Coming Dec 8th. Feast of the "Immaculate Conception"

The Mother of Jesus is given a great rememberance in the Catholic Church. She is reverenced as the woman,who said,"Behold the handmaid of the Lord,be it done unto me, according to Thy word". With deep confidence,trust,and faith Mary accepted her destiny as asked of her by St. Gabriel,the Archangel,the messenger of God. Mary,was humble and never asked to be put on a honor list.Mary,was simple and never boasted of her title as Mother of the Son of God. Mary was chosen,amoung thousands of other women to be the Mother of Jesus.Her purity,love and fear of God,her prayers were always that God's will be done in her.Give glory to God for Mary,who whose Immaculate Conception is the reason Jesus came to all mankind. She was Jesus' Mother. She brought forth the God-man for the salvation of all mankind.

MARY IS ACTIVE IN HER SON'S MISSION
Pope John Paul II
Mary's request at Cana is a form of co-operation in the beginning of her Son's messianic mission and shows she was the first to believe in him

"By emphasizing Mary's initiative in the first miracle and then recalling her presence on Calvary at the foot of the Cross, the Evangelist helps us understand how Mary's co-operation is extended to the whole of Christ's work" the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, March 5, 1997, as he reflected on Mary's role at Cana and her co-operation in her Son's messianic mission. Here is a translation of the Pope's catechesis, which was the 45th in the series on the Blessed Mother and was given in Italian.

1. Describing Mary's presence in Jesus' public life, the Second Vatican Council recalls her involvement at Cana on the occasion of the first miracle: "At the marriage feast of Cana, moved with pity, she brought about by her intercession the beginning of miracles of Jesus the Messiah (cf. Jn 2:1-11)" (Lumen gentium, n. 58).

Following the Evangelist John, the Council points out the Mother's discreet and effective role, when by her words she persuades her Son to perform his "first sign." Although her influence is discreet and maternal, her presence proves decisive.

Mary shows what a mother's love can do

The Blessed Virgin's initiative is all the more surprising if one considers the inferior status of women in Jewish society. At Cana, in fact, Jesus does not only recognize the dignity and role of the feminine genius, but by welcoming his Mother's intervention, he gives her the opportunity to participate in his messianic work. The epithet "Woman", with which Jesus addresses Mary (cf. Jn 2:4), is not in contrast with his intention. Indeed it has no negative connotations, and Jesus will use it again when he addresses his Mother at the foot of the Cross (cf. Jn 19:26). According to some interpretations, this title "Woman" presents Mary as the New Eve, the mother in faith of all believers.

In the text cited, the Council uses the expression "moved with pity", letting it be understood that Mary was prompted by her merciful heart. Having sensed the eventual disappointment of the newly married couple and guests because of the lack of wine, the Blessed Virgin compassionately suggests to Jesus that he intervene with his messianic power.

To some, Mary's request may appear excessive, since it subordinates the beginning of the Messiah's miracles to an act of filial devotion. Jesus himself dealt with this difficulty when, by assenting to his mother's request, he shows the Lord's superabundance in responding to human expectations, manifesting also what a mother's love can do.

2. The expression "The beginning of his miracles", which the Council has taken from John's text, attracts our attention. The Greek term arche, translated as "beginning", is used by John in the Prologue of his Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word" (1:1). This significant coincidence suggests a parallel between the very origins of Christ's glory in eternity and the first manifestation of this same glory in his earthly mission.

By emphasizing Mary's initiative in the first miracle and then recalling her presence on Calvary at the foot of the Cross, the Evangelist helps us understand how Mary's co-operation is extended to the whole of Christ's work. The Blessed Virgin's request is placed within the divine plan of salvation.

In the first "sign" performed by Jesus, the Fathers of the Church glimpsed an important symbolic dimension, seeing the transformation of the water into wine as the announcement of the passage from the Old to the New Covenant. At Cana it is precisely the water in the jars, destined for the purification of the Jews and the fulfilment of the legal prescriptions (cf. Mk 7:1-15), which becomes the new wine of the wedding feast, a symbol of the definitive union between God and humanity.

3. The context of a wedding banquet, chosen by Jesus for his first miracle, refers to the marriage symbolism used frequently in the Old Testament to indicate the Covenant between God and his People (cf. Hos 2:21; Jer 2:1-8; Ps 44; etc.), and in the New Testament to signify Christ's union with the Church (cf. Jn 3:28-30; Eph 5:25-32; Rv 21:1-2, etc.).

Jesus' presence at Cana is also a sign of God's saving plan for marriage. In this perspective, the lack of wine can be interpreted as an allusion to the lack of love that unfortunately often threatens marital unions. Mary asks Jesus to intervene on behalf of all married couples, who can only be freed from the dangers of infidelity, misunderstanding and division by a love which is based on God. The grace of the sacrament offers the couple this superior strength of love, which can reinforce their commitment to fidelity even in difficult circumstances.

