On December 8, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a holy day of obligation to go to Mass on this day. A Solemnity is a feast of the highest rank in our liturgical calendar. Thus, this observance seeks to honor Mama Mary in a special way, commemorating her participation in the mystery of our salvation, which begins in her Immaculate Conception.
In the following, I’ll give some background and history regarding this dogma of the Catholic Faith on Our Lady. My brief Reflection on why this Marian Dogma is important in our day-to-day Catholic life comes right after.
Here are the essential points to remember as defined by this Catholic Dogma:
1. Mary is free from the Original Sin of our First Parents
Mary, the Mother of God, was conceived in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne, without all the stain of the original sin. She was preserved free from the blemish of the fall of Adam and Eve, which plagued all human beings in every generation.
2. Mary is free from the inclination to sin
The Church likewise holds that through the grace of God, she never had any personal sin committed against God nor her neighbors throughout her life. Thus, from her very first existence upon the moment of conception, she had always been in the state of sanctifying grace, keeping her “Immaculate.”
So these clarify the False Beliefs some people have about what the Immaculate Conception means:
False 1. Mary, like Jesus, also had a ‘virginal’ birth
By Sacred Tradition, we know that Mary’s biological parents were Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, and it is through their humanly union that she was conceived. Mary was not conceived ‘by the power of the Holy Spirit,’ as only her Son Jesus Christ was formed in the womb by such manner.
False 2. Mary had sinned during her life
In the Canticle of Mary (See my post on The Magnificat. This prayer of Our Lady herself is one that I know by heart with so much love), she proclaimed, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:47). Other sects mistakenly conclude that her words ‘my Savior’ indicated that she, like any person, was also a sinner, because only a sinner would need a Savior.
The truth is that it was never possible that Mary had sinned in any way because the fullness of Mary’s redemption by the merits of the Cross of Jesus Christ spared her from the original sin of man, and saved from all sin, at the instant of her conception. In fact, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 508),
“Full of grace,” Mary is the “most excellent fruit of redemption” (SC 103)
False 3. Mary received the grace only upon the visit of the Angel
When Archangel Gabriel said to Mary, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with thee!” (Luke 1:28), he actually implied the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin. Though you’ll find the recent translations of the New Testament as saying, “Hail, favored one!” the original translation where the phrase came from was the Greek word “kecharitomene,” which is the perfect passive participle of “charitoo” that means “to fill or endow with grace.” Because it is in the perfect tense, it clearly reveals that Mary was granted the grace in the past, but its effect continues in the present. Mary had always been in the state sanctifying grace, starting in her Immaculate Conception in the past, up to that present moment in the Annunciation.
Let me share with you a popular Analogy that Catholics have used for ages:
Suppose there’s a man who falls in a deep, muddy pit. Someone then comes and reaches to pull him out. That man, though now stained, has been ‘saved’ from the pit.
This time, think of a woman, she is walking along and about to topple into the same deep pit. But right at the very moment that she is about to fall into it, someone reaches out to her, holds her back, thus preventing her fall from ever happening. The woman has been likewise ‘saved,’ but in a much better way.
Unlike the man in the first story, the woman is not simply brought out of the mucky pit. The woman is totally prevented from being covered in mud. She remained unstained. Such is the redemption of Mary, in an extraordinarily special way and by the grace of God- by anticipation.
Through the power of God and the foreseen merits of Jesus, with His Passion and Cross, Death, and Resurrection, the Blessed Virgin was safeguarded from all sins. How could it be, when those salvific moments in the life of Jesus were yet to happen in the future at the time of Mary’s conception? Here’s what we should understand- Jesus is not bound by time- “He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him.” (John 1:2-3). Although Jesus redeemed humanity in the ‘future’ of human time, with God, there is not such a thing called past, present, nor future; For Jesus is eternal, “’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) Thus, His merits on the Cross gave Mary, the Mother of God, the grace of being saved from falling and being covered in original sin and personal sins, through anticipation of His redeeming work.
Affirmation of the Marian Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
1830
Our Lady appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré (Feast Day: November 28) in 1830. In the vision, an oval frame formed around the Blessed Mother, bearing the words, “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.” These words are a revelation and affirmation from Our Lady herself about the immaculate nature of her conception. She then ordered Catherine to “Have a medal struck after this model. Persons who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.” This came to be known as The Medal of Immaculate Conception, which is popularly called as the “Miraculous Medal” after stories of healings, conversions, and other miracles started pouring from the faithfuls who wore and prayed its devotion.
1854
Pope Pius IX proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution “Ineffabilis Deus” on December 8, 1854. He specifically mentioned that it is a “doctrine revealed by God.” In addition, he said that it must be “firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful.” Consequently, whoever does not make this doctrine his own, or maintains an opinion contrary to it, “is shipwrecked in faith” and “separates himself from Catholic unity.”
1858
Despite the declaration of the Dogma, there were many who still doubted its validity.
Just a little more than three years after the proclamation, on February 11, 1858, a young beautiful lady appeared to a sickly poor girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous (whom I dearly love, canonized on December 8, 1933 by the same Pope) in a series of visions. Only during her final Apparition on March 25 did the lady identify her name with the words:
“I am the Immaculate Conception.”
The authorities of the Roman Catholic Church verified the authenticity of the Apparitions in 1862:
“We judge that Mary the Immaculate, Mother of God, did truly appear to Bernadette Soubirous on 11 February 1858, and on subsequent days, to the number of 18 times in all, in the grotto of Massabielle, near the town of Lourdes.”
