Dec. 8, 2017: Immaculate Conception
Dec 8, 2017: Immaculate Conception
Whether we play sports, apply for college, or apply for jobs, we go through a process of being chosen. A company looking to fill a highly selective position may look for a candidate who is intellectually gifted, multi-talented, efficient, and experienced. Have you ever wondered how God goes about choosing a person for a role? By what basis or criteria does God use to choose His disciples? St. Paul describes it this way, “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.” (1 Cor 1:27-29)
St. Paul also wrote, “he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 1:4). God chose Blessed Mother in a unique way even before her conception to save her from any stain of sin so that she would be holy and without blemish before him. Blessed Mother responded to God with great humility: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." She was chosen to bring God into the world to reconcile the hurting and confused world which was shrouded in darkness.
Like Blessed Mother, we too are chosen to bring Christ into the world through our daily lives. Why do we want to bear Christ? It’s because we want to continue the mission of mercy and compassion that he entrusted to his disciples. We received special grace from God to be holy and without blemish through our baptism and through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As adopted brothers and sisters of Christ, we too respond to God’s generous mercy by being humble servants of mercy. Like Blessed Mother, let us strive to overcome our selfishness and become instruments of joy for others, helping to gladden the lives of our sisters and brothers by becoming bearers of Christ and witnesses of his love. Through the intercession of Immaculate Mary, may mercy take possession of our hearts and transform our whole life.