Mary initiates the Church's journey of faith

According to the interpretation of Christian authors, the miracle at Cana also has a deep Eucharistic meaning. Performing this miracle near the time of the Jewish feast Passover (cf. Jn 2:13), Jesus, as he did in multiplying the loaves (cf. Jn 6:4), shows his intention to prepare the true paschal banquet, the Eucharist. His desire at the wedding in Cana seems to be emphasized further by the presence of wine, which alludes to the blood of the New Covenant, and by the context of a banquet.

In this way, after being the reason for Jesus' presence at the celebration, Mary obtains the miracle of the new wine which prefigures the Eucharist, the supreme sign of the presence of her risen Son among the disciples.

4. At the end of the account of Jesus' first miracle, made possible by the firm faith of the Lord's Mother in her divine Son, the Evangelist John concludes: "and his disciples believed in him" (2:11). At Cana, Mary begins the Church's journey of faith, preceding the disciples and directing the servants' attention to Christ.

Her persevering intercession likewise encourages those who at times face the experience of "God's silence". They are asked to hope beyond all hope, always trusting in the Lord's goodness.

To the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors the Holy Father said:

I am pleased to welcome the English-speaking visitors, especially the pilgrim groups from the United States of America. My special greeting goes to the students from the Bologna Center of Johns Hopkins University. I also thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. Upon all of you I cordially invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
12 March 1997

NATIVITY SHOWS MARY'S CLOSENESS TO JESUS
Pope John Paul II
General Audience, November 20, 1996

1. In the story of Jesus' birth, the Evangelist Luke recounts several facts that help us better understand the meaning of the event.

He first mentions the census ordered by Caesar Augustus, which obliges Joseph, "of the house and lineage of David", and Mary his wife to go "to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem" (Lk 2:4).

In informing us about the circumstances in which the journey and birth take place, the Evangelist presents us with a situation of hardship and poverty, which lets us glimpse some basic characteristics of the messianic kingdom: a kingdom without earthly honours or powers, which belongs to him who, in his public life, will say of himself: "The Son of man has nowhere to lay his head" (Lk 9:58).

2. Luke's account contains a few seemingly unimportant notes, which are meant to arouse in the reader a better understanding of the mystery of the Nativity and the sentiments of her who gave birth to the Son of God.

The description of the birth, recounted in simple fashion, presents Mary as intensely participating in what was taking place in her: "She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger..." (Lk 2:7). The Virgin's action is the result of her complete willingness to co-operate in God's plan, already expressed at the Annunciation in her "let it be to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38).

Mary shares in Son's redeeming mission

Mary experiences childbirth in a condition of extreme poverty: she cannot give the Son of God even what mothers usually offer a newborn baby; instead, she has to lay him "in a manger", an improvised cradle which contrasts with the dignity of the "Son of the Most High".

3. The Gospel notes that "there was no place for them in the inn" (Lk 2:7). This statement, recalling the text in John's Prologue: "His own people received him not" (Jn 1:11), foretells as it were the many refusals Jesus will meet with during his earthly life. The phrase "for them" joins the Son and the Mother in this rejection, and shows how Mary is already associated with her Son's destiny of suffering and shares in his redeeming mission.

Rejected by "his own", Jesus is welcomed by the shepherds, rough men of ill repute, but chosen by God as the first to receive the good news of the Saviour's birth. The message the Angel gives them is an invitation to rejoice: "Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people" (Lk 2:10), along with a request to overcome all fear: "Be not afraid".

Indeed, as it was for Mary at the time of the Annunciation, so too for them the news of Jesus' birth represents the great sign of God's goodwill towards men. In the divine Redeemer, contemplated in the poverty of a Bethlehem cave, we can see an invitation to approach with confidence the One who is the hope of humanity.

The angels' song: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!", which can also be translated as "men of goodwill" (Lk 2:14), reveals to the shepherds what Mary had expressed in her Magnificat: Jesus' birth is the sign of God's merciful love, which is especially shown towards the poor and humble.

4. The shepherds respond enthusiastically and promptly to the angel's invitation: "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us" (Lk 2: 15).

They did not search in vain: "And they ... found Mary and Joseph, and the babe" (Lk 2:16). To them, as the Council recalls, "the Mother of God joyfully showed her first-born Son" (Lumen gentium, n. 57). It was the defining moment of their lives.

Mary pondered these events in her heart

The shepherds' spontaneous desire to make known what "had been told them concerning this child" (Lk 2:17), after the wondrous experience of meeting the Mother and her Son, suggests to evangelizers in every age the importance and, even more, the necessity of a deep spiritual relationship with Mary, in order to know Jesus better and to become the joyful proclaimers of his Gospel of salvation.

With regard to these extraordinary events, Luke tells us that Mary "kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2:19). While the shepherds passed from fear to wonder and praise, the Virgin, because of her faith, kept alive the memory of the events involving her Son, and deepened her understanding of them by reflecting on them in her heart, that is, in the inmost core of her person. In this way she suggests that another mother, the Church, should foster the gift and task of contemplation and theological reflection, in order better to accept the mystery of salvation, to understand it more thoroughly and to proclaim it with renewed effort to the people of every age.