– Bishop of Tardes.
All these events showed that it was Our Lady herself who revealed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception to the Church, and every Catholic must accept it as true for all eternity.
My Reflection
I’m going to derive my brief reflection from the wisdom of two of the greatest Marian Saints, Saint Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716, Priest, Missionary, Preacher) and Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941, Conventual Franciscan Friar, Priest, Missionary and Martyr of Charity).
What then is the importance of the Immaculate Conception in our Catholic life?
It reminds us that Mary must be constantly present in our daily life because no other human or spiritual being created by God is as wholly united to the Holy Spirit as Mary; She is the immaculate spouse of the Holy Spirit. And it all began in her Immaculate Conception. Like a husband and wife who become one in their marital union, the Holy Spirit, “in a much more precise, more interior, more essential manner, lives in the soul of the Immaculata, in the depths of her being.” Saint Maximilian deeply reflected on this and said,
What type of union is this? It is above all an interior union, a union of her essence with the “essence” of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in her, lives in her. This was true from the first instant of her existence. It was always true; it will always be true.
Saint Louis de Montfort, who I consider as one of the greatest spiritual writers, described this union between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Most Holy Trinity as “inseparable.” As Mary is so uniquely united with the Holy Spirit, her prayers and petitions are so powerful to God. The Lord never resists the prayer of His dear Mother as she is always humble and conformed to His will. This gives us hope that we have heavenly favor with Our Blessed Mother by our side. The great Saint wrote,
“(Mary) a sufficiently great union with His faithful and inseparable spouse. I say ‘inseparable’ spouse, because since that Substantial Love of the Father and the Son has espoused Mary, in order to produce Jesus Christ, the Head of the elect, and Jesus Christ in the elect, He has never repudiated her, because she has always been fruitful and faithful.”
Even the combined petitions of the Angels and Saints would not equal the immense intercessory power of Mama Mary:
“What must we not, with greater reason, think of the prayer of the humble Mary, that worthy Mother of God, which is more powerful with His Majesty than the prayers and intercessions of all the Angels and Saints both in Heaven and on earth?”
We are in great need of Our Blessed Mother’s intercession. Today’s modern life is filled with many trials, struggles and injustices, as well as worldly temptations, which can easily affect a person’s faith and way of life. But anyone who wishes to persevere in God, strive in holiness, and reject the evils in his life will surely find inspiration, consolation, and grace in Our Lady. A person who has true devotion to Mary and loves her as his or her spiritual Mother can be assured of her aid. Mary produces in his or her soul marvels of grace that will help in his or her sanctification. We know how tremendously difficult it is to become a saint. How much more without such graces that only our Heavenly Mother, in union with the Holy Spirit, can produce?
Saint Louis de Montfort beautifully and eloquently expounded on the importance of the Immaculate Conception of Mary to the spiritual journey of the Faithful.
“Mary has produced, together with the Holy Ghost, the greatest thing which has been or ever will be— a God-Man; and she will consequently produce the greatest saints that there will be in the end of time. The formation and the education of the great saints who shall come at the end of the world are reserved for her. For it is only that singular and miraculous Virgin who can produce, in union with the Holy Ghost, singular and extraordinary things.”
“It is Mary alone who has found grace before God (Luke 1:30) without the aid of any other mere creature; it is only through her that all those who have since found grace before God have found it at all; and it is only through her that all those who shall come afterward shall find it. She was full of grace when she was greeted by the Archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:28); and she was superabundantly filled with the grace by the Holy Ghost when He covered her with His unspeakable shadow (Luke 1:35); and she has so augmented this double plenitude from day to day and from moment to moment that she has reached a point of grace immense and inconceivable— in such wise that the Most High has made her the sole treasurer of His treasures and the sole dispenser of His graces to ennoble, to exalt and to enrich whom she wishes; to give entry to whom she wills into the narrow way of Heaven; to bring whom she wills, and in spite of all obstacles, through the narrow gate of life; and to give the throne, the scepter and the crown of king to whom she wills. Jesus is everywhere and always the Fruit and the Son of Mary; and Mary is everywhere the veritable tree who bears the Fruit of life, and the true Mother who produces it.”
Let us lovingly gaze and look up to Our Blessed Mother as the Immaculate Model of holiness and God’s grace, and ask that we be transformed according to God’s will through her most powerful intercession.
On a personal note, I celebrate this year the 20th Anniversary of my First Communion (December 8, 1997). How fast time flies since I’ve been receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ! I want to give my heartfelt thanksgiving to God and Our Blessed Mother Mary for making me Catholic, and for all the wonderful graces, both special joys and spiritual blessings that I have received this year.
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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Dear Mary, what a lovely display of the graces you received through the power of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You possess in your reflection a deep sense of honor for God and our Lady. Thank you very much for this reflection, simple yet profound.
Great study. Terrific presentation of the history and the facts with the few choice quotes…
Nicely done without getting verbose.
Thank you for sharing your intuitive and thought provoking data on this a very important truth that remains a controversy as well as an issue of contention for so many people who have no idea or inclination for the Trinity God, Jesus,the Holy Spirit…as well as those who don’t see fit to include with Honor and respect: HOLY MARY, MOTHER of GOD…She is such a significant part of
The story and the Glory of the life of our Lord and savior. …yada yada
So, I appreciate your objectivity and your very well done report.
Thanks again. Aloha. ? HOLYDAYS MATTER
Enjoy