Jesus saves us all including, Mary his Mother (Luke 1:44)
In the Catholic Church, four dogmas refer to Mary: 1) the Perpetual Virginity; 2) Divine Motherhood; 3) Immaculate Conception; 4) Assumption into Heaven. This feast is different from the virginal conception of Jesus. The immaculate conception is an expression of the Catholic faith. Mary was preserved by God from sin at the conception and throughout her life. Mary is not sinless by nature but by grace. Unlike Jesus who is sinless by nature as he is the God who created and redeemed his own Mother. Mary herself calls Jesus, her “Saviour” (Luke 1:47ff). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that she was “redeemed in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son” (CCC #492) The Virgin Mary is the most fully redeemed of all creatures. She is “fully of grace” (Kecharitomene) (Luke 1:28). Henceforth, she is an exception to the phrase: “for all have sinned and fallen short of God’s grace…” (Rom. 3:23). Pope Puis IX explains that this was “a single and unique privilege” for God even promised to put enmity between Satan and the Woman, that is Mary (Genesis 3:15). In Immaculate Conception of Mary, the focus is not Mary, but the perfect celebration of Jesus’ works of redemption in her. In the immaculate conception of Mary we see the fulness and the perfection of Christ’s redemptive work from the moment he made her. She is conceived without the stain of sin; she is full of grace from the moment she is conceived. Therefore she is the perfect instrument of Christ's redemptive works in our life for we need a mother to make it to heaven. Mary is the exemplar for us and the new creation as she is indeed the new Ark of the Covenant (Revelation 11: 19 ff). The immaculate conception is about God’s powerful grace to save humanity. It calls us to seek for holiness, to strive to be perfect as our Father is perfect. Whenever we live faithfully and virtuously, we raise up our fallen humanity. I pray that like Mary, you will be a “better Eve” of obedience and faithfulness to God. Eve chased us away from the garden due to her disobedience but Mary brought us back to the garden through her obedience. Queen conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee! May we all strive to have immaculate hearts, hearts ready for God; hearts that listen to God's word; hearts that are opened to accomplish God’s plan.
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee
FR. Georges sac