He Got Me Covered!

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

8 December 2021 

 

First Reading: GN 3:9-15, 20

Responsorial Psalm: PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4

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

Gospel: LK 1:26-38

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Payod-Balla

 

"Without me knowing, He makes the best things happen." - Anabelle Balla

Should we go with the flow?

It depends on the nature of the flow and where it is going right?

I had a chance to look back and connect my life's journey from the time I was born. I realized that I did no planning at all when I was young. I was just going with the flow. Fortunately, Jesus found me during my late childhood stage and He has been moving things in my life since then. Those times when things came in easy for me--honed as a young leader in church, getting a college degree despite our financial status, getting a job in a very nice company without intending to apply there, etc., feels like Jesus got me covered without knowing it.

I feel so blessed, so favored and I don't mind to continue going with the flow...with Jesus. Like Mary did when she responded to God with the words "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And she was crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth-favored by God.

I trust that God only wants what is best for us. And I pray that He will continue to lead us and bring us all to the best life that He has prepared for all of us. A life of meaning, contributions and significance, of peace, love, joy, and prosperity at His side.

If He leads us somewhere, He will definitely ensure we successfully get there. He can make the impossible possible just like the miracle of the Immaculate Conception.

Prayer

Father, thank You for having us covered in all aspects in our life. You even gave us Mama Mary, our Mother, who is always there interceding for us and urging us to stay close to You and Jesus. May we be more like her when it comes to humility, obedience, steadfast faith and devotion to Your will. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Mama Mary, please pray for us.

 

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.

Cleanliness

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
09 December 2019

First reading                                                                  Genesis 3:9-15, 20
The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall 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 your head, and you will strike his heel.”
The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Second reading                                                    Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

Gospel                                                                     Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel as sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

One of the first things we learned at home is cleanliness. We take a shower, we wash our clothes, we tidy our room, etc. Being clean produces a sense of order in our lives and in those around us. An old saying goes "Cleanliness is next to godliness". 

On the other hand, uncleanliness puts people off. Imagine going to work without having washed. Think of walking on the streets with uncollected garbage piled up, wearing stained clothes, eating contaminated food, listening to fake news against a person, or enjoying a luxurious life at the expense of others? Uncleanliness ruins everything.

By eating the forbidden fruit, our first parents have become unclean. By their disobedience, they have ruined everything that God has in mind for them and for the rest of mankind. Thankfully, God loves us and wants us to be saved. By preserving Mary from original sin from the moment she was conceived in her mother's womb, God prepared Mary for an important mission: to be the mother of the Promised Saviour. 

Today's feast gives us hope that God will clean up the mess caused by sin and restore everything according to His plan. Mary, full of grace, said her fiat wholeheartedly to God's revolutionary action. He is calling us too. Are we going to roll up our sleeves and tidy up or are we just going to sit on the fence?

Prayer

Loving Father, thank You for the gift of Mary's Immaculate Conception. Through her intercession, remove all that blights our relationship with You and with others. Amen.
 

Thy Will Be Done

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
08 December 2018

First reading                                                                  Genesis 3:9-15, 20
The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall 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 your head, and you will strike his heel.”
The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Second reading                                                    Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

Gospel                                                                     Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel as sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, you relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

By Fely Santiago

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

This Gospel reading will always have a special place in my heart. Twenty-eight years ago being new in the Ignatian Spirituality under our Magis Deo Marriage Encounter Community we were introduced to Ignatian Contemplation; a type of prayer that uses our imagination as a place of encounter with Jesus and oneself. I was 7 months pregnant at that time for the 5th child but had a stillborn baby 3 years before and 2 miscarriages 2 years and 1 year before. So even if I was 5 times pregnant only 1 was still alive! I was really anxious and worried thinking we might lose this baby again. I was so afraid. So during our community prayer gathering, Fr Ruben Tanseco, SJ our Spiritual Director asked us to contemplate on this passage, imagining that I was in the scene with the actual encounter with the angel and Mama Mary. While deep into contemplation I was really struck and heard the word “do not be afraid Fely”. I really cried because I felt the loving presence of God comforting me and assuring me that everything will be alright with my pregnancy. I left that prayer meeting fully at peace. I totally trusted God and surrendered to His will.

And yes God was true to His promise because after 2 months I delivered a normal, strong, healthy and beautiful baby girl! We were really rejoicing to see our baby girl. Our family was complete. This baby is now a lady actively serving the Lord leading the Youth Ministry before and now leading Worship at The Feast PICC. What a blessing indeed!

Just like Mama Mary, let us trust the Lord and be ready to say “Yes” to Him. To be able to do this we need humility and obedient to God’s will. We are all His favored children and have the best plans for us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, may we grow each day in trusting your amazing annunciation to us that we are your favored one. We should not be afraid. In the busyness of life and especially during this coming Christmas season, keep these thoughts before us. Like Mama Mary, may we be ready to play our part in welcoming You and sharing the love You brought to this world. 
Mama Mary thank you for always being there to intercede for us. Thank you for bringing us closer to your son, Jesus. You are the best model of obedience and humility. 
Thank you, Jesus and Mama Mary. Amen.
 

God Has a Plan

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary   8 December 2017

First reading

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall 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 your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.                

Second reading

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel as sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, you relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

by Jessa Janelle Padilla

How obedient are we? How do we handle temptations?

