Today the beautiful Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated!

9th Day of Advent

 Graces of the Immaculate Conception

Hail, Virgin, more than woman, holy, blessed Mary!

More than woman, I say:  For humankind,

As Scripture teaches us, is born in sin.

In you, holiness preceded birth.

Womb-hidden, a mighty presence enfolded you

And shielded you from all contagion.

The sin that Adam sowed did not take root in you;

No sin, great or small, has place in you.

High above all others is your virginity and your consecration.

Your secret virgin vow leads you,

All unaware of charity’s intent,

To a wedding feast, to your spouse.

The high-born messenger’s Annunciation strikes fear in your heart.

“If you accept the counsel I bring, you will conceive a son without peer.”

O Virgin, assent, assent!” the multitude cries out,

“If aid does not come quickly, we shall hurtle to our doom.”

You consented, and so conceived the loving Christ,

And gave Him to those who had lost their way.

Conception by a word stuns worldly wisdom-

To conceive without corruption, untouched, intact!

Reason and experience know nothing of such a possibility;

Never was woman made pregnant without seed.

You alone, Mary Immaculate, you alone; in you the Word

     creans omnia,

Residing in majesty, becomes flesh, God Incarnate.

You carry God within you, God and man,

And the weight does not crush you.

Unheard-of birth, the child issuing from the sealed womb!

The infant joyously leaving the castle, through locked gates,

For it would not be fitting for God to do violence

To the womb that sheltered Him.

O Mary, what did you feel when you first saw Him?

Did love nearly destroy you?

As you gazed upon Him, how could you sustain such love?

When you gave Him suck, how could you bear such excess of joy?

When He turned to you and called you Mother,

How could you bear being called the Mother of God?

Compared to His humility in becoming man,

All other humility is nothing but pride.

Come one and all, come running!

Come see Eternal Life in swaddling clothes!

Take Him in your arms, He cannot run away;

He has come to redeem those who have lost all hope.

                                                           ~Franciscan Brother Jacopone da Todi from Italy (+1306)

  

Pro-Life Challenge:

Do I help others to understand the miracle of each newborn child?  Do I pray that mothers & fathers who are unprepared for parenthood will find hope to allow them to continue the pregnancy?