Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore


 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head...” (Gen 3:15)

REFLECTION

The first reading taken from the book of Genesis we see an  extremely important verse that indicates that it was in God’s plan for our redemption that his Son should take flesh from a human mother. The Catholic Church understands the “woman” here to allude to Mary and her “offspring” is Jesus, the Messiah. Many inspiring pictures of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady in general show her crushing a serpent under her foot.

Mary"s willingness to play her part in salvation history began when she said “Here am I” (Lk 1:38) ‘the Word became flesh and lived among us’ (Jn 1:14). By becoming the mother of the Saviour she became a mother to all the saved.

It was not only Mary who was foreseen in the beginning.

Through the second reading St Paul reminds us: ‘He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world’ and we too were meant ‘to be holy and blameless before him in love’ (Eph 1:4).

In this regard Mary is a great role model for us. That is why the Church honours her purity and virtuousness today through the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

The Holy Scripture testifies to this Immaculate nature of our Blessed Mother through the words of Angel Gabriel to Her, “Hail, FULL of Grace!” (Lk 1:28)

Thus, the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother points to Her sinlessness, Her being full of Grace, Her perfection in holiness and Her absolute adherence to the Will of God.

“Yes, Lord… Thy Will be done” (Lk 1:38) was a chorus that She sang in all the moments of life!

Today, on this Feast day, our Blessed Mother invites and exhorts us, also...
to choose God, always, and lead a sinless life
to always opt for God alone, at all times, and being immaculate in life
to unswervingly be faithful to God’s Will, and thus seek to be perfect in life

The challenge is great... the efforts required are radical.

But we are not left alone in this “pursuit of holiness” (1 Cor 9:24)

Our Blessed Mamma - the Beautiful Lady in blue and white - graced in holiness and immaculate in
love - holds our hands and tells us: “My Little Child, I am with you!
I love you, and together, we shall walk in this exciting path of Holiness...
towards My Son and Your Brother
towards Our Saviour Jesus!”

RESOLUTION

Yes, may we give heed to the loving call of our Blessed Mother - the Greatest Monument of the
Grace of God - and be fervent and zealous to lead a holier life, pleasing to God!

Happy Feast of our Immaculate Mamma!

God bless you all and lead you to the pursuit of Holiness.