A Word From Deacon Dan Coughlin

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on Monday, December 9. It is usually a holy day of obligation, but not in 2019. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explains: “Since December 8, 2019, is the Second Sunday of Advent, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is transferred to Monday, December 9, 2019. The obligation to attend Mass, however, does not transfer.” While not required as holy day of obligation, this beautiful feast day remains a wonderful opportunity for reflection during this Advent season. The feast of the Blessed Virgin’s Immaculate Conception is the most solemn of all those which the Church celebrates during the holy time of Advent. So let us all celebrate this solemnity with joy, because the Immaculate Conception of Mary tells us that the Birth of Jesus is not far off.
Throughout 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, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.” (CCC 491)
This beautiful feast day and celebration provides us with a wonderful opportunity for reflection during this season of Advent. Several key themes present themselves from the Gospel of Luke on the feast of the Immaculate Conception: first; the “Be not afraid” component—Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel and later Elizabeth confirmed to Mary—be not afraid. So too, we are called during this Advent season to leave our fears behind and be people of faith and courage in our world today. It is an inspirational call to faithfulness. Second, the feast day offers to us the message that nothing is impossible with God. What a blessing to have the power of hope in our lives. With God’s help in our lives, we can accomplish so much more than we can on our own. We can endure anything with the powerful presence of the hope in God with and through our lives. Finally, we should focus on Mary’s response—“may it be done according to your word”—Thy will be done! Mary said not my will, or a modified will, but God’s will be done. That response of complete trust and love is something we need to continuously focus on. Over and over again we need to pray: “thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” That is the challenge for all of us, to surrender to God’s will in our lives and recognize that call of commitment and sacrifice is presented to all of us through the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
We can learn so much from the Immaculate Conception and her ”Yes”—she is Our Mother and God’s Mother—Hail Mary, Full of Grace! Let our prayer this Advent season be for her intercession and for the grace to discern God’s will for each and every one of us, as we await the Nativity of Our Lord.