The Promised One

 

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception  

of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

The Promised One 

The Catholic Church teaches dogmatically that Mary was conceived without  sin. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Through the centuries  the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, ‘full of grace’ through God  (Luke 1:28) was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what  the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed  in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her  conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of  the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from  all stain of original sin” (no. 491). 

Through the singular merit of Jesus Christ, Mary was preserved from sin in  anticipation of her role as the Mother of God. The Immaculate Conception is  not really about Mary. It is about Jesus. And Mary’s whole life was only about  Jesus. She was not only immaculately conceived; her heart is also immaculate  in its desire: only Jesus, always Jesus. It behooves us to do the same. 

Do you remember the last words Mary uttered in the Scriptures?  It was at the wedding of Cana. Mary became aware that the couple ran  out of wine. She presented this to her Son. And then, instructing the servants  to pay attention to Jesus, we hear her last words: “Do whatever he tells you”  (John 2:5). These are not simply words of instruction to a caterer. This is a  spirituality Mary the Immaculate proposes for every Christian believer.  One of the most beloved hymns dedicated to Mary has a line that says,  “She will show us the Promised One; she will show us the Promised One. Oh,  Mother of Jesus, be so kind as to show us the Promised One.”  The celebration of the Christmas season brings with it many distractions,  many distracting “promises.” Mary’s immaculate heart is a summons for us to  focus not on the superficial but on the essential of the season—the promised  One, only Jesus, always Jesus. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Is your heart locked in on the Promised One this Advent and Christmas season?

 

“O Mother of Jesus be so kind as to show us the Promised One. Amen! 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________