ON THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY—1221-1274 A.D.
St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio
This short excerpt gives only a brief introduction to the mind and theology of this famous Doctor of the Church. It forms part of the Little Marian Library of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Home Page of the Immaculate. This site is maintained by Immaculate Mediatrix, Inc., under the direction of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (b. 1221; d. 1274 A. D.), is one of the most famous theologians and mystics in the Roman Catholic Church. The Popes have repeatedly set St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas Aquinas before the universal Church as outstanding proponents and expositors of the dogma and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Like his spiritual father St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure had the most ardent devotion to the Immaculate Mother of God.

From the Conferences on the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Who shall find a valiant woman? Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her (Proverbs 31,10). This is the price of which the Apostle says: You have been bought at a great price; glorify and bear God in your body (1 Cor. 6,20)...This price had to be great to redeem the whole world and the entire human race. Hence, it was necessary that the price have a divine and human nature. Where is that price found? Nowhere but in the womb of the glorious Virgin. Thus one reads in Isaiah: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel (7,14). Emmanuel is translated: God with us. It was not fitting that a virgin should have anyone as son but God, nor for God to have as a mother anyone but a virgin. That price, then, could only be found in the Virgin. Far and from the uttermost coasts: because in Him is united highest and lowest, first with last. That price is from afar whereby the entire human race is redeemed. Because the lowest is redeemed, it is the highest price; because the last is redeemed, it is the first. Man was the last of the creatures to be made.

Whose is this price? This price by which we are able to reach the kingdom of heaven belongs to this Woman, the Blessed Virgin. It is Hers, because taken from Her, offered by Her, possessed by Her: taken from Her in the Incarnation of the Word; offered by Her in the redemption of the human race; possessed by Her in attaining the glory of Paradise. She brought forth this price, paid this price, and possesses this price.

I. She brought forth this price, namely, God and man. The Blessed Virgin did so as the valiant and holy Woman, holy with the holiness of inviolate chastity, prompt obedience and total generosity. With the holiness of inviolate chastity: A holy and modest woman is grace upon grace (Eccli. 26,19). And the Angel said: Hail! full of grace, because She was holy and chaste: holy in Her body, chaste in Her mind. The Apostle states: The unmarried woman and the virgin thinks on the things of the Lord, that she might be holy both in mind and body (1 Cor. 7,34). And Bernard writes: Gabriel was sent to a Virgin, such as one described by the Apostle, holy in mind and body, not found by chance, but chosen from eternity, foreknown by the Most High and prepared for Himself, guarded by the angels, foretold by the patriarchs, promised by the prophets. To this Virgin Gabriel was to be sent, for She alone had pleased the Most High.

II. The Blessed Virgin brought forth that price by the holiness of Her prompt obedience. As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a woman (Eccli. 26,24). To found the Church, it was necessary to lay a foundation, namely, the commandments of God, and to place them in the heart of some person. This could be none but the Virgin...the One who was obedient. Thus, the commandments were rooted in Her heart. Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it (Lk. 11,28). Not only is the Virgin blessed, but all who follow Her as well. And who are these? All who hear the word of God and fulfill it.

III. The Blessed Virgin, valiant and holy, brought forth that price by the holiness of Her total generosity. Thus Gabriel said: Blessed art Thou among women...The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You. And therefore the One to be born of You holy will be called Son of God (Lk. 1,28-35). St. Augustine comments: The Holy Spirit is love, and although given with His gifts, is not a gift inseparable from any of them, except the gift of love. All the other virtues are common to the good and the bad; the love of God and neighbor is the privilege of the saints and the devout; it alone suffices. Thus Hugh of St. Victor remarks: Because the love of God uniquely burned in the mind of the Virgin, so She worked wonders in Her body. The love of charity preserves from corruption. Thus the One to be born of You, through a pure and immaculate love, will be called the Son of God. As from the love of a man and woman is born a carnal son, so from the love of the Virgin and God is born the Son of God. Whoever wishes to be holy must follow the glorious Virgin in the holiness of inviolate chastity, prompt obedience, and total generosity.

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate are a Roman Catholic Religious Institute of solemn vows headquartered at Benevento, Italy. Their Home Page is maintained from the Marian Friary of Our Lady Queen of the Seraphic Order, New Bedford, MA, United States of America.

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ON THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
St. Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), is one of the most famous saints in the Roman Catholic Church. He is renowned not only for the innumerable miracles that he worked both in life and throughout the last 800 years since his death, but also for his lucid and inspiring sermons which he left in writing. Like his spiritual father St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony had the most ardent devotion to the Immaculate Mother of God. Indeed, he was instrumental in reinforcing faith in the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin at a time when many doubts were raised against the doctrine.

From a Sermon on the Purification of our Lady, #1

As sweet smelling incense in summertime, and as a bright fire and frankincense burning in the fire (Eccl. 50,8-9).

