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The Christmas Cycle
In these references to Mary we may also see the Church, the deep interior life of our Holy
Mother the Church, despised and held in contempt by the world. “And the base things of the
world and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen, and the things that are not, that
He might bring to nought things that are.” Her very existence is greatness before God. Her
promise of life is, “The Lord is with thee.” Heal us, O Lord, who acknowledge and love her as
our mother, and who live and love, trust and pray, and sacrifice with her.
Prayer
Hail Mary, full of grace, the 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.
Fourth Day in the Octave
In the Collect for the feast we pray: “through the foreseen death of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve
His mother from all stain of sin.” We should meditate on these words.
Mary’s Immaculate Conception is the first fruits of the redemption and of Christ’s death on
the cross. She has been redeemed in a different and much more perfect sense than we were.
Original sin poisoned our existence from the first moment of our life and destined us for hell.
In baptism, through the infinite mercy of God, this sin is taken away. Mary was preserved from
all such sin. The vile stain of Original Sin, which made every other child of Adam abhorrent to
God, would also have affected Mary had not the infinite power and mercy of God preserved
her from it. In this way Mary was preserved from all stain through a special privilege of God.
We rejoice exceedingly that Mary was redeemed in this singular way, and we congratulate her
on the great things that grace has accomplished in her. We admire the power and wisdom and
love of God as reflected in the soul of Mary.
Mary is the first and most noble fruit of the redeeming death of Christ. Her Immaculate
Conception means her preservation from the stain of Original Sin and from some of its sad consequences.
Our souls are freed from this sin by baptism, and thus we escape eternal punishment.
We, too, are redeemed; but in us the consequences of that sin remain. And how heavily they weigh
upon us! Our understanding is obscured in its search for truth, hampered particularly in its search
for truth in matters of religion; we are so easily led into error. The will is sluggish in the performance
of good works, and ever inclined toward evil; it shrinks from discipline, sacrifices, and struggle, and
is pitifully weak in time of temptation. Besides, our evil inclinations obstruct grace and the guidance
of reason, and lead men into countless sins. So powerful was the working of grace in Mary that she
was spared all this. Is there, then, any child of Adam more glorious and more pure and fair than she?
In the Immaculate Conception of Mary the liturgy shows us what the Redeemer, who is to come
at Christmas, will work in our souls also. We shall be freed from sin, made safe from error, and
liberated from the spiritual weakness that has overtaken us. We shall find the grace we need
to overcome our evil desires and inclinations. Therefore we pray in today’s Mass: “As through
the foreseen death of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve His mother from all stain of sin, so may we
likewise be pure in heart through her intercession and may come to Thee.”
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