She is Worthy!

 

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

8 December 2020

First Reading GN 3:9-15, 20

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,

the LORD God called to the man and asked him,

"Where are you?"

He answered, "I heard you in the garden:

but I was afraid, because I was naked,

so I hid myself."

Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?

You have eaten, then,

from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"

The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me - 

she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."
The LORD God then asked the woman.

"Why did you do such a thing?"

 The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, 

so I ate it."

 

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

"Because you have done this,

you shall be banned from all the animals

and from all the wild creatures;

on your belly shall you crawl,

and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will strike at your heard,

while you strike on his heel."

 

The man called his wife Eve,

because  she became the mother of all the living.

Second Reading EPH 1:3-6, 11-12

 

Brothers and sisters:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ

with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,

as 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,

in accord with the favor of his will,

for the praise of the glory of his grace

that he granted us in the beloved. In him we were also chosen,

destined in accord with the purpose of the One

who accomplishes all things according to the intentions of his will,

so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,

we who first hoped in Christ.

 

Gospel LK 1:26-38

 

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin's name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

 Then the angel said to her,

 "Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

But Mary said to the angel,

"How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?"

And the angel said to her in reply,

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy , the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her. 

 

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Payod-Balla

  

She was given the grace to carry Jesus in her womb and become His mother. What an amazing gift, what an honor!

 

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name  him Jesus.

 

 She as enshrined by God. Respected, loved, and obeyed by Jesus. She is worthy of God's presence!

 

No wonder why the church celebrates many Feasts dedicated for Mother Mary including the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception which is universally celebrated on December 8, today. And I am glad that December 8 has been proclaimed as Special Non-Working Holiday in the Philippines. May this declaration bring glory and honor to the Father who have chosen Mary to be the Mother of His one and only Son, Jesus. And  may our country be blessed by this.

 

Together, with our family, I humbly invite you to celebrate this Holy Day of Obligation. Let us all say, "Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

 

May we, like Mary, be given opportunities this Christmas season to respond to the Lord and say, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

 

Prayer

 

O God, mercifully hear the supplication of thy servants who are assembled together on the Conception of the Virgin Mother of God, may at her intercession be delivered by Thee from dangers which beset us. And grant, we pray, that as You preserved Mother Mary from every stain of virtue of the death of Your Son, through her intercession, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to Your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.