It is said in Genesis: the Lord God planted a paradise from the beginning, in which He planted man to dress and keep it (2,8.15). But he dressed and kept it badly. Thus it was necessary that the Lord God plant another and far better paradise, that of the blessed Mary, unto which the exiles of the first might return. In this paradise was placed the second Adam, who dressed and kept it. He worked great things, as She Herself says: He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name (Lk. 1,49). What we term holy (sanctum) the Greeks term hagion, etymologically "without land," because those consecrated to his name must hold their conversation not on earth but in heaven. He kept Her, preserving Her integrity; He dressed Her, making Her fecund; He kept Her, not violating Her virginity. Cursed in the work of Adam, the earth first produced thorns and thistles on being cultivated. Our earth, that is, the blessed Virgin, without the labor of man, brought forth that blessed fruit, whom today She offered to the God and Father in the Temple. Hence it is written: As sweet smelling incense in the summertime...

From a Sermon on the Nativity of Our Lady, (2,4)

Like the morning star in the midst of the cloud and as the moon at its full she shines (Eccl. 50,6).

The morning star is named Lucifer—"Lightbearer," because among all the stars it shines more brightly, and so is rightly described as splendid. Lucifer, preceding the sun and announcing the morning, dispels the darkness of night with the light of its splendor. The morning star, viz. Lucifer, is the blessed Mary, who, born in the midst of the cloud, announces the morning of grace, the Sun of justice, to those sitting in darkness. Hence, of Her the Lord speaks to Job (38,32): Can you bring forth the daystar in its time? When the time of mercy came, the time for building the house of the Lord, the acceptable time and day of salvation (Ps. 101,14; Agg. 1,2; II Cor. 6,2), then the Lord made Lucifer, that is, the blessed Mary, as a light unto the people. They must say of Her what they said of Judith, as recorded in that book (13,22.23-25): The Lord has blessed you by His power, because by you He has brought our enemies to naught. Blessed are you, Daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women on earth. Blessed be the Lord who created heaven and earth, who has directed you to the beheading of the prince of our enemies; because He has so magnified your name today, that your praise shall never depart out of the mouths of men. The blessed Mary was, therefore, like the morning star in Her birth. About this Isaiah says (11,1): There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise out of his root.

And as the moon at its full she shines. The blessed Mary is said to be the full moon, because in every way perfect. The moon is imperfect when a half-moon, because it is stained or horned. But the glorious Virgin neither in Her birth had any stain, because sanctified in Her mother's womb, guarded by angels, nor in Her days had She the horns of pride. Hence, She shone fully and perfectly. She is said to be light because She dispels the darkness.

We beseech You, our Lady, that You who are the morning star, cast out the cloud of diabolical suggestion shrouding the land of our minds; that You who are the full moon fill our emptiness, dispel the darkness of our sins, that we might merit to come to the fullness of eternal life, to the light of unending glory. May He grant this who made You our light, who to be born of You made You be born today. To Him be the glory and honor for ever. Amen.

ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
St. Francis Anthony of Lucera
Saint Francis Anthony of Lucera (b. 1681; d.1742 A. D.), is one of the most famous Franciscan preachers in the history of the Order. Like his spiritual father, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Francis Anthony of Lucera had the most ardent devotion to the Mother of God.

From the Mariale of St. Francis Anthony of Lucera

How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O Daughter of the Prince! (Cant. 7,2)

First Consideration

O soul, ponder how, transparent and pure as She was from the very moment of Her Immaculate Conception, Mary came forth from the Most High God as the first-born Daughter of all creation, formed by His creative word.

Her appearance on earth was like the first immaculate ray of light...the sun, the moon, the stars, all of nature, the whole visible and invisible world bowed at Her feet as She walked the earth: How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O Daughter of the Prince!

Oh! so beautiful are the steps of Mary as She walks through life!...And You, O soul, who meditate on them now, what steps have you taken with your feet since reaching the use of reason? Were they meritorious or not?...And from that time, over the course of so many years, what have you accomplished for the good of your soul?...for your growth in holiness? And where are you going now?...Are your steps taking you toward God or away from Him?

O Immaculate Virgin, loveliest Daughter of the Most High Prince, perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths (Ps. 16,5). Direct and keep, we beg You, our steps strictly upon Your paths as we strive to follow in Your sacred footprints!

Second Consideration

Ponder, O soul, how Mary is said to progress through life on beautifully sandaled feet. In connection with the Saints, sandaled feet signify their interior affections, perfected and strengthened by the virtues...Mary from the first moment of Her existence was always most pure and perfect. Her thoughts, Her affections, Her desires, and Her plans were always strengthened and embellished by admirable virtues. Like fragrant flowers, they filled all Her surroundings with sweet fragrance, without any foul odor or dark cloud ever to tarnish or diminish their beauty.

And you, O soul who meditate on Her affections, you wander through the impure desert of this earthly pilgrimage with nary a thought as to how you might strengthen yourself with all the necessary virtues.

Courage! Today, lift up your spirit! Away with the impurities surrounding you. Fortify yourself with the shield of holy virtues so that you can walk as Mary did, and attain the blessings awaiting you in Paradise. O Mary, most pure among all creatures, direct our feet, strengthen our affections as we strive to imitate Your holy virtues!

