(Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2021: This homily was given on December 8, 2021 at St. Pius X Church, Westerly, R.I. by Fr. Raymond Suriani. Read Genesis 3:9-20; Psalm 98:1-4; Ephesians 1:3-12; Luke 1:26-38.)
[For the audio version of this homily, click here: Immaculate Conception 2021]
In 1858, when Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France, she identified herself as “the Immaculate Conception.”
She didn’t call herself “Mary,” or “the Blessed Mother,” or even “the mother of Jesus;” rather, she described who she was with a reference to this Church dogma.
I think many people would find that a bit odd.
To which St. Maximilian Kolbe would respond, “No, it’s not odd at all. In fact, that’s exactly what I would have expected her to do, since that particular title describes Mary’s uniqueness perfectly.”
In one of his writings St. Maximilian said this about our Blessed Mother’s uniqueness:
God is immaculate, but God is not conceived. Angels are immaculate, but there is no conception with them [either]. [Adam and Eve] were immaculate before sinning, but neither were they conceived. Jesus was immaculate and conceived, but he was not a conception, for as God he already existed before, and to him also applied the words of the name of God as revealed to Moses: ‘I am who am, who always is and does not begin to be.’ Other people [like us] are conceptions, but stained. She alone is not only conceived, but also a conception and immaculate.
Mary under this title of the
Immaculate Conception was named the patroness of the United States by the
bishops of our country in the mid-1800s.
I would call that a providential action—especially in light of our
present cultural and political situation!
The word immaculate signifies purity; the word conception designates creatureliness. Mary is rightly called “the Immaculate Conception” because she was sinless (i.e., totally pure) and also because she was perfectly humble, that is to say, she knew she was a creature and not God! At the Annunciation she said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord;” in her Magnificat she said, in effect, “I am God’s lowly servant.”
Why is this so relevant for us in the United States in the year 2021?
Simply because two of our biggest cultural problems right now are impurity and playing God!
The impurity should be obvious to anyone who turns on a TV set or a radio for even a few minutes. As for “playing God,” the current attempt by many at surgically changing boys into girls and girls into boys certainly falls into that category—a category which also includes such technological niceties as in vitro fertilization and embryonic stem cell research. Remember: technology plus morality equals blessings for the human race; whereas technology plus immorality equals “playing God”—and, ultimately, leads to chaos. Unfortunately, at the present time, the second is far more prevalent in our country and world.
Which is why we desperately need the prayers of the Blessed Mother under this title of the Immaculate Conception— prayers that we will convert our hearts and follow her example of purity and total submission to the Lord.
O Immaculate Conception, conceived without original sin, pure of heart and always obedient to God’s word, pray for us and pray for our nation. Amen.
