Daily Thoughts: As we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception today our focus is on two things, God’s gift to Mary and us by
bringing her into the world untouched by sin and Mary's gift to God and us in
her response of "Yes" to the angel Gabriel.
We celebrate the vision, the plan of God from the first
moment of creation to touch us with the beauty, joy and faithfulness of Mary.
We celebrate a simple response of “yes” by Mary. “Yes” is a response, word, we
make and use many times in life. Sometimes our “yeses” are simple responses to
easy questions but at other times our “yeses” become responses that change our
lives forever. Mary’s “yes” changed her life and our lives profoundly because
it paved the way for Christ, the gift of perfect love, to come into the world.
Mary’s “yes” was not an easy "yes" because before
she could utter it she had to deal with fear. What was God asking? What did all
this mean? How could this happen? Why me? But Gabriel asked Mary to not fear.
So Mary with faith and trust in God moved beyond her fear to God’s perfect
love. Remember as St. John tells us, "Love casts out fear!" Enlivened
with God’s love Mary stepped beyond fear and said "Yes!" And this
made all the difference for her and us!
As I pause to celebrate God’s gift of Mary to us today I am
thinking back to my trip two summers ago to Lourdes, France. It was there one
hundred and fifty-seven years ago that Mary appeared to a frightened teenager,
Bernadette Soubirous and told her not to fear because "I am the Immaculate
Conception.” St. Bernadette like Mary
chose not to fear and thus brought healing waters to a world in most need of
healing.
If nothing else our feast today challenges us to not live
fear. It challenges us to welcome God’s gift of Mary into our lives. Our feast
challenges us to be like Mary and say “yes” to God because when we do
impossible things happen for as Gabriel reminds us “nothing is impossible for
God.”
Blessings to all on this Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
Have a great day everyone and may you find peace, hope and joy throughout your
day!
Daily Prayer: Mary we pray your prayer today with the hope that
we to will always say yes to God - My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his
servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he
who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy
is for those who fear him from
generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered
the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from
their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with
good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers and mothers, to Abraham
and Sarah and to his offspring forever. - Amen!
A Runner's Thoughts: “I run because it's so symbolic of life.
You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you
can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so
much more than you thought.” (Arthur
Blank) So to in the spiritual life…
Daily Blessing: Monday greetings and blessings to all on this
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! I hope your
Tuesday has started off well with a lot of energy and spirit. I will be headed
out later this morning to celebrate mass at the Wartburg Home. I look forward
to sharing the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with my new found friends
there. I hope you are giving God and Mary a little time today!
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is the Patronal Feast
Day of the United States so we pray through Mary today asking for a sense of calm
and peace at this very divisive and difficult time in our history. Through the
gentleness and strength of Mary may we come to see each other as the good
people God has created us to be and work together for justice and peace for
all.
My prayer of blessing for all us today is – Loving Mary, one
who said yes to the giver of all good gifts, intercede for us today so that God
will bless us with hearts that love, so that by deepening our sense of respect
and reverence for you, for God we may nurture within ourselves and others only
what is good. May God bless us with a watchful care throughout this day so that
wherever we go and whatever we do it will be for, in and through God. May God’s
blessing bring us home safe to those we love that we might celebrate the gift
of family, of friendship, of community, of joy and love so that our sleep will
be restful and we will be energized to welcome you tomorrow! Blessings upon
everyone as you journey through this day! Let us live this day in the spirit of
Mary’s “yes!” Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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