Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Immaculate Mary


         On December 8th we are celebrating the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This feast is telling us something special about the conception of Mary herself. It is also giving us Mary as a role model for how we should live our lives.
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         Even as Mary was being conceived in her mother’s womb, God knew that she would always choose to live a life of total goodness; that at every decision point she would come to, Mary would always choose to say ‘yes’ to God’s grace and to his love. And because God had foreknowledge of Mary’s total goodness, he gave her a special gift at her conception: God told the angels that this little girl, this immaculate little soul, would always chose light over darkness, and love over hate; and because of her unselfishness, the world would come to hear the Word of God from the Christ-child that she would enable to be born.
         Years later, as a young teenage girl, Mary was visited by an angel and given an amazing invitation: an invitation to be the mother of the Word of God made flesh; to be an instrument for changing the world forever. And Mary accepted and said, ‘yes’. But it could have been different.
         Mary is a true role model for us. She was frightened; she had the freedom to say ‘no’ to God, but chose to say, ‘yes’. And because of Mary’s willingness to say, ‘yes,’ the Word of God became present in our world. And that Word of God is constantly inviting each of us, like Mary, to say, ‘yes’, to use the gift of our lives and our talents for the glory of God and in loving service to others.
         Let us journey thru Advent like Mary by saying, ‘yes’ to God’s grace and to his love. Let us see in the challenges of our personal lives and our daily work a call to follow in Mary’s footsteps, an invitation to consecrate every act of ours to God, from the simple task of washing a dish, to the intimacy we share with our loved ones, to the struggle of maintaining a loving relationship with a difficult person.
         Let us see in everything we do, an invitation to make the Word of God present in our own little corner of the world.

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Readers of this blog might enjoy these books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on Amazon.com:

Just to Follow My Friend: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday Life

Synchronicity as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry

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