Advent is truly the Season of Mary, something we are reminded of this week and every day that leads up to the birth of Christ.
As we read in the Gospel today how Jesus confounded the “experts” of the day with his healing, I can’t help but think of how the humble Mary does the same for us today. She is a puzzle to some, but a healer of many as she intercedes for us and helps us do battle against our sinful ways.
I remember when I first noticed the statues of Mary … so beautiful, so blue and yet, she was standing on a snake – crushing it. That’s odd, I thought. Why would such a loving, peaceful woman bother to smash a slithery snake?
This week, when we observe the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, we have a perfect opportunity to ponder God’s perfect plan for our salvation, and how Mary and her perfection play such a key role.
Those living in Old Testament times were scattered, suffering, living under persecution with practically no hope for salvation. No hope, except for the stories and prophesies proclaiming that a Savior was to come in due time. But when? And how?
Then along came Gabriel, an angel, bearing some news to a young virgin girl named Mary. And the rest is history … Mary, the new Eve, who did not disobey God; but instead submitted to his “will be done,” thus providing that final chapter of the great plan of how she would become the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God, the Mother of The Church.
Of course, God did not simply choose any woman to bear His Son. No, she had to a perfect vessel to bear the New Covenant – much like the perfect vessel, the Ark, was built to house the Old Covenant. This woman, this Mary, had to be pure; without sin.
Which means she had to have been born without the stain of original sin, unlike every other human being that suffers the Original Sin passed on to us by Adam and Eve. And that means our great, all-knowing and all-loving Father in heaven had to create a perfect plan to bring about salvation. And so, he created Mary without sin … an Immaculate Conception … knowing full well that one day her perfect womb would bear His perfect Son.
Think about that a second. God’s plan was to make sure Jesus would be conceived inside a perfect person. Mary, through her innocence and obedience, participated from Day One, even if she did not realize it until Gabriel came knocking.
What does this mean for us today? Certainly in this Advent season, we should reflect on the need to perfect ourselves and purify our souls before Christmas Day – Confession anyone?
But if you think about it, perhaps we should take our Sunday reception of the Eucharist a bit more seriously. How?
If the consecrated Host and Cup are truly the Body, Soul and Divinity of the Son of God, then isn’t this Christ coming into our lives again? If the Eucharist is to be consumed into our bodies, where its power should grow and transform us into being “more like Him and less like Us,” isn’t that similar to how God planted His seed of salvation into Mary?
Mary would go on to give birth and give us Jesus, our Savior. Similarly, when we leave Mass on Sundays, we are charged with giving others Jesus throughout the week in our daily lives. If we are to be perfect bearers of Christ, should we not do all we can to purify our hearts before we present ourselves at Holy Communion. We pray each Sunday, Lord I am not worthy to receive you under my roof …
Well, isn’t time to get serious about making ourselves worthy of Christ, not just during Advent, but every day of our lives?
