SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Theme: Faith and Love to Mary: Bring Hopeful

and Peaceful Advent

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Blessed Pope Pius IX proclaimed on December 8, 1854: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

We also celebrate the First Friday mass, and the season of Advent, the time of preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas and the start of the liturgical year in the Roman Catholic Church. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.

Indeed, today we will be beseeching the Holy Spirit to be with us and bless us as that we may all strive to be companion to one another on our journey towards growth in knowledge, wisdom and grace. In this season of advent may we learn, love, share and live our commitment as true Christians.

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a time to celebrate the great joy of God’s gift to humanity in Mary, and to recognize with greater clarity, the truth that each and every human being has been created by God to fulfill a particular mission that he and only he can fulfill.

“The word of the Lord came to me thus: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jeremiah 1:5-6)