DECEMBER 8, SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Lectionary #689

Today's feast is about the conception of Mary, not about Mary's conception of Jesus. The conception of Mary by Anna as immaculate, that is, as free from original sin, is not taught in the Scriptures; it is a mystery that derives from her future role as the mother of the Lord. It is, in other words, a conclusion derived from the Church's understanding of who Jesus is and Mary's role as Theotokos, Mother of the Lord (see January 1). The readings, therefore, focus on Mary's relationship to Jesus and, indirectly, to the church.

Genesis 3:9-15, 20. The story of the "original sin" was interpreted by the church as suggesting that we are all bound by the failure of our first parents, subject to punishment for their sin. It became church teaching that Mary was freed from this burden by a special gift of God, to prepare her for her mission as the mother of Jesus. The Latin translation of this story gave Eve's name as "Eva," and made it possible for some Latin Christmas carols to pun that "Ave" (the angel's greeting to Mary) "fit ex Eva" ("Ave" was shaped from "Eva.")

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12. Knowing how desperately humans would mess things up by misusing the gift of freedom, God planned to send Christ Jesus and to unite us to Christ. Passages like this led early Christian teachers to conclude that Mary, as part of that plan, would have been prepared by God.

Luke 1:26-38. Earlier (and somewhat inaccurate) translations of this announcement story were used to argue for Mary's freedom from sin. The Latin translations called her "gratia plena," "full of grace," and theologians argued that she could not be "full of grace" if she were subject to original sin. That translation tradition is echoed in the translation we are currently using, but the story, in any translation, certainly makes the point that Mary was a central part of God's plan to save humanity from its sin.

Prelude: Ave Maria(Norbert) (see sheet)
Opening: Save Us, O Lord (CC-339)
Psalm: Ps 98: All The Ends Of The Earth[CC-98]
Offertory: O Sanctissima(cc-323)
Com 1: One Bread, One Body(in spanish and english)(cc-490)
Com 2: I Sing a Maid(see sheet)
Closing: Immaculate Mary(cc-321)