Third Consideration

O soul, ponder how Mary who, after Her Son, is the first-born Daughter of the Most High God, is called par excellence Daughter of the Prince, that is, the most beloved, dearest, worthiest of Her Prince Father, God. And this filiation which Mary had by Her Immaculate Conception She always kept inviolate...never did She weaken it by disobedience. Rather, She continued wondrously to enhance it through the complete observance of the Law and absolute conformity to the will of Her heavenly Father.

O Mary, most beautiful, You were always a Daughter and never a slave, always a Daughter of grace and never a slave of sin!

And you, O soul who meditate on Her filiation, how have you treasured the filiation God gave you through grace at your holy Baptism?...Whose son or daughter have you been for so long a time?...And whose child are you now?...In charity recover anew that divine filiation. Never lose it again...Propose now, firmly, nevermore to be a child of Eve, a slave of sin, but a child of Mary, first-born Daughter among all creatures, and Mother of all graces.

ON THE IMMACULATE
St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe
Excerpts from the Writings of St. Maximilian

Immaculate One, Virgin Mother, to Thee I turn in humble prayer: "Grant that I may praise Thee, O holy Virgin; give me strength against Thine enemies!" (Bl. John Duns Scotus)

The Immaculate One appears in this world without the least stain of sin, the masterpiece of God's hands, full of grace. God, the Most Holy Trinity, beholds the lowliness (that is, the humility, the root of all Her other virtues) of His Handmaid, and does great things for Her, He the Almighty (cfr. Lk. 1,49). God the Father gives Her His own Son to be Her Son; God the Son descends into Her womb; and God the Holy Spirit forms the body of Christ in the womb of this pure Virgin. And the Word was made flesh (Jn. 1,14). The Immaculate One becomes the Mother of God. The fruit of the love of God in his Trinitarian life and of Mary the Immaculate One is Christ the God-Man. (Sketches for a Book, SK 1295)

Who is the Immaculate One? To this abrupt question it is not possible to give a satisfactory answer because this mystery transcends our human intelligence. She is the Mother of God, and Her name is the Immaculate One. When God showed Himself to Moses, He said of Himself: I am the One who is (Ex. 3,14)—in other words, I am Being itself. When St. Bernadette asked the most blessed Mother Her name, Mary replied: I am the Immaculate Conception. Such is the Immaculate One defined by Her own words.

But what does the expression Immaculate Conception mean? The word conception tells us that She is not eternal, that She had a beginning. Immaculate tells us that from the first instant of Her existence there never was in Her the least conflict with God's will. The Immaculate One is the most perfect of all creatures...She was immaculate because She was to become the Mother of God; She became the Mother of God because She was immaculate.

Mother of God! The human mind cannot grasp what God is. Neither can we comprehend the dignity of the Mother of God. It is easier to understand a title like servant of God; daughter of God is more difficult to grasp; but Mother of God transcends our minds completely.

God calls creatures into being when He creates them. Then, in their movement of return to God, these creatures draw near to Him and come to resemble their Creator more and more. God comes to this most perfect Creature, the Immaculate One; and the fruit of Their love is Jesus Christ, the Mediator between the Creator and all creatures...

True knowledge of the Immaculate One can only be acquired in prayer. The purer a soul is, the greater efforts it makes to avoid sin; and if it does happen to sin, it tries its best to rise from sin and to make up for its fault by love. The more humble it is, and the more spirit of penance it shows, the more and better it will get to know the Immaculate. (Conference 26.VII.39)

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe (b. 1894; d. 1941 A. D.), is one of the most famous Franciscan martyrs in the history of the Order. He is renowned for his complete and total dedication to the service of Christ and His Immaculate Mother. He is the spiritual father of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, the Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix Movement, the Academy of the Immaculate.

ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
St. Lawrence of Brindisi
This short excerpt gives only a brief introduction to the mind and theology of this famous Doctor of the Church. It forms part of the Little Marian Library of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Home Page of the Immaculate. This site is maintained by Immaculate Mediatrix, Inc., under the direction of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi (b. 1559; d. 1619 A.D.), is one of the most famous Capuchin preachers and theologians of the Sixteenth Century. He is renowned for his complete and thorough refutaion of the doctrines of Martin Luther. St. Lawrence, like his spiritual father St. Francis of Assisi, had an ardent devotion to the Immaculate Mother of God. Indeed, he was the first to write on all aspects of theology that concern the Blessed Virgin.

The root of humanity, bedchamber of God, and pure water: This is Mary, therefore Immaculate.

Great was the happiness of human nature in paradise before original sin, so long as man remained in the state of innocence and original justice. Then was human nature like that tree seen by King Nabuchodonosor in his dreams: tall, with its top touching heaven; wide, with its branches filling the whole world; adorned with the loveliest fronds and flowers and the best of fruits in greatest abundance. But soon, by virtue of the sentence executed by the Angel, this tree was despoiled of its goods, and, with branches and trunk cut off, was reduced to nothing—almost, except for the command that a root with a shoot be preserved safe and intact (cfr. Daniel 4,7-12). On account of sin, humanity tumbled from maximum good fortune to maximum misfortune; light was changed into darkness, the bright day into the cloudiest of nights, a full moon went into eclipse.

