The devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Mother Mary grew gradually in the life of the Church. Christians first honored Mary’s holiness because of her unique role as the Mother of Jesus. The biblical root of this feast is found especially in the Gospel of Luke, where Mary is presented as a humble woman who listens to God’s Word, ponders it, and allows it to take flesh in her womb. We can also meditate on Luke 2:35, where Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul. Her heart is Immaculate because, although she suffered a lot, she kept all in her heart. The Church later developed this devotion, especially through the work of St. John Eudes (1648), who promoted the devotion to the two Hearts of Love of Jesus and Mary. It is quite beautiful to see that Jesus and Mary are now celebrated one after the other in the liturgical calendar.
Calling Mary the Immaculate
To speak of the “Immaculate Heart” is to speak of the interior life of Mary. Her heart is Immaculate because it is totally open to God, free from the division and selfish tendency caused by original sin. Mary is the perfect accomplishment of what St Paul says in Ephesians 1: 4: “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be Holy and immaculate in his eyes.” Mary is holy and immaculate because her entire life was completely offered to God. The Church sees in the heart of Mary a pure, faithful and maternal heart completely united with the saving mission of her son, Jesus.
Isaiah 61, 9-11 helps us understand Mary’s heart as a heart clothed with salvation. He writes: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.” Mother Mary is the woman whom God singularly clothed with grace. Her heart rejoices because it belongs completely to God. God’s promise of salvation took flesh in her heart. While in the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant symbolized God’s presence among His people, Mary became the new Ark of the Covenant when she allowed herself to be clothed with grace. As St Luke puts it: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”
The Gospel of Luke 2:41-51 reveals to us another dimension of the Immaculate Heart
Mary and Joseph went up to Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Passover. But on their return, they discovered that the child Jesus was not with them. For three days they searched for him in anxiety. When they found him in the Temple, Mary said: Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Mary did not understand everything immediately. Luke says that she kept all these experiences in her heart. Her heart remained faithful even in pain. In our world today, there are many families searching for their beloved ones. Missing children, some of whom suffer from child trafficking, remain a horrific reality. Although Jesus did not suffer such a fate, parents looking for their missing child can identify with Mary’s pain.
The relevance of the feast for us
To celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary today is to ponder this heart that experienced so much pain, from the risk of divorce by Joseph to the crucifixion and death of her son Jesus. This feast is a call to a renewed hope in God. Mary teaches us how to unite our sufferings and misunderstandings with her own experiences and the mystery of Jesus. She teaches us that holiness begins when we allow God’s grace to cover our lives. May we, like Mary, welcome God’s word, keep it in our hearts, put it into practice, and remain faithful even when the path is not clear.
