8th December
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was an exceptional woman! She was chosen by the God the Father to be mother of His Son and was given the special grace of perfection. The Church recognises this gift by teaching us that from the first moment of her existence, from the moment of her conception, Mary was perfect; she was sinless.
When we find it difficult to choose to behave as we know we should; when it is difficult to go against the crowd or to stand alone; when others exclude us because we want to do the right thing let us think of Mary and how she always chose to do the right thing even though it made life difficult for her.
“Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary
to be the worthy mother of your son.
[and]… kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.
Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever”.
(New Saint Joseph Sunday Missal )