The Immaculate Conception

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us." This short prayer contains the essence of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, defined as a dogma of the Church in 1854 by Pope Pius IX, but believed for centuries by Christians in the East and West. It is often misinterpreted or misunderstood as the moment when Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit, but it refers to the moment when Mary herself was conceived in the womb of Anne, her mother. God saw it fitting that the mother-to-be of his Son, Jesus, should be spotless and without sin from the first instance of her existence. Hence the Scriptures can extol her by accommodation in this passage from the Book of Judith: "Blessed are you, our God, who today have brought to nought the enemies of your people.:...Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth." Mary is declared blessed, but the central figure is the Lord God, her creator. She is the chosen one through whom God's plan for our salvation would be accomplished, and as such is the model exemplar and disciple of all followers of Jesus. Not without great reason is this a major feast in our Marist World. St. Marcellin acknowledged Mary's role in the plan of salvation and thus chose as our motto: All to Jesus through Mary. We join with the entire Church in singing this refrain from the Divine Office: "You are all beautiful, O Mary, and there is no stain of orignial sin in you." May we be more conscious and appreciative of our Immaculate Mother Mary throughout this special day.
Bro. Rene