Immaculate Conception is Mary’s Privilege; To Love Her is Ours – Dec 09 – Homily – Fr Josemaria

 

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec 09, 2019*), Fr. Josemaria explains the unique privilege of the Blessed Virgin Mary, recognized by the Church as a dogma of the true faith. Addressing misunderstandings perpetuated even today in popular culture, Father dismantles the objections to one of the "great things" that "the Almighty has worked in [her]" (cf. Lk 1:49), and invites us to be grateful to the Almighty for having such a Mother to love.

Ave Maria!

* Observed this year in the USA on Monday, Dec 09 since the traditional date of Dec 08 fell on the Second Sunday of Advent, which takes liturgical precedence.

References:

Pius IX's Ineffabilis Deus: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9ineff.htm

- Typology: “Reading the N.T. in light of the O.T”  (Cf. CCC. 128-130). In particular:

The Church, as early as apostolic times, and then constantly in her Tradition, has illuminated the unity of the divine plan in the two Testaments through typology, which discerns in God's works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in the fullness of time in the person of his incarnate Son (CCC. 128)

- Adam and Eve created “very good” (Gen. 1:31) (Hebrew tov meod).

- St. Paul calls Christ the New Adam (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:45);

- CCC 411: […] many Fathers and Doctors of the Church have seen the woman announced in the Protoevangelium as Mary, the mother of Christ, the "new Eve". Mary benefited first of all and uniquely from Christ's victory over sin: she was preserved from all stain of original sin and by a special grace of God committed no sin of any kind during her whole earthly life.

 - CCC 89: There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.

- For more on the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe: https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/articles/

Mass: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120919.cfm
1st: Gn 3:9-15, 20
Resp: Ps 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4
2nd: Eph 1:3-6, 11-12
Gsp: Lk 1:26-38

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