Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As the Ark of the Covenant that would carry His law and Covenant to the people of Israel was designed by God Himself to be perfect and flawless, so too was the "Ark of the New Covenant", our Blessed Virgin Mary! As ordained from the beginning of time, how perfect and pure by God's design must then be the vessel that would carry His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus!

On 8 December, 1854 in his Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX pronounced that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

Adam and Eve were created by God and were not born so our Blessed Mother Mary would then be the first person ever born without original sin; Jesus would be the second and last. Our new "Adam and Eve" in the New Covenant!

How much more then should we as Catholics strive to be less like Eve whose disobedience brought sin and death into our lives, and more like our Blessed Mother who with humility and grace submitted to the will of God! We should daily strive to remain as sinless and as full of grace as possible before we too receive the Body and Blood of Christ at mass!

Take a moment today to pray the Angelus:

THE ANGELUS

V- The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R- And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.

V- Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R- Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.

V- And the Word was made Flesh.
R- And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.

V- Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

More detailed information regarding questions of the Immaculate Conception and the Blessed Virgin can be found here:

http://phatcatholic.blogspot.com/2008/12/for-solemnity-of-immaculate-conception.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Mary.asp

The Blessed Virgin Mary

Immaculate Conception

May God Bless You All and May You All Bless God,

Bob