8th December 2008 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
You can almost picture the scene in the Garden of Eden as God calls out for Adam, and Adam comes out slowly and immediately blames Eve for forcing him to eat the fruit of the tree that God had forbade them to eat. In today's society too people never seem to take responsibility, it is never their fault, always someone else's. Yet Today's Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates a woman who never allowed the stain of sin to touch her soul. From the very first moment in the womb of her mother Mary lived for God and for God alone.
This feast of her Immaculate Conception was defined a dogma of faith by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1854. Yet it had been part of the memory of the church from the earliest times. Put very simply it tells us that Mary never took her eyes off God as we do. That is what sin really is, it is us saying to God that it is we who matter not him, it is we who must increase and he must decrease. But Mary never said no to him, even that day in Nazareth when Gabriel startled her with that incredible request. Her heart and soul always said yes. She is the New Eve, as her Son is the New Adam.
In spite of this great privilege of being preserved from original sin Mary was no immune to the problems and difficulties of life. Imagine how you would feel after the great vision of Gabriel saying all these wonderful things and then having to deliver your baby in a stable. Imagine hearing the words 'and his reign will have no end', and then having to hold his crucified and broken body in your arms. And despite all that still believing that with God all things are possible. Mary is not some demigod who walked a few feet off the ground and possessed a look of total serenity during her life. She was human as you and me, and let us allow her faith and love to help us during our own darker moments. With confidence we pray 'O Mary Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee'. Amen.
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Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
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