Homily for the feast of the Immaculate Conception – 2019
GN 3:9-15, 20 PS 98 EPH 1:3-6, 11-12 LK 1:26-38
The Immaculate Conception of the BVM is the Patronal feast of the US. How much we need this fest. It calls us to purity of heart as a Nation. That we would live under the protection of the BVM and imitate her specialness by how we function as a People, that is to live in Godliness. This is the style of life we want to live and promote in the world.
We want to put this feast and the whole liturgical year we’ve just begun in the context of the Feast of Christ the King. Truly the feast of Christ the King IS the beginning and the end of each year. Almost like Quotation marks for the Year. Of course, We must see all things in light of Christ our King.
Jesus is the Son of Man – he is the Logus – the Word of God who became flesh in our world. And in Him all things came to be. Salvation history is the unfolding of God’s plan for creation to be restored to the image of God in which all things have been created. Karl Radner’s words at Vigils says it all to us. We celebrate the gift of God’s very life to us through Christ. This feast today is one of the important moments in God’s plan, it’s the immediate beginning of the Christ Event, that has led to the Incarnation and Nativity of Christ and to his death and resurrection so that now Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Salvation has been accomplished.
Mary was chosen to be made ready from her conception to be the mother of God, freed from sin.
What is this truth teaching us? That we are all chosen for something special in this plan of God as Salvation is being lived out, being brought to fulfillment in the hearts and lives of every person. Everyone is special to God and has a role to live out in the Body of Christ, as we each have been called to be Christ in the world. Mary had her role, we have ours. Do you know and accept what your role is?
St. Paul’s word in Ephesians is saying this in clear language. We are chosen, we have God who is accomplishing His Will for all humanity in us. All to live in praise of God’s Glory. Our poor lives give glory to God.
We know that God fulfills the promise, this feast and our lives of faith, are actions that are part of the promise fulfilled. God brings us Christ to give us every spiritual blessing in the heavens. As we give praise to God’s glory. As Mary found favor with God, so God has found favor with you and me. So, we are God’s adopted sons and daughters in Christ Jesus. Like Mary we are chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy. We believe, we have faith in Christ.
Mary is a prime model of doing God’s will and giving God glory. Her powerful song of praise says it all. My soul proclaims the greatest of the Lord. Let us too, proclaim by our lives the greatness of the Lord. Mary teaches us how. It’s responding to grace at every turn. Always attentive to the will of God.
We need to hear the age-old declaration – Do Not be Afraid. Accept what God proposes and do it. Our respond to God in faith is that continual reversal the sin of Adam and Eve. By choosing God we each act out the reversal and the move to the fulfillment of the Kingdom.
We never have to fear God’s intervention in our lives, but welcome it, long for it. We want to live in the light of grace. We celebrate Mary because She always did so, and we want to be like her.
