REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD – 12/8/21 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

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Blessed Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! The dogma of the Immaculate Conception is one of the four Marian dogmas that speaks of Mary who was conceived in the womb of St. Anne, and Mary was kept free for her entire life from the first moment of her conception, without the stain of sin. This is why in the Gospel reading, the angel Gabriel greeted her by saying, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." St. Gabriel was honoring Mary whose holiness even excelled that of the angel and because of being full of grace, she did not have any stain of sin. 

The angel spoke to her and told her not to be afraid as Mary received her mission of becoming the Mother of God. Why should she not be afraid? It's because the Lord is with her, not just at the moments of her joy but during the moments of her sufferings as well. As she pondered the revelation she received, she trusted in the plan of the Lord. In our lives, we may be afraid to follow His plan because of the failures and sufferings that we may experience. We may also want to know everything before we act on it, and that's why we're discouraged when there are uncertainties. The Lord is inviting us to have confidence and faith in Him and His Providence similar to our Holy Mother Mary. 

Because Mary made the vow of perpetual virginity, she asked the angel as to how her motherhood could be possible. It's important to remember that she was not asking because of her doubts but because in humility, she desired to know and ponder upon the purpose that God had for her. Unfortunately, there are times we forget to ask God and include Him in our decision making and discernment because we may be trusting our own wisdom. We should follow the example of Mary who sought to find answers through the Divine Wisdom as communicated by the angel rather than our own limited understanding. 

Let us always find time to reflect and meditate on the Scriptures to know His message for us. Let us discern His will and plan for us in our prayers. Let us frequent the sacraments as we receive Jesus in the Mass and His mercy in confession, so we may be filled with grace. Let us pray the rosary, so that we may obtain the graces necessary to imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

 Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May God bless us and may He help us to live in His presence without sin. May He grant us grace to discern His will and trust Him through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen. + 

Reflection by: Dominic