8 December 2017 - without blemish

Today's Readings (Audio)

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike at your head,
while you strike at his heel.

Here in the very beginning, when things first go wrong, is the first prophecy of the messiah. Things are wrong now. There are repercussions throughout creation. But there is already the promise that they will be set right. And here, from the very first, we see Mary. It is said that there will be enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent. But women were not considered to have seed. Already we see a subtle hint of the virgin birth of Jesus. We should remember that this virgin birth possible was because of Mary's yes to the angel. And this yes was made possible by the grace which filled her soul from the moment she was conceived. God's plan didn't start at that moment. He always knew from eternity how creation would be redeemed. We tend to imagine the story of creation and salvation revolves around what we do. But really, Mary reveals, it revolves around God. Our part is to respond.

"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

In preparing Mary this way God shows the plans he has for all of us. Mary is first uniquely blessed so that she can share that blessing with others.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him. 
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

Mary is made without spot or blemish, and then we, who have all too many such marks, are allowed to receive and share that holiness. How does this happen? Let us learn from Mary. Any holiness starts with a grace that proceeds anything we ourselves do, even our yes, or even our belief. Yet our yes is an integral part of God's plan. And with his grace there is no limit to how fully we can say it.

for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."