From the desk of the pastor for Dec. 8, 2024

The Lord be with you! Usually, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Since this year December 8th falls on a Sunday, however we are celebrating this feast on Monday, December 9th, and it is a holy day of obligation. We will have Masses at 8:15AM, 11:15AM, and 6:45PM that day; please join us!

But, what are we celebrating? Who was immaculately conceived? Mary. Although many Catholics believe that the Immaculate Conception refers to Our Lord’s Incarnation, in reality the Immaculate Conception celebrates when Mary was conceived without original sin.

In AD 1854 Pope Pius IX dogmatically defined this doctrine in his papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. One might wonder why such a cherished belief of the Church took so long to receive an official definition. The simple answer is that it took about a millennium for the right theologian to appear. In the fourteenth century John Duns Scotus worked out a way of understanding how at the moment of her conception Mary could be redeemed by Christ. Previously, most theologians would only state that she was sanctified fully the second after her conception. We should note that the Church has always professed that Mary was without sin. What Duns Scotus realized was that due to Mary’s unique role in salvation history the LORD could apply the graces of His Paschal Mystery to her while cre-ating her.

This doctrine helps us to see that Mary is truly the New Eve. Whereas the first Eve was created physically from the side of Adam, Mary was created spiritually from the pierced side of Christ upon Calvary. In effect Mary was baptized in Christ at the very moment of her conception. This grace was given to Mary in a truly marvelous way - God gave her the sanctifying grace from Calvary before Calvary had transpired in time! As the Mother of God and the Mother of All Believers, this special grace is most fitting for her.

Believe it or not, there are a number of saints that we believe were born without original sin. St. Joseph and St. John the Baptist are the most famous and easiest to under-stand - Joseph the just man and John’s leaping in the womb of Elizabeth. These two men had their original sin forgiven after their conception so their immaculate births get far less attention.

As we celebrate Mary’s complete freedom from sin, we should remember our own rebirth in God’s grace. What the LORD did for her through a unique work of mercy, He has done for all those who are baptized. Frequenting the sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful way to prepare ourselves for Christmas and imitate Our Lady’s purity. May she who crushes the serpent’s head inspire us all to reject sin and embrace God’s Mercy.

In His Sacred Heart,

Fr. John