May the Lord bless with grace, peace, and health in the Holy Spirit.
It is 08th December 2021. We conclude the Year of St. Joseph today. We celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42). The blessed among all women on earth and even all creation. She found favor with God. We too in a way a favored by God by the way we bring us and others near God.
We reflect on Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 and Luke 1:26-38.
At times we feel unnoticed doing good things, but we feel watched secretly by countless eyes from every side in doing the opposite.
God waits on us for our approval in doing good. As God waits, so sin wets our thoughts and action to move away from God. Always there is someone leads us away from God and to sin. We cannot blame the other and move around but to safeguard ourselves constantly to listen to the voice of the Lord like Mary. One woman nodded for the evil one to invade the humanity while another woman, Mary chided the evil one to submit to the plan of God by her unwavering Yes. Because of the courageous and silent acceptance of Mary, we too now enjoy the immunity over sin, shame, and guilt from sin. She became the instrumental in bringing us salvation and integral healing. We all invited by this feast to share the blessings brought by our Lady.
Mary’s conception could be understood in three states of her spiritual attainment. Her motherhood, purity and humility that offered Her the willingness and openness to accept God’s dream and plan for humanity by Her ‘Yes.’ Motherhood demands service, purity empowers to do the will of God and humility hikes our experience of God. Bodily as well as spiritual presence of an environment devoid of sin could become the possibility all because of her response to God.
The most favored One, the mother and fullness of all grace intercede for us all to live a life that please God. God bless you.