But from the contagion of that sin, the shoot, that is, Christ, was preserved, as well as the root (Mary) from which that shoot was to rise...We see in Genesis the root with its shoot preserved; for before a penalty for sin was inflicted on man, it was said to the serpent: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; she will crush your head (Gen. 3,15).

When a king builds some palace to be a proper and rightful dwelling for himself and his family, he constructs it wholly magnificent, and adorns it royally as befits his majesty. In such wise did Solomon build his house (III Kings 7,1-12). Such a king will especially adorn with the greatest magnificence and riches his own chamber, where the throne of his majesty is to be placed. So too does God build His holy Church, the living Temple of God: Behold, the tabernacle of God with men (Apoc. 21,3); You are the temple of God (II Cor. 6,16), a temple made of living stones, the whole constructed with divine magnificence, as the temple of Solomon (cfr. III Kings 6,1-18). But above all, God adorned His own chamber, which is the most holy Virgin. He did so just as did Solomon adorn the holy of holies, the dwelling place of God (III Kings 6,19-36).

You are all fair, my love, and the stain is not in you (Cant. 4,7). The Hebrew reads: the stain not in you—without the verb is. Similarly, the verb is does not appear in Deuteronomy 32,4 when Moses said of God: A faithful God and without any iniquity. David said: Because You are a God that wills not iniquity (Ps. 5,5); yet the Hebrew for that actually reads: not a God willing iniquity You. The latter means: You never were, are not, nor will be willing iniquity; there never was, is not, nor will be iniquity in God. So too, the statement the stain not in you means that the stain never was, is not, nor will be in you. Thus must be understood (not limited to the present tense only) the statement the stain not in you.

One only is my dove, one my perfect one (Cant. 6,7). The Hebrew reads: my immaculate one. There are three words in Hebrew very similar: tham, thamah, and thamim, of which the first means simple, the second immaculate, and the last perfect. The Hebrew text here, however, uses the second. For this reason, therefore, the all-holy Virgin is unique above all queens... and young maidens (Cant. 6,7) because She is immaculate, like the purest dove, like the sun itself, which was made full of light. Hence it is written: you all fair, my love; and the stain not in you. The singular for you is used: You all (tota tu); not in you; this denotes the uniquely singular grace of Mary.

The soul of the Virgin Mother of God was in Her conception like the bush with Moses, entirely intact in the midst of the flames, not consumed, unharmed (Ex. 3,2).

Scriptural Reflection on the Rosary
by: Maryann Marshall

The First Joyful Mystery The Annunciation

St. Luke the Evangelist relates, in the first chapter of his gospel, the
event in which Mary is told of her special mission:

In the 6th month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of
Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of
the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary (v. 26-27).

The Angel's Greeting

Coming to her he said, "Hail, favored one! Blessed are you among
women. The Lord is with you."

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be (v. 28-29).

The angel gives Mary a new name, as the Lord often does with those He
has called to a major task in His Plan (ex. Gen 17:5, 15; 32:29; Mt 16:18).
This name of hers is variously translated: 'full of grace,' 'gracious,' or
'highly favored one.' Each conveys the idea that Mary was especially
chosen by God for this purpose and given the grace and favor she needed
to carry it through.

"The Lord is with you," echoes the greeting of the angel to Gideon as he
is called to be the champion of the Lord to free the Israelites from the
oppression of Midian (Jdg 6:11-18).

This greeting also brings to the mind of those familiar with the Hebrew
scriptures, the story of Judith whom God sent into the enemy camp to
behead Holofernes without compromising her virtue (Jdt 13:20). Uzziah
commended her saying: "Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High
God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who guided your blow at the head
of the chief of our enemies. Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by
those who tell of the might of God." (Jdt 13:18-19) This is a marvelous
story of God's might shown through a woman. We will examine the story
in a later issue.

The Good News

Then the angel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear
a son. You shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son
of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his
father. He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
where will be no end." (v. 30-33)

St. Thomas Aquinas comments: "It may perhaps in the first instant of
reflection appear shocking to our ideas, that God should dwell in a
human body; but does not the sun emit its rays into all kinds of places
without any detriment to its purity. How much more would the Sun of
justice, assuming a most pure body, formed of the purest blood of the
spotless Virgin not only remain free from even the least stain Himself, but
even impart additional sanctity to His virgin Mother."

This announcement carries the full weight of the scriptures on its back.
Here is the Messiah that has been promised throughout the ages! Nathan
declared the promise to David:

I will fix a place for My people Israel; I will plant them so that they may
dwell in their place without further disturbance...I will raise up an heir
after you sprung from your loins and I will make his kingdom firm...I will
be a Father to him and he shall be a son to Me...I will not withdraw My
favor from him...Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever
before Me: Your throne shall stand firm forever (2 Sm 7:10, 12, 14-17). This
promise echoes in Psalm 89.

