Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2014 – Year B
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 98, Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Today’s feast is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the Blessed Mother was immaculately conceived by her mother, St. Anne. Today is exactly 9 months before the Blessed Mother’s birthday on September 8th.

Sometimes we take all these modern inventions for granted. Young children know how to use these technologies, when many adults, including me, have difficulty.

Many things around us make life a lot easier. We can travel around the world and even go to outer space. We benefit from modern technology like satellites. Our cell phones have the capability to tell us where to go. On the iPhone, you can talk to Siri. You can ask questions and Siri will answer you. Father Mike Jolie, a blind priest, taught me how to use my iPhone. He can’t see, but he talks to the phone, the phone talks to him, and he can call people.

Not too long ago, these modern gadgets seemed to be impossible. Almost nothing is impossible for human beings right now. However, when we hear the sacred scriptures, God’s words tell us, “There is nothing impossible with God.” We are talking about God, not a mere human being – the creator of heaven and earth – the beginning and the end – the alpha and the omega. Nothing is impossible with him.

That is why today’s feast is a manifestation of this truth – that the Blessed Mother, who eventually became the mother of our Redeemer, was immaculately conceived. She became an exception. That is why we, who are God’s children, and children of the Blessed Mother, have a reason to hope.

The Blessed Mother will never abandon her children. At the very last Mass that I celebrated with DR when he served as a deacon, we put the stole on him as he lay in the bed. I let him give the homily. In the last part of his homily he said, “I really look forward to seeing our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Mother. She has been protecting me all these years. I can hardly wait to see her.”

In spite of the ups and downs of his life, he could feel that the Blessed Mother was always there for him. In the tradition of our church, we are told that when the disciples had a problem after our Lord’s resurrection and ascension into heaven, they would go to the house of John, where the Blessed Mother lived. They would ask her, “What are we going to do in this situation? How are we going to address this problem?” She was always there to give them guidance.

Millions of Christians around the world will testify to the fact that the Blessed Mother has been doing impossible things through her intercession and that she continues to lead us to her son.

That is why every time we pray the Memorare, we say, “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.”