December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Receiving & Sharing God’s Mercy                                       

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

Today we celebrate the unique privilege God granted to Our Lady—the fact that she was preserved from original sin from the very moment of her conception. Mary would come to live in a world marked by sin, but she was not touched by it: Mary is our sister in suffering, but not in evil or sin, because God had filled her with grace.

The Immaculate Conception signifies that Mary is the first one to be saved by the infinite mercy of the Father, which is the will of God for all of us. Celebrating this feast entails two things.

First: fully welcoming God’s merciful grace into our life especially through the Sacrament of Penance. We were not immaculately conceived but we can be recipients of God’s grace, his strength, his own divine life.

Second: becoming in our turn, instruments or channels of mercy to others, to bring joy into the life of our brothers and sisters, give them hope through our encouragement, by drying the tears of those who grieve. Our Lady would have certainly done this in Nazareth. We can well imagine people going to her with their questions, their doubts, their sorrows.

May Blessed Mary, the Immaculate, the Virgin Mother, the daughter of her Son, help us to rediscover mercy as the distinguishing mark of Christians. We cannot understand God without his mercy and we cannot understand a true Christian who is not merciful. Through the intercession of Immaculate Mary, may mercy take possession of our hearts and transform our whole life.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.