Immaculate Mary

Monday, December 6th, 2021

On December 8th we celebrated the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This feast is telling us something special about the conception of Mary herself. It is also giving Mary to us as a role model for how we should live out our lives.

Deacon Lex Ferrauiola

Even as Mary was being conceived in her mother’s womb, God knew that she would always choose to live a life of total goodness; that at every decision point she would come to, Mary would always choose to say ‘yes’ to God’s grace and to his love. And because God had foreknowledge of Mary’s total goodness, he gave her a special gift at her conception: God told the angels that this little girl, this immaculate little soul, would always choose light over darkness, and love over hate; and because of her unselfishness, the world would come to hear the Word of God from the Christ-child that she would enable to be born.

Years later, as a young teenage girl, Mary was visited by an angel and given an amazing invitation: an invitation to be the mother of the Word of God made flesh; to be an instrument for changing the world forever. And Mary accepted and said, ‘yes’. But it could have been different.

Mary is a true role model for us. She was frightened; she had the freedom to say ‘no’ to God, but chose to say, ‘yes’. And because of Mary’s willingness to say, ‘yes,’ the Word of God became present in our world. And that Word of God is constantly inviting each of us, like Mary, to say, ‘yes’; to use the gift of our lives and our talents for the glory of God, and in loving service to others.

Let us journey through Advent like Mary by saying ‘yes’ to God’s grace and to his love. Let us see in the challenges of our personal lives and our daily work a call to follow in Mary’s footsteps, an invitation to consecrate every act of ours to God, from the simple task of washing a dish, to the intimacy we share with our loved ones, to the struggle of maintaining a loving relationship with a difficult person.

Let us see in everything we do, an invitation to make the Word of God present in our own little corner of the world.

Event Signup Forms
View Signup Forms