The celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary refers to the dogma that Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin in preparation for becoming the Mother of God, the son Jesus Christ. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church and was not defined as a dogma until 1854, by Pope Pius IX in the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus.
The primary theme portrayed in the celebration of this feast day is that Mary’s unique birth preannounces the arrival of Christ, the light of the world. From the very beginning, the Church has believed not only that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, but also that Mary was conceived without any stain of Original Sin by his parents Joachim and Anne.
This unique privilege enabled the Blessed Virgin Mary to fulfil perfectly her unique mission as the Mother of God. By holding unto such belief, the Church demonstrates the power of God to do all things according to his purpose. Through the celebration of Mary’s greatness, our faith is raised to contemplate the greatness of God who has done all things for the purpose of our salvation.
Sin and Salvation
The readings of today present us with the themes of sin and salvation. In this scenario, Mary is significant as one who points the way to salvation through her docility to God. In the first reading (Gen 3:9-15, 20), we are presented with the human tendency to sin through the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They disobeyed God by eating of the fruit God forbade them to eat.
In contrast to the tendency to disobedience, sin, and the fall of Adam and Eve, the gospel (Luke 1:26-38) presents us with Mary’s obedience, through which the salvation of human beings dawned on earth. The Angel came to Mary and announced the news of her immaculate conception through the Holy Spirit. The young maiden of Nazareth is depicted as one who completely surrendered to God’s will. “I am the handmaid of the Lord…”
Her steadfastness and attentive obedience to the word of God is one which is not limited to words of understanding but is deeply and personally involved. What strikes us about Mary is above all her lowliness and docility to the will of God. Mary’s sentiments in her meeting with the Angel are forcefully expressed in her yes – “Be it done to me as you will.” In St John Paul’s expression, “By her words and her silence the Virgin Mary stands before us as a model for our pilgrim way. It is not an easy way: as a result of the fall of our first parents, humanity is marked by the wounds of sin, whose consequences continue to be felt also among the redeemed. But evil and death will not have the last word!”
Christians and Mary
Mary is held up by the Church as a model for all Christians, above all in her holiness and purity and in her willingness to accept the plan of God for her. Mary is a witness to the victory of God’s Spirit in us over sin. That is why the faithful are enjoined to acknowledge Mary, imitate her, and ask for her intercession. Christians are called to recognize and respond to God’s call to their own vocation in order to carry out God’s plan for their life and contribute to God’s mission in the world. Mary’s obedience and docility are signified by her response to the Angel’s message: “Let it be done to me according to thy word.” This same response is required of all Christians to God’s Plan for them and to God’s mission in the world.
References – Homily of the Holy Father John Paul II, on the 150th anniversary of the solemn definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Blessed Pius IX in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, Sunday, 15 August 2004.
