Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Genesis 3:9-15.20; Ephesians 1:3-6.11-12; Luke 1:26-38)
Today’s reading from the Letter to the Ephesians tells of
God’s plan to make us His people. It says
that we were chosen before the world was founded. But the drama of salvation
begins in the first reading. Our ancestors are seen alienating themselves from
God and one another. The same alienation
due to sin keeps us from being a united people under God today.
God’s plan has an unexpected agent. In the gospel passage Mary is a young virgin
whose nature has been uncorrupted by sin.
She is actually asked whether she wants to participate in the drama of
salvation. Will she allow herself to be the
mother of God’s Son? It may arouse
suspicion of her virtue and even disgust from the self-exalted. But as right-minded as she is, how can she refuse
God’s request? Her acceptance of the
responsibility – “’May it be done to me according to your word’” -- leads to
the coming of Jesus and our eventual adoption into God’s family.
Today is given to contemplating this mystery. We should see Mary as not so different from
us. She is not hindered by selfishness,
but we can limit that disgrace by regularly denying ourselves in favor of others. More importantly, she is propelled by the
love of God. We too have a share in that
love through our Baptism. This is to say
that we, similar to Mary, might be agents of a united humanity under God’s care.
