The Catholic
Church celebrated the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
yesterday, 8 Dec. 2014, and the Pope used the opportunity to remind us that
everything we have is a free gift from God. Hence, we also have to be a gift to
others.
from
Catholic News Agency
“The message
of today's feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary,” the Pope
said at St. Peter's Square, can be summarized as follows: “Everything is a gift
freely given by God, everything is grace,” and everything is given because “of
his love for us.”
The feast of the Immaculate Conception, commemorated annually on Dec. 8, is the day in which the Church celebrates Mary having been conceived without original sin.
Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel account of the Annunciation, during which Gabriel declares Mary to be “full of grace.”
“In her there was no room for sin,” he said, for “God had chosen her (from the beginning) to be the mother of Jesus,” thus preserving her from “original sin.”
The Holy Father noted Mary's receptivity to grace, and her abandonment to the words of the Angel: “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
“She did not say 'I will act according to your word': no! Rather: “Be it done unto me...”
Mary's response, Pope Francis said, shows “that we must abandon ourselves to God” in order to truly be conformed “to his will.”
“Mary is receptive, but not passive,” he said. “On a physical level, she receives the power of the Holy Spirit, but then gives (her) flesh and blood to the Son of God who is formed within her. Therefore, on a spiritual level, she welcomes the Grace and conforms to it with faith.”
Pope Francis went on to stress that “salvation is a gift” freely given by God, which we in turn “are called to freely give.”
The feast of the Immaculate Conception, commemorated annually on Dec. 8, is the day in which the Church celebrates Mary having been conceived without original sin.
Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel account of the Annunciation, during which Gabriel declares Mary to be “full of grace.”
“In her there was no room for sin,” he said, for “God had chosen her (from the beginning) to be the mother of Jesus,” thus preserving her from “original sin.”
The Holy Father noted Mary's receptivity to grace, and her abandonment to the words of the Angel: “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
“She did not say 'I will act according to your word': no! Rather: “Be it done unto me...”
Mary's response, Pope Francis said, shows “that we must abandon ourselves to God” in order to truly be conformed “to his will.”
“Mary is receptive, but not passive,” he said. “On a physical level, she receives the power of the Holy Spirit, but then gives (her) flesh and blood to the Son of God who is formed within her. Therefore, on a spiritual level, she welcomes the Grace and conforms to it with faith.”
Pope Francis went on to stress that “salvation is a gift” freely given by God, which we in turn “are called to freely give.”
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