Understanding Mary’s Immaculate Identity – Sep 26 – Homily – Fr Bernard

 

Fr Bernard gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Sep 26, 2025, for the opening mass of the 2025 MIM Retreat where he explores the crucial importance of recognizing Jesus' divine identity and parallels it with understanding Mary's role as the Immaculate (the theme of the retreat), while reflecting on the Church as the glorious new temple prophesied in Scripture.

Father opens with the greeting "Praise be Jesus and Mary," emphasizing the vital question from Luke 9:18-22 where Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" He notes that many today see Jesus merely as a historical figure with opinions, but recognizing Him as the Son of God makes His words divine truth and the path to salvation. This ties into the retreat's theme, inspired by St. Maximilian Kolbe's question, "Who are you, O Immaculate?" Father explains that love for Our Lady depends on knowing her identity, privileges, and role in God's plan. Turning to the first reading from Haggai 2:1-9, He interprets the prophecy of the temple's greater future glory as foreshadowing the New Testament fulfillment in Jesus' body, Mary as temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Church as the new temple. Quoting 1 Peter 2:5, He describes believers as living stones in this edifice. Father highlights the Church's infinite glory in its sacraments, grace, martyrs, doctrine, Eucharistic presence, Mary as mother, and its threefold states: militant, suffering, and triumphant. Baptism inserts us into Christ's mystical body, the Church. He calls us to invoke Mary, Mediatrix of all graces (CCC 969), to deepen our grasp of her mystery and fulfill her mission of forming us like Jesus.

For Further Reading:

Haggai 2:1-9 - NAB - Future glory of the temple - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/haggai/2?1
Luke 9:18-22 - NAB - Who do people say I am - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9?18
1 Peter 2:5 - NAB - You as living stones - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/2?5
St. Maximilian Kolbe - Who are you O Immaculate - https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/who-are-you-o-immaculate-conception/
Catechism of the Catholic Church #490 - Immaculate Conception doctrine explained - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/490.htm
Catechism of the Catholic Church #969 - Mary as Mediatrix role - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/969.htm
Catechism of the Catholic Church #756 - Church as God's temple - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/756.htm
Catechism of the Catholic Church #954 - Three states of Church - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/954.htm
Franciscan Media - Profile of St Maximilian - https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-maximilian-mary-kolbe/

00:00 – Opening Praise Greeting
00:10 – Jesus Questions Disciples
00:46 – Knowledge Shapes Importance
01:42 – Retreat Theme Introduced
02:52 – First Reading Haggai
04:23 – Church as Temple
05:17 – Glory in Sacraments

Ave Maria!

Readings: Saturday 25th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/092625.cfm
1st: zec 2:5-9, 14-15
Resp: jer 31:10-13
Gsp: luk 9:43-45

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lyGbHgADkbg