Temptations are all around us and they test our obedience. Sometimes we fall into temptations just like Adam and Eve in our first reading from the Book of Genesis. They have fallen into the temptation of the serpent and ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. They have disobeyed God and have been punished.  And because of what happened, Eve became the mother of all the living.

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, our Principal Patroness here in the Philippines. The mother of our Savior and Son of God, Jesus Christ. Eve and Mary differ from each other. Eve disobeyed God and committed sin but Mary obeyed God’s will and conceived Jesus in her womb. She is free from sin.

In the letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians it states that “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’. The verse confirms that we are not born for nothing but we are born to fulfill and accomplish what God destined us to become. We all have our purpose and mission in this world. Let us be obedient to fulfill it and pray to overcome temptations.

Mary was prepared by God from the moment she was conceived in her mother’s womb, Anne. She was conceived immaculately and born free from any sin, worthy to be the mother of Jesus.

We may not have been immaculately conceived like Mary, but God has plan for us and His plan is better than our plan. We should trust Him and never lose hope. Hope will light a fire in our hearts to continue persevering and keep moving forward to achieve a better version of ourselves. We should also be like Mary who said Yes to God’s plan for her. In today’s situation, I admit that it is not easy to answer Yes to any call but let us discern, pray, and put our trust to God so that answering Yes to a call will become easy for us. Let us imitate Mary’s example as an obedient servant of God, with full of grace, and a good mother.  Let us make her our role model. Let us follow the will of God, leading us to holiness, leading us to Jesus who will come to save us!

Prayer

Oh most blessed Lady of the Immaculate Conception, you are full of grace. In you we lift up all our desires. You are the best example of being an obedient servant of God, may we become more like you. Shower us, your children, with your grace.  Light our way towards the crib of Bethlehem.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you. Amen.

Mother of Mercy

Immaculate Conception

December 8, 2015

First reading                                                                                             Genesis 3:9-15,20

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’
  Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,
‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,
all wild beasts.
You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust
every day of your life.
I will make you enemies of each other:
you and the woman,
your offspring and her offspring.
It will crush your head
and you will strike its heel.’
The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

Psalm                                                                                               Psalm 97:1-4

Second reading                                                                           Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence, determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ for his own kind purposes, to make us praise the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved, And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own, chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things as he decides by his own will; chosen to be, for his greater glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

Gospel	Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

Coinciding with today's feast, Pope Francis will be opening the Jubilee of Mercy.  In our Catechism, we have been taught the seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. Some would sound very easy such as to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked.  But how about to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive offences willingly, or to instruct the ignorant? Nowadays, when you're wrong or happen to be on the 'wrong' side (though no fault of your own), you get the brunt of other's hatred.  Hatred that could be as violent as causing physical harm or even death or as viral such as a nasty post in Facebook or Twitter.  

A few years back, I was invited to speak before a group of college students and I asked them whose conception it was we celebrate during the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Was it Mary's (through her mother St Ann) or was it Jesus' (through His mother Mary). While most raised their hands for the first choice, there were a few who thought it was the second choice.  I made a small detour from what I was supposed to talk just to clarify this dogma. There are also others who thought that today is Mary's birthday. Are we going to simply ignore others' ignorance instead of bringing them to the truth?

In the midst of our follies, Mary comes into the fore.  Mary, the only human being to whom God showed mercy by preserving her from original sin, is presented to us as "the beacon to draw sinners to her Son" (Fr James Sullivan, OP). 

In the Salve Regina, we call Our Lady as Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy).  In the few episodes in the Bible, we notice how merciful she was and, most importantly, how she brought forth Jesus, "the face of the Father's mercy" (Misericordiae Vultus). United with her, let us take time this Year of Mercy to recall God as the Merciful Savior, to reflect on the works of mercy, and to identify the many gaps in our lives where we need His mercy.

Prayer

Merciful Father, You have preserved Mary from original sin so she could become the worthy mother of Your Son.  Through her prayers and example, may we be open to Your mercy and share this with others especially those who need it most. In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Leave it with God!

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2014
At the time of her conception Mary received a blessing from the Lord and loving mercy from God her saviour.

First Reading: Genesis 3:9-15,20

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’

  Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild beasts.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel.’

The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

Psalm: Psalm 97:1-4

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,

to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,

determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ

for his own kind purposes,

to make us praise the glory of his grace,

his free gift to us in the Beloved,

And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own,

chosen from the beginning,

under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things

as he decides by his own will;

chosen to be,

for his greater glory,

the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

Reflection

By  Pietro S. Albano

These past few days I have been worried about the Philippines, especially those areas to be hit by typhoon Ruby.  I kept on telling my wife about this. At first she was just agreeing with my view, but last night, she told me "Daddy, it is beyond your control. All you can do now is to pray. Leave it with God!". 

Being in control has always been a temptation for man. Our first parents fell from that trap.  Then comes worrying. See how Adam and Eve reacted when God searched for them in the garden?

By God's grace, Mary's immaculate conception in the womb of her mother exempted her from falling into the same trap and from its ill effects.  Which is why she willingly accepted God's invite to be His mother. No ifs or buts. No craving for control. She represents "the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came" (Ephesians 1:12).

Prayer

God our Father, cleanse our hearts from all that prevents us from trusting You.  Through the example and prayers of Mary Immaculate, may we always remember that nothing is impossible to You.  On her feast day today, we renew our trust in You! Amen.