Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lk 1:26-38

I asked the meaning of the Immaculate Conception to two brothers while we ate dinner yesterday. However, I received the answer,, “I am sorry. I forget.”

Pope Pius IX instituted this solemnity when he proclaimed as dogma the truth of Mary’s Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854, formally affirming the traditional belief of the Church that she was conceived free from the stain of original sin.

For getting the traditional belief about Immaculate Conception there are two theological understandings.

First, the understanding about the meaning of sin must precede. In the biblical aspect, the sin is the action that breaks the relationship between God and Human and destroys the unity of   community. In the first reading, Adam and Eve hide themselves when God call them because of their disobedience. By their action the relationship between the Father and them was broken. Catholic Church calls this kind of actions as sin. Today, the Catholic Church confesses Virgin Mary’s freedom from all sin. The meaning of St. Mary’s freedom from all sin should be understood by her life of faith. In today Gospel, she said “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.” Even she couldn’t understand the situation she obeyed and received the Will of God. St. Mary’s obedient connect again the relationship between the earth and the heaven, God and human. Her devotion for the plan of God’s salvation is the basic meaning of freedom from all sin.

The other theological understanding about Immaculate Conception is connected with ‘the stain of original sin.’ In the history of theological councils the meaning of it has been treated by many aspects. In this time, the stain of original sin is understood in the aspect of the human sociological science. Hence, human are living in the world which get stained by sin. Before our decision about good and evil we are already contracted evil. The benefit of worldly thing is going to be opposite with God. In this point, the meaning of St. Mary’s free from the stain of original sin is understood. Even though St. Mary also was living in the world, she was predestined as receiving the benefits of salvation from the moment of her conception. The subject of Immaculate Conception of Mary is God. She was predestined by God and was blessed by God from her conception. Our Father did this for accomplishment of Salvation for us. In today Gospel the angel Gabriel great Mary like this; Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God.

In our Christian life, St. Mary is a model for all Christians. Her Immaculate Conception seems the star of all Christians because when we are baptized, we become free from the stain of original sin. In the other word, in the spiritual approach, when we become Christian, we should live in the obedience to the Will of God which takes away the sin of the world.

Brothers let’s remind that we are also predestined by the blessing of God to live in not the world but the heaven from now and here as St. Mary had done.