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Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

The liturgy of the Mass of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary puts before us the Gospel of the Annunciation in which Mary consents to be the mother of the Saviour. This is altogether appropriate. In a word, Mary was conceived immaculate to prepare her to be the mother of God. So what does this event of the Annunciation tell us about Mary?

First of all the Annunciation tells us that Mary was a young woman who shared the messianic expectation of her people. Like them, she was waiting for a saviour. She was open, then, to the coming of God into her life. She could not have dreamed just how much God would come into her life, inviting her to be the mother of the saviour so much longed for by her people. During Advent we look for the coming of the Lord. It seems to me that if, like Mary, we are open to the Lord coming into our life, God will come into our lives generously and fully, more than we ever expected, and we will be blessed, gratified and gladdened by God’s nearness. This is the experience of the saints and holy people. It can be ours too. It needs to be ours if we want to bring God and his love to others through our work for this Church.

When the angel Gabriel explained the purpose of his visit to her, Mary perceived the truth of the angel’s message. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be will be holy and will be called Son of God.” The Annunciation shows us that Mary’s faith was so deep that she could readily perceive the truth and the meaning of the angel’s message. This was greater than mere logic. It was the perception of God’s truth and purpose by the religious imagination of a person whose faith is second nature to her.

In this respect, it strikes me that the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception itself is not the product of mere deduction from a few biblical texts. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception comes from the Catholic religious imagination which, guided by the sacred scriptures and by the insights of tradition, realises with certainty and clarity that there is no place for any sin in the woman who gave birth to the Incarnate Son and who is so deeply associated with his mission, such that, as we heard in the first reading from the Book of Genesis, the Lord God warned the father of lies, “I will you enemies of each other, your offspring and her offspring. It will crush your head and you will strike her heel.” More than ever, the messengers of the Gospel today need that religious imagination, that perception of the truth of God’s purpose, so that we can touch the hearts of other people and bring them the light of faith, the vision of hope and the joy of love.

And when she had satisfied herself that the angel’s message made sense within the grasp of her faith in God’s purpose, Mary made her decision. She did not need to consult anyone else. She was sure. She was her own person and she was ready to give her life to God’s purpose for her. “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you have said be done to me.” No wonder we call her the model and exemplar of the Church. No wonder we call her the first of the believers. No wonder we call her the Mother of the Church. Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.

St. Ninian's Gourock