Except sin. MASS READINGS. And she wasn’t well-known: even when the Angel visited her, no one knew of it; there were no reporters there that day. (that is, God gave her the graces and gifts needed to allow God to achieve his plan for the salvation of humanity, through her cooperation). POPE FRANCIS' HOMILY REFLECTION ON THE 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, MORNING PRAYER OF CONSECRATION TO MOTHER MARY: "OH MY LADY.". Have you thought about this, that sin makes us old on the inside? Reflection on the Immaculate Conception Mothers, Artists, and Pain: Moon River and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Reflection from CWS member Jessica Mesman Griffith, originally published on Patheos.com My maternal grandfather was born on December 8, … COLLECT PRAYER. Perfectly corresponding to God’s plan for her, Mary then becomes the “all beautiful”, the “all holy”, but without the slightest shadow of complacency. Let us set aside all fear and dread, for these do not befit men and women who are loved. Some people confuse it with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the ‘yes’. The Immaculate Conception is the conception of Mary. Let’s think: I, today, what ‘yes’ must I say to God? The uncontaminated beauty of our Mother is incomparable, but at the same time it attracts us. This feast was celebrated in the Eastern church as early as the seventh century. HOMILY THEME: Feast of Immaculate Conception : THE SECRET OF MARY! Instead, let us experience the joy of encountering that grace which transforms all things. And this is grace, it is gratuitous, it is a gift of God. She immediately makes her whole being and her personal history available to God, so that the Word and the will of God may shape and bring them to fulfilment. If we wish to reflect deeper on the Immaculate Conception, the obvious place to go is the Mass text for the feast. “Here I am” is the prayer. Mary, as today’s Gospel reading shows us, does not stand out in appearance: from a simple family, she lived humbly in Nazareth, a village practically unknown. To return to Lourdes. There is only one thing that makes us age, grow old interiorly: not age, but sin. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary this year is very special to me: It is the 19th Anniversary of the first time I received Jesus, through my First Communion (December 8, 1997). We have to put mercy before judgment, and in any event God’s judgement will always be in the light of his mercy. She is certain that with the Lord, even if in an unexpected way, everything will be fine. The Eastern Orthodox and other Churches do not celebrate this feast; they do not accept the doctrine either. Today we consider the beginning of this fulfilment, which is even before the birth of the Mother of the Lord. God is Father, the most tender of fathers, and desires his children’s trust. In the magnificent hymn that opens the Letter to the Ephesians (see 1:3-6, 11-12), St Paul makes us understand that every human being is created by God for that fullness of holiness, for that beauty of which the Madonna was clothed from the beginning. In fact, her immaculate conception leads us to that precise moment when Mary’s life began to palpitate in her mother’s womb: already there was the sanctifying love of God, preserving her from the contagion of evil that is the common inheritance of the human family. WHY IS SATURDAY DEDICATED TO HONOR MOTHER MARY? She was favoured by a singular action of the Holy Spirit so as to always remain in perfect relationship with her Son, Jesus. Even the greatest saints were sinners and everything in reality, even the most beautiful things, are corroded by evil: everything, except Mary. Mary’s virginal conception of Jesus reflects God’s omnipotence. However, the Lord, dear brothers and sisters, suffers when we respond to him as Adam did: “I was afraid, and I hid myself”. Let us entrust ourselves to her and say “no” to sin and “yes” to Grace once and for all. 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B HOMILY REFLECTION: TEACH ME YOUR WAYS. WHAT IS HOLINESS AND WHAT DOES CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACH ABOUT OUR VOCATION TO HOLINESS? Do you know who? Phone: 724-863-9550 For each of us too, there is a history of salvation made up of ‘yeses’ and ‘nos’. Before calling her ‘Mary’, he calls her full of grace, and thus reveals the new name that God has given her and which is more becoming to her than the name given to her by her parents. the love and call of God. She is a masterpiece, whilst remaining humble, small, poor. She is humble. Today’s liturgical feast celebrates one of the wonders of the story of salvation: the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Read the Importance of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Our Catholic Life for the 2017 Reflection on this Marian Feast.. Here I am is the key phrase for life. In many paintings Mary is depicted as seated before the Angel with a small book in her hand. She is God’s “sign of favour to the Church at its  beginning, and the promise of its perfection as the Bride of Christ, radiant in beauty.” For a world that has no hope apart from God, the Immaculate Conception affirms that sin can be overcome, that the sin that weighs down the Church will be conquered by Jesus Christ, and the Church will one day be radiant in beauty. The Gospel, which recounts the episode of the Annunciation, helps us to understand what we are celebrating, above all through the Angel’s greeting. To not enjoy life in each passing moment – no, this is the worldly sense. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It means that, in her, full of grace from the start, there is no space for sin. There are also more general prefaces in use for weekdays or when there is no special occasion, feast or season. HOMILY SOURCE: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/12/08/pope_francis_homily_for_inauguration_of_the_jubilee/1192758 (Bold letters mine to highlight important ideas). And when we turn to her, we too recognize this beauty: we invoke her, “full of grace”, without a shadow of evil. I want to reflect with you on this mystery, so that we can appreciate its significance in salvation history. The famous “yes, but …”; “yes, Lord, but …”. And so, for the entire course of her earthly life, Mary was free from any stain of sin, she was the “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), as the angel called her. Dear Brothers and Sisters, good afternoon! But can one go further? Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning and happy Feast Day! Each one is in need and has to receive grace as a gift. She trusts in God. - Catholics Striving For Holiness, POPE FRANCIS' 2020 REFLECTION ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY - Catholics Striving For Holiness. This was possible thanks to her “yes”. Readings & Reflections with Cardinal Tagle’s Video: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8,2020. First, the “Immaculate Conception” means that when God created the Blessed Virgin Mary, He created her without sin. Here I am, Lord, today let your will be done in me! O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a … How much wrong we do to God and his grace when we speak of sins being punished by his judgment before we speak of their being forgiven by his mercy (cf. – Her names of praise are remembered. REFLECTION – “If, as the Apostle declares, faith is nothing else than the substance of things to be hoped for” (Heb 11:1) everyone will easily allow, that our faith is confirmed and our hope aroused and strengthened, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin. The Lord is with you.” Like the Assumption, our celebration of Mary’s Immaculate Conception tells us something very important about our common humanity: that is, humanity as man was meant to bear… It does not pay to be clever – to continually postpone a serious evaluation of one’s own life, taking advantage of the Lord’s patience. Bernadette asked her who she was, and the lady in white said in the local dialect, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”. He was made equal to us in every way, except one thing, that ‘no’. The idea that Mary was presented in the Temple as a young girl is making the same point: Mary always belonged to God. Let us ask her to help us to remain youthful, by saying ‘no’ to sin, and to live a beautiful life, by saying ‘yes’ to God. Sin ages, because it hardens the heart. God has always thought of her and wanted her in his inscrutable plan, to be a creature full of grace, that is, full of his love. Full of grace she was to be a worthy mother of your Son. These truths are not a complete account of all God’s favours to Mary. With generosity and trust, like Mary, let us say today, each of us, this personal ‘yes’ to God. By Madeline Puente ’17. Being with God does not magically resolve problems. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy feast day! And if she is entirely inhabited by God, there is no room within her for sin. But faced with problems, Mary places her trust in God. And she trusts. Then, explain the doctrine: from the first moment of her existence Mary was free from any stain of sin. The Immaculate Conception . JESUS BEING CALLED A MADMAN (Mk 3:20–21 ). “I am the Immaculate Conception” is clearly a confirmation for the Church of the proclamation of Pius IX in 1854. Grace, in other words, cannot be inherited. In the first reading there is the man who, at the origin, says no to God, and in the Gospel there is Mary who, at the Annunciation, says yes to God. These two passages lead us to the origin of good and evil. And problems began immediately: let us imagine the irregular situation according to law, to Saint Joseph’s torment, the life plan tossed aside, what the people would have said…. Minute Reflections – AmericanCatholic.org. This grace given her is an act of God’s perfect and gratuitous mercy. Here is the consecration prayer that Our Lady gave us through Jelena. No. She lives by entrusting herself to God in all things and for all things. To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them. 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B MASS PRAYERS AND READINGS. Today let us look joyfully at her, full of grace. And what Mary had from the beginning, will be ours in the end, after we have passed through the purifying “bath” of God’s grace. and the promise of its perfection as the bride of Christ, radiant in beauty. Yet, in order to be filled it is necessary to make room, to empty oneself, to step aside. We carry out this act, so simple yet so highly symbolic, in the light of the word of God which we have just heard. The Church is to be patterned on Mary: she is chosen uniquely to be our advocate and our pattern in holiness. Immaculate Conception Church 308 Second Street Irwin, PA 15642. Each of us has a collection of them within. The Author: Katherine O’Malley calendar_today Date: November 27, 2020 - 2 minutes read. In passing through the Holy Door, then, may we feel that we ourselves are part of this mystery of love. Today we gather to celebrate Mary being conceived without the stain of original sin. ANGELUS ADDRESSDec. But it is still a big mouthful. They passed through the “narrow door” that leads to life (see Lk 13:24). There can be some confusion about the meaning of this doctrine. The Immaculate Conception: Is defined like this….. 490 To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role. Carmel, On the 25 March in 1858 the twelve-year old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous felt drawn to the grotto where a beautiful lady had been appearing to her frequently since 11 February that year. So much so that the Word became flesh in her. Purest of virgins, she was to bring forth your Son. NEW GUIDE TO HOLY ROSARY WITH "SUB TUUM PRAESIDIUM" AND ST. MICHAEL PRAYERS. By dwelling with God, in dialogue with him in every circumstance, Mary made her life beautiful. It would be beautiful to say each morning: “Here I am, Lord, today let your will be done in me”. The Church today compliments herself with Mary by calling her ‘all fair’, tota pulchra. However, she, full of grace, lived a beautiful life. We will have our Mass this weekend professionally recorded in the church and emailed to you Saturday afternoon. Rather, she was Jesus’s disciple: His Mother and disciple. WEDNESDAY 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME GOSPEL, COMMENTARY AND READING. In this Advent journey, God wishes to visit us and awaits our ‘yes’. Each of us, looking within ourselves, sees dark sides. He waits for us, He is always ready to give us grace. It is an extraordinary thing, because everything in the world, regrettably, is contaminated by evil. But this is a great mistake; it is the temptation of the origins, the temptation of the devil: weaving mistrust in God. In her is reflected the beauty of God which is all love, grace, gift of self. Let us take advantage of the present moment! Only four years earlier Pius IX had defined the Immaculate Conception as a dogma of faith. Reflection for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, December 8 The reflection below was written by Sr. Anne-Louise Nadeau, SNDdeN for our Advent-Christmas 2016 reflection booklet, Journey Towards Justice: Reflections for Advent & Christmas 2016. SATURDAY 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME GOSPEL, COMMENTARY AND READING. She does not think: “I will dedicate myself partly to him, I will deal with it and then I will do what I want”. Here I am opens one to God, while sin closes, isolates, causes one to be alone with oneself. When we say full of grace to Mary, in a certain sense we are telling her this too, at the highest level. We may be able to deceive people, but not God; He knows our hearts better than we ourselves do. 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