Our belief in the Immaculate Conception of Mary is that “from the first moment of her conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary was, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of Mankind, kept free from all stain of original sin.”
The observance of this feast began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX, when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, on December 8, 1854. Several years later, in 1858, the Blessed Mother gave her name to St. Bernadette at Lourdes stating, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
As God prepared the Blessed Mother for her calling to be the mother of Jesus, she still was given the opportunity to affirm this with her ‘yes’ at the Annunciation, Mary said to the Angel Gabriel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
We too are made by God and we too are called. Will we say yes? Yes to what God is inviting us to do? To be?
Dear Mary mother of God, today I honor and thank you for the witness that your life of grace provides. I ask that you please bring my
prayer to your son that I will receive the grace to know and
follow the will of the Father as you did.
Amen
Elise Frederick