THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

For those of us who were baptized as babies, our parents gave us a baptism name. For those of us who were baptized as adults, we chose a baptism name for ourselves. These will be the names for the rest of our lives. But these are not just names to identity ourselves. They have a much greater significance. They symbolize our new identity in Christ through baptism. For those of us who were baptized as adults, our baptism names symbolize our “Yes” to God to be His beloved children. Mary was graced to be immaculately conceived in her mother’s womb, and freed from sin by the power of God. But at the Annunciation, Mary is called by a new name and empowered to bear the One who is to crush the power of evil. Mary is called by the angel Gabriel “the highly favored one”. And Mary said “Yes” to the mission of bearing the Word made flesh. By the grace of our baptism, we too have become God’s highly favored ones; we too have become “immaculate”. We too are empowered to say “Yes” to God. In saying “Yes” to God, we are also saying “No” to evil and to the devil’s temptations. So let us rejoice with Mary on this feast of her Immaculate Conception and give thanks and praise to God for His saving love for us. Let us renew the grace of our baptism and by the grace of our baptism, let us crush our evil and sinful desires and live as God’s beloved and highly favored sons and daughters. God Bless! Father Maria Joseph Kodiganti