Today, Catholics around the world celebrate the
feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Pope Pius IX proclaimed this dogma
on 8 December 1854 in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. He
taught that Mary, from the first instant of her conception, received a singular
grace that preserved her from the stain of original sin in view of the merits
of Christ. The Church affirmed that this privilege was not separate from the
work of the Redeemer. It was the fruit of the same salvation offered to all,
applied to Mary in a unique and anticipatory way.
For today’s
feast, this teaching highlights two points. God always initiates salvation.
Divine grace comes before human response. Mary’s preservation from original sin
prepares her to be the mother of Jesus. The feast celebrates God’s generosity
and His fidelity to the promise in Genesis 3:14 15. It reminds us that the
Incarnation involves a real human yes, shaped by grace. Mary’s journey of faith
is a model. Her humble yes opened the way for the Word to enter the world.
After Adam and
Eve ate the fruit, they hid from God. Their reaction shows how sin isolates
and creates distance from God. Shame becomes the dominant response. In today’s
world, what was once considered sinful or shameful is often presented as
normal. The sense of guilt and shame is fading and is replaced by pride.
Genesis 3:9 uses a simple Hebrew word for the
question, Ayeka. It is usually translated as
"Where are you." Many people think God was asking for Adam’s
location. The Hebrew shows something deeper.
The verb "God
called" appears first. The form is va
yikra. This is a summons. God initiates contact. The question Ayeka does not seek a place. It seeks Adam’s
condition. In Hebrew, this kind of question often asks about a person’s state
before the one who speaks. It means, Where do you stand now in relation to me.
Adam’s reply exposes
the real issue. He says, "I heard your sound. I was afraid. I hid."
The verbs shama'ti, va'ira, and va'e chave
show a movement from hearing to fear and hiding. His posture has shifted. He no
longer has trust in God. He takes the posture of self-protection. The question from God
uncovers this change.
The deeper truth
is that God invites Adam to step out of concealment. The call is an offer
to speak honestly. It asks Adam to face what he has done. It asks him to return
to a truthful relation with God. The grammar and order of the words make this
clear. God seeks the person. God asks for the heart. God invites admission of
fear and wrongdoing.
Ayeka
remains a question of orientation. It asks, Where are you in relation to my
voice. It asks for an answer that includes responsibility and trust. It is not
a geographical request. It is a moral and relational summons.
Then comes Genesis 3:15, a text often
referred to as Protoevangelium . It is the first announcement of a future
victory over evil. God speaks to the serpent. The Hebrew reads, "I will
put hostility between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He
will bruise your head and you will bruise his heel."
The wording signals
more than a curse. It points to a future act of God. The phrase "her
seed" is unusual in Hebrew. Lineage is normally traced through the
man. This rare expression hints at a unique offspring. The verb for striking
the head shows a decisive blow. The serpent’s strike at the heel shows a
limited harm.
Tradition reads this
as the first pointer to Christ. The early Church linked the woman with Mary and
the victorious seed with Jesus. The text shows a long arc. Evil will wound but God
will secure the final defeat of evil through a descendant of the woman. One of
the key messages of the apparition of Mother Mary is not only the call the prayer
and penance for forgiveness of sins but she said that in the end Her Immaculate
Heart will triumph.
For today’s feast
this matters. The promise in Genesis prepares the ground for the grace Mary
received. She stands within this ancient world. Her “Yes” allows the promised
seed to enter history. The Immaculate Conception highlights God’s preparation.
Mary is preserved from sin so that the promised victory can unfold in her Son.
The Protoevangelium shows that God responded to human
failure with hope. God acted before humanity asked. The feast today celebrates
that early promise taking flesh in Mary and reaching fulfillment in Christ.
The Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians reminds us
that God plan of salvation rooted in eternity. Paul writes that God blessed,
chose, and predestined us to be holy. The
text uses words about gift and purpose. God’s intent and purpose point to favor
that is not earned. This is theology
that explains Mary’s place in salvation. God chooses the means and secures the
end. Grace is offered to those who humble themselves and put their trust in God’s
word.
The Gospel of Luke
brings us to Nazareth. There we meet Mary, ordinary Hebrew woman. The angel
greets her as "full of grace." The Greek form κεχαριτωμένη is rich. It shows a state formed by a prior act
of grace. That state is not a static title. It describes how God had already
held Mary within mercy from the first moment. That is the meaning behind the
feast of her Immaculate Conception.
Mary is
presented to us as the new Eve; where Eve listened to the seduction and
lies of the ancient serpent, Mother Mary chooses obedience to God, listens to
an angel. Eve and Adam hides from God. Mary offers herself to God. The contrast
highlights how God prepares a human heart to receive his Son. God invites us to
freely respond with “Yes” to His Word.
I want to stress Mary’s freedom in human terms.
Her assent involved risk. She risked scandal, being pregnant without officially
married. She risked misunderstanding in
her family and community. Her “yes” was an
acceptance of vocation offered by God. Her “Yes” came with challenges and struggle.
That honesty keeps her near us.
The Immaculate Conception is ordered to the
Incarnation. Mary is preserved from the stain of original sin so that the Word
could assume a pure human nature. Her role is not an end in itself. It serves
the mission of Jesus. That tender link keeps Marian devotion within
Christology.
This Advent season trains us to expect and to prepare a space for the Lord. Today our world faces weariness and division. Many live under the weight of isolation, fear, and distrust. Mary’s example speaks to us. Her trust did not prevent her from experiencing difficulties. Tradition speaks of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, though her sorrows were more than seven. She remained steadfast and kept all events in her heart. These acts show grace at work in her life. They form a Christian practice of presence. In families, parishes, and public life these steady practices can help rebuild trust in our relation with God and among ourselves.
God’s question echoes today: Where are you in
your relation to God. Are you hiding or are you ready to answer. The feast of
the Immaculate Conception reminds us that God reaches out first. God prepares
people for a mission. Mary’s response invites us to renew our Christian life.
Let us offer our yes. Let the Word find a home in our lives and families. Amen🙏🙏🙏
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