Psalm 72 gives a description of the reign of the King of kings. Isaiah
expresses for us the fulfillment of the promise in one of the most beautiful
passages in the Bible which we hear at Christmas:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: Upon those
who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shown. You have brought
them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the
harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that
burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their
taskmaster you have smashed as on the day of Midian. For every boot
that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood will be burned as fuel
for flames.

For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder, dominion
rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God Hero, Father Forever,
Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's
throne and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by
judgement and justice, both now and forever.

The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this (Is 9:1-6).

Jesus declared that He is the fulfillment of these promises as He gave
the disciples the great Commission: "All power in heaven and on earth
has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have command you...I am with
you always, until the end of the age."

(Mt 28:18-20)

The Power of God

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I have no relations with a
man?"

The angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and
the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to
be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your
relative, has also conceived a son in her old age and this is the sixth
month for her who was called barren, for nothing will be impossible with
God." (v. 34-37)

Isaiah tells of the birth of the Messiah: "Therefore, the Lord Himself will
give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and shall
name him Immanuel." (Is 7:14) He goes on to tell of the desolation which
results from the rejection of the word of God, but not without hope, as we
have seen above.

Mary's question of the angel holds a different tone than others, who
have doubted, but who received the same reassurance (Gen 18:12-14, Lk
1:18-19). Truly, nothing is impossible with the Lord!

He made heaven and earth and all their inhabitants (Gen 1). He has the
power to bring life into a womb which has passed its years of health, and
to one which is virginal. He can bring salvation to even those who are
most distracted by worldly things (Mt 19:16-26, Mk 10:17-27, Lk 18:18-27).
He can change water into wine (Jn 2:1-11) He can take a child's lunch and
feed a large crowd (Mt 14:15-21, 15:32-39, Mk 6:34-44, 8:1-10, Lk 9:10-17,
Jn 6:1-15). He can heal the sick and crippled.

He can forgive our sins. He can change bread and wine into His body and
blood (Mt 16:16-28, Mk 14: 22-23, Lk 22:17-20) in order to provide for us
food which brings us eternal life (Jn 6:35, 48-58).

Mary's Fiat

Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done unto me
according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her. (v. 38) A handmaid is a female servant
or attendant. With all modesty and humility of heart and mind, Mary
consented to the divine will; in that moment the Redeemer and Savior of
the world was conceived.

Abigail presents herself as the handmaid of David as she intercedes for
Nabal (1 Sam 25:24-35).

David later makes her his queen (1 Sam 25:39-42). The term comes into
use again as Joab strives to reconcile David with his son Absalom (2 Sam
14).

Another Side of the Story

We can also look at the event from Joseph's point of view:

Now, this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother
Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together she was
found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, since he
was a righteous man yet unwilling to expose her to shame decided to
divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream and said.

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your
home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived
in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save
his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had
said through the prophet: "Behold the virgin shall be with child and shall
bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel." which means "God is
with us."

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded
him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until
she bore a son and he named him Jesus. (Mt 1:18-25)

Joseph is presented as wholly obedient to the Word of God, as well. He
is twice more given instructions in a dream (Mt 2:13, 19). He was a
'righteous man' who was well versed in the scriptures. It is entirely
possible that Joseph was familiar with the prophesies which Matthew
quotes and grew in his understanding of them as Jesus grew "in wisdom
and age and grace with God and man." (Lk 2:40) One wonders what form
the scripture study of the Holy Family took. they obviously took much
time in this endeavor as Jesus displayed much knowledge in this area (Lk
2:46-50, 4:2-13) although His understanding is much deeper than that of
those of us who are only human (Lk 24:13-27). With the help of the Holy
Spirit and the Church, we too are called to an ever deepening
understanding of the Word of God.

A prayer from the Solemnity of the Annunciation

Almighty Father of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, You have revealed the
beauty of Your Power by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth and
making her the mother of our Savior. May the prayers of this woman
bring Jesus to the waiting world and fill the void of incompletion with the
presence of her Child Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

The Second Joyful Mystery

The Visitation

St. Luke's Gospel tells of a meeting which confirms
the message of the angel to Mary:

"During those days, Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in
haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and
greeted Elizabeth." (Lk 1:39-40) The angel told Mary that Elizabeth,
although she was very old--probably past menopause--was pregnant. The
information was a statement of God's power and established a connection
between the two women and eventually between the two men.

By placing Mary into the context of John's story ["In the sixth month, the
angel came... she remained...three months, then returned to her home" (Lk
1:26 and 56)], Luke draws parallels between the two births--that of John
the Baptist and of Jesus: Both Zechariah and Mary were cheerfully going
about their duties when an unexpected visitor startled them. Births were
announced by an angel telling how the sons would fulfill many
prophesies. Neither Mary nor Elizabeth were considered 'able" to have a
child. The angel also gave the names of the children to be born.

On the other hand: Elizabeth and Mary were at opposite ends of their
childbearing years, pointing out, perhaps, that John heralded of the end of
an age while Jesus was the beginning of the next.

Gabriel spoke to the father of John the Baptist and the mother of Jesus.
While Mary accepted the angel's word readily adn is lauded for her faith
and obedience, Zechariah rebuffed it and was punished for his unbelief.

Re-read these scriptures (Lk 1:5-22; 26-38). Think about the ways the
two births can be compared.

Elizabeth also reminds us of Sarah and Rebekkah who were old before
God gave them children.

Sarah's situation foretold the long wait Israel would have for the
promised Savior.

Rebekkah's twin sons foreshadowed the relationship between John the
Baptist and Jesus: "One will surpass the other; the older will serve the
younger." (Gn 25:22) Yet, instead of using treachery, as Jacob did, Jesus
awaited God's perfect timing. John, for his part, did not resist or resent
being superseded by Jesus, but clearly stated that "He must increase,
while I must decrease." (Jn 3:30)

A Leap for Joy

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb"
(Lk 1:41) Elizabeth tells us that her babe leaped for joy (vs. 44)!

Since Mary "went in haste," to Judea, the conception of Jesus may have
been less than a week earlier. At six months in utero, John recognised
Jesus through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, as he would at Jesus'
baptism (Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21; Jn 1:29-34). A wonderful, strong
state- ment about the beginning of human life!

Holy Ones

"...Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out with a loud voice, and
said, 'Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the Fruit of your
womb.'" (Lk 1:41-42) Here, both Mary and 'the fruit of [her] womb' are
called 'blessed.' They are set apart as being holy.

Mary, for the sake of her Son, on account of her ready response to the task
presented to her by the Lord, is to be esteemed by both men and angels.

Elizabeth's greeting echoes the greeting of the angel to Mary. This in
turn, recalls Gideon and Judith, as we saw earlier. In addition, it alludes
to the canticle of Deborah praising Jael for destroying the chief of Israel's
enemies by a blow to his head (Jdgs. 5:24-31). The canticle ends with the
victorious statement: "May all Your enemies perish thus, O Lord! But
Your friends be as the sun rising in its might!" (Jdgs. 5;31) Asaph also
refers to the incident in Psalm 83.

The Mother of God

"How does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come
to me?" (Lk 1:43) Elizabeth is the first human to declare the divine title
given to the risen Jesus (Jn 20:28; Acts 2:36; Phil 2:11) which is the essence
of the Christian creed (Rm 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Col 2:6). This confirms His
Lordship as foretold in Psalm 110 and Isaiah 45:24. Luke uses this title to
emphasize Jesus' authority and power throughout his gospel (Lk 7:13;
10:1, 39, 41; 11:39).

Through this expression, Elizabeth asserts that Mary is the mother of
God. St. Jerome observes "Elizabeth was a just and blessed woman; yet
the excellency of the mother of God does so far surpass that of Elizabeth,
and that of every other woman, as the great luminary outshines the
smaller stars." In this way, we see that the Bible encourages us to honor
Mary, for her faith and obedience, as the mother of God. A woman in
the crowd extolled Mary's physical motherhood (Lk 11:27-28). Jesus
corrected her saying it is not simply because Mary cared for His needs
when He was a helpless infant, but rather because she heard the word of
God and acted upon it.

Faith's blessing

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled." (Lk 1:45)

Jesus revealed that those who believe and act on the Word of God are
His mother, brothers and sisters (Mt 12:46-49; Mk 3:31-35; Lk 8:19-21).
Since Mary had already given her assent to doing God's will, this places
her right at the heart of His family.

From the cross, He looked upon 'the disciple that Jesus loved' as His
brother. John had indeed heard the Word of God and followed it, even to
the cross. It was fitting that Jesus give His mother to us, His brothers and
sisters with John as our representative, to be honored in accord with the
command- ments (Ex 20:12).

God has promised much to those who obey Him:

"...if you continue to heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and are
careful to observe all His commandments...the Lord, your God, will raise
you high above all the nations on earth. When you hearken to the voice of
the Lord, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and
overwhelm you:

May you be blessed in the city and blessed in the country! Blessed be
the fruit of your womb, the produce of your soil and the offspring of your
livestock, the issue of your herds, and the young of your flocks! Blessed
be your grain bin and your kneading bowl! May you be blessed in your
coming in and blessed in your going out!

The Lord will beat down before you the enemies that rise up against
you; though they come out against you from but one direction, they will
flee before you in seven. The Lord will affirm His blessing upon you, on
your barns and on all your undertakings, blessing you in the land which
the Lord, your God, gives you. Provided that you keep the
commandments that the Lord, your God, and walk in His ways, He will
establish you as a people sacred to Himself, as He swore to you; so that,
when all the nations of the world see you bearing the Name of the Lord,
they will stand in awe of you." (Deuteronomy 28:1-10)

A Prayer from the Feast of the Visitation:

Eternal Father, You inspired the Virgin Mary, mother of Your Son, to
visit Elizabeth and assist her in her need. Keep us open to the working of
Your Spirit, and with Mary may we praise You forever. We ask this
through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You
forever and ever. Amen.

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