Though tomorrow is not a Catholic holy day of obligation it is one of the many days on the liturgical calendar during which we honor the Virgin Mary. Today marks the anniversary of the second apparition of Mary to Saint Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill (now Mexico City). Our Lady had first instructed him to build a shrine there where she could bring comfort to all who visited. This had been met with some resistance by the bishop so Mary told Juan Diego collect roses and present them to the bishop in the dead of winter as proof of her apparition. Juan Diego did this and the cloak (tilma) he used to carry the roses can still be seen in Mexico City today, imprinted with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Today, December 8th, marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, an incredibly important Catholic solemnity and one that is a holy day of obligation in the United States. This means we Catholics are required to attend this mass. As it falls during the season of Advent, the preparation for the nativity of Christ, there is a common misunderstanding about who’s immaculate conception we celebrate today. Everyone knows that Christ was conceived by the power of The Holy Spirit to the Virgin Mary. However, today we celebrate the conception of Holy Mother Mary, Queen of the Universe.
One of the first things that new Catholics learn about the faith is that, as the son of God, Christ was fully human and fully divine and therefore was without sin. This means that Christ never committed a sin during his time on Earth, from His conception to His ascension into Heaven after His resurrection from the dead. Necessarily, this also means that His mother, Mary, was without sin as her Son could not be contained in a place tainted by sin. Mary’s womb was the very first tabernacle in which our Lord resided and thus Mary must also be pure and virtuous.
This is also one of the explanations for how Mary could remain a virgin while still becoming the mother of Christ. From the moment of her birth, she was chosen to one day become the mother of God and ultimately the mother of us all. This does not mean that she had no choice in the matter. God is all knowing and outside of time. He knew what decision Mary would make when visited by the archangel, Gabriel. However, God also blesses all of humanity with free will and it was Mary’s yes which ultimately led to the salvation of mankind through the birth of Christ and His death on the cross.
Though she is merely human, Mary is venerated as the ultimate woman. She is the new Eve, the Blessed Mother, Holy Virgin, Star of the Sea and Queen of the Universe. Through her unfailing trust in God, Mary serves as a blueprint of perfect faith, obedience, and femininity. This is why we venerate the Mother of God on this feast day.
Amid all the hustle and bustle of life there are a few days throughout the year during which attendance is required at Catholic mass in addition to our regular Sunday worship. These holy days of obligation