Happy Immaculate Conception of Mary Day. This is our national patroness of the United States of America–so we pray for our nation with her. I was told by a staff member how in their mother’s country, because of the Catholic Church there, this is a festival day, with much taking place. I said: “I am a bit jealous of that.” Here in this melting pot nation, even with Mary Immaculate being our Catholic patron, there are Masses going on, but not anything more visible than that in the culture. Some exceptions might be in some Hispanic parishes or in activities in the National Shrine in DC to Mary Immaculate. In any case, she remains our nation’s patron saint—something declared and decided on by the Church in America in 1846.
The archangel Gabriel said to Mary: “Hail, one full of grace…I announce: The Lord is with thee!” Luke 1:26-28.
The archangel was speaking what was true: Mary was a human in full grace. She was seen like an unspoiled Eve, a woman without sin. Thus, her womb was prepared by God for it to be the womb of coming Messiah, our God in flesh appearing, the Holy Babe. To that event, Mary said: “Let it be done unto me.” God then spoke it to happen. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us—first in Mary. She was the handmaid of the Lord and the Temple for the Lord’s coming—which was ironic, since she had served in Jerusalem’s Temple all through her years as a girl as a handmaid to the priests and elders. Now she herself was housing the Lord in her womb. In all godly purity, too.
This feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception takes place exactly nine months prior to the celebration of her birth date of September 8th. Now you know (or know again) why we have it observed on Dec. 8th. Mary will be given birth on September 8th to Joachim and Anne, but the conception takes place on this day on the calendar. December 8th.
Some people still get confused, since this Holy Day of Mary takes place near Christmas, it gets mistaken for being the conception day of Jesus—but you know that’s not it, nor is the math right—it’d be an 18 day pregnancy or a 383 day one! Of course, the countdown is for Mary’s Birth, as said on Sept. 8th and she is conceived to Saints Joachim and Ann, somewhere in or near Jerusalem, as their baby girl. With some divine secret going on—to later be understood. If Jesus is to be pure and free of original sin, then he will need to have a pure mother in all human respect.
The Catholic dogma states that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain. That’s what “immaculate” means: without stain. It’s important to understand what the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is and what it is not. We have said already that December 8th is not Jesus conception day. Another mistaken idea is that the Immaculate Conception means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” in the way how Jesus was, but that, too, is incorrect. Only Jesus has that happen to Him.
St. Ambrose and St. Augustine of the early Church helped define that we see that our theology and following of Christ needs to address our fallen human problem of original sin. The essence of original sin consists in one being deprived of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. You and I have that broken beginning. Yet, Mary was preserved from these defects. How so? By God’s grace; which we called prevenient grace. From the first instant of her existence, Mary was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature that which original sin brings. That helps her later in teenage years, as she remains holy, and God announces to her that she is receiving child in her. The angel Gabriel said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary. This special grace given to Mary at conception is at once permanent and of a unique kind. She keeps in that grace as she grows along. Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning “to fill or endow with grace.” Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. The angel didn’t bring the grace at this Annunciation, yet Gabriel announces what he sees to be so.
In fact, Mary was holy from the first moment in her mother’s womb all the way until her being assumed into heaven as an adult in her 50’s, when she finishes her earthly life. Catholics hold that Mary was in a state of sanctifying grace from the moment alpha to moment omega of her existence.
Dec. 8th falls on a Sunday in 2024, so since the four Advent Sundays readings and prayers are fixed, special Masses for Mary could be moved to this Monday the 9th—normally St. Juan Diego’s Day. He was the first American to see Mary in person, in Mexico City at Guadalupe. The Mary seen in apparition was the same Holy Mary, Mother of God, come to us in Immaculate Conception and gone heavenward in Blessed Assumption. The Immaculate Mary, conceived without sin, is our national feast day of the USA, going back to 1846. The national shrine of our patroness is here in Washington DC on the Catholic University campus. I once worked a year of weekends there, on a seminary apostolate assignment. One of my favorite displays there is the Immaculate Conception tile mosaic that is placed near the main sacristy entrance. It is beautiful and befitting of her. I also like the east and west roof mosaics up on the roof showing creation on one side and the return of Christ on the other—with that west window showing Mary as the New Eve leading her children up to Christ in Glory, Who appears like a glorious young man, coming through clouds. Revelation 1:7 says: “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him,” It follows the prophecy of Daniel 7:13 which says “behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man.” I also like the pregnant Mary in the main west transcept. Happy Feast Day.
PRAYER Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves to our sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by the sword of sorrow prophesied by Simeon, save us from degeneration, disaster and war.
