Advent Reflection- Day #11 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception)

Today, the Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception not to be confused with the Annunciation. The story we hear in today’s Gospel is the Annunciation not the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is not found in Scripture but it does commemorate the conception of Mary to her mother Saint Anne, to be born without sin. So why do we read about the Annunciation on the Immaculate Conception?

Well to begin, the Annunciation, Mary conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit would not have been possible without her being born sinless and being immaculately conceived. Mary was the only human born completely stainless, no original sin, because God is perfect and requires perfect as a partner to bring His son into the world. 

I want to focus this reflection on Mary being troubled. Imagine being visited by an angel, then after you process that, he tells you that you are going to conceive the Son of the Most High? Then you hear he will be given the throne of David? Someone as a practicing Jew would be extremely familiar with. How on earth does God expect this to go over?

The angel first shares the news that her elderely cousin Elizabeth is bearing a son in her old age. If someone of that age can conceive a son then why is Mary to question Gabriel? For nothing is impossible with God.

So next time you feel discouraged in your faith, you feel like God has abandoned you, you feel like you can’t find the right words to pray, or just don’t know how you’ll get yourself out of this pickle. Remember the words of Gabriel “for nothing will be impossible for God.” Ask our Blessed Mother to comfort you through your anxiety, she knows exactly what you are going through.

God Bless,
Jonathan

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