not too shabby when you
think about it.
Holy Mary conceived without sin, pray for us; We need it……
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