Catholic 770 : The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Homily Immaculate Conception -

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

Psalm 97:1-4. " Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous deeds."

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Gospel Acclamation: cf Luke 1:28. Alleluia, alleluia! Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. Alleluia!

Gospel:  Luke 1:26-38

Image:  Immaculate Conception (By PompeoBatoni ). The Athenaeum

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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Immaculate Conception - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/the-feast-of-the-immaculate-conception-faith-hope-and-love-ep-192/s-arVyX  (EPISODE: 192)

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The Immaculate Conception

(8 December. This year, 2019, it is celebrated on the 9th December, due to the Second Sunday of Advent occurring on the 8th)

Prologue:  This feast had its origin in the East as the "Conception of Mary by Saint Anne". It spread through the West during the Middle Ages as the "Immaculate Conception" and was extended to the entire Western Church in the eighteenth century. The feast celebrates Mary, preserved from sin from the moment of conception; she is the first fruits of her Son's redemption and a prophetic model of what the Church is called to be.

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Mary, although fully human was conceived without sin and remained sinless throughout her life.

This feast draws us to contemplate, not only Mary's beginning but our own. Ultimately we belong to God. God's love claims Mary's entire existence. We, too, seek to allow God to envelop our whole selves. (1).

The Immaculate Conception:

490 To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role."The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.

491 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.  as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and the privilege from almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

492 The "splendour of entirely unique holiness" by which Mary is "enriched from the first instant of her conception" comes wholly from Christ: she is "redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son". The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love".(2)

and a nice quote from:

Scripture Scholar and Theologian, Gustavo Gutiérrez:

 "Mary is aware of all the implications of her accepting God's will: "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (v. 38). In the Canticle of the Magnificat, Mary will again call herself a servant. Luke has in mind the meaning of the Hebrew word which we translate by "servant." It means completely belonging to God... Servants are those who announce the Lord's message completely, and those who receive a mission (Acts 2:18).

Belonging to God is expressed by our availability, by our welcoming his plan for our lives and our world.

Mary does not ask for a sign as Zechariah had done (Lk 1:18). She shows her complete confidence in the will of God. Mary makes God's will her own in her body and in her life.  We must do the same.

The reading from Ephesians shows the deep meaning of our human existence. We have come into this world to be daughters and sons of God (vv. . 4-5). Being God's children is not something added from outside the human condition, instead, it is its very reason for being. The grace of God's love is the first and the last word. However, we cannot accept God's plan of love and peace if we do not first incarnate it into our daily lives. and if we do not first get rid of our petty advantages, and if we do not take risks. Like Mary." (3)

Praise to God for the wonderful things he achieved in our lives through the cooperation of Mary and through Gods plan of salvation in her life, which began before her conception

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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

1. Quote from a pamphlet:  "Mary: God's radical daughter." Published by CATHOLIC ENQUIRY CENTRE. Copyright: The Australian Episcopal Conference of the Roman Catholic Church, 1994
2. Vatican.va. (2019). Catechism of the Catholic Church - "Conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary". [online] Available at:  http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p2.htm [Accessed 12 Nov. 2019]).

3. Gutiérrez, G. and Dees, C. (1997). Sharing the Word through the liturgical year. 1st ed. Maryknoll: Orbis Books. pp 280-281.

4. Prologue from Liturgy Brisbane Resource. 
5. Image:  Immaculate Conception (By Pompeo Batoni). The Athenaeum

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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, revised - 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA).

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins Publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - from "Together we pray". by Robert Borg'. © 1993. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers.

{Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. Including The Gloria. Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org}

"Faith, Hope and Love" hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music Paul W. Kelly. © 1996. Updated lyrics by Paul Kelly and Stefan Kelk, arranged and sung by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Please visit homilycatholic.blogspot.com

Production - Kelly Enterprises Resources.            May God bless and keep you.

Immaculate Conception

(EPISODE:192)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

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Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of Peace. Lord have mercy// 

You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy//

You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

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Memorial Acclamation

1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

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Preface:  The Mystery of Mary and the Church.

Eucharistic Prayer II

Communion side. pwk: LH

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Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.