Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The one who has been conceived is made in reference to Mary. The word “immaculate” means without stain. Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin upon her soul. Thanks to the intervention of God she was preserved from original sin in order that she would be the pure and spotless vessel which would bring forth the Savior of the world. Mary became the first to be redeemed through her Son for He was her redeemer.
None of us have been preserved from sin like Mary. Yet we live in a world which acts as if sin does not exist. Sin is an offense which is made against God. If we know Him to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life why would we turn away from Him? Nevertheless, there are many in our society who have no concept of God and therefore they cannot have a concept of sin. Sin exists because God is real and we consent to sin by turning away from God who is love.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines sin as “an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law’.”
Through the use of the media we see played forth before our sight these many sins which are made against God. We see murder, theft, the burning of buildings such as Catholic Charities in Knoxville, war, sins against life such as abortion, and this list goes on and on. With so much played out before our sight it becomes easy for us to lose hope that things will ever get better.
This celebration of the Immaculate Conception is a celebration of hope. Of Mary it was said by the Archangel Gabriel, “Hail, full of grace.” Mary is our hope because she stands upon the serpent which is the cursed demon which has come to confuse us and to pull us into sin. Mary is our hope because through devotion to her we are drawn closer into union with her Son.
Today we celebrate the fact that Mary was conceived without sin. We ackwledge that she has been prepared to be the pure and spotless vessel which would bring forth the Savior of this World. Through this Savior the shackles of sin and death have no power for He is the new Adam and she is the new Eve. Let us strive to moved closer to Christ placing our trust in Him and moving away from the reality of sin and death which attempts to keep us captive.
