The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception!
December 8, 2021
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Dear Family of Mary!
Today we celebrate the wonder of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception. This reality which is Mary takes my breath away! As it says in morning prayer: "O God, you preserved the Virgin from all stain of sin through the redemptive death of you Son, and thus you made of her a worthy dwelling place for him!" (Magnificat, 114) Yes, Our Lady is so pure, so unburdened by sin! She is the only human who could have received Jesus worthily as her Son! And through her, we have all received Jesus as our Redeemer and King!
St. Anselm spoke these inspired words about Our Lady's Immaculate Conception. May our hearts sing with joy and breath in the pureness of her being which will renew our spirits and raise our souls to new hope!
From a Sermon by Saint Anselm
Oratio 52: 158, 955-956)
Virgin Mary, all nature is blessed in you!
Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night --everything that is subject to the power or use of man --rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendor by men who believe in God.
The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb.
Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before his life-giving death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain.
Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation.
To Mary God gave his only-begotten Son, whom he loved as himself. Through Mary God made himself a Son, not different but the same, by nature Son of God and Son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave himself form through Mary, and thus he made his own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake his ruined creation without Mary.
God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God's Son, nothing could exist; without Mary's Son, nothing could be redeemed.
Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself. (St. Anselm - Oratio 52: 158, 955-956)
Our Lady, this amazing woman who God chose to be the Mother of His Son, longs for us to be close to her, to follow her and listen to her messages. She longs for us to be close to her Immaculate Heart where we will find God. We can only be stunned by this wonder of love!
June 25, 2013 "Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call."
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
PS. Denis has a small package and a letter that need to be carried to Medjugorje. If you are going to Medjugorje soon, please contact Denis Nolan at dnolan@marytv.tv ! Thank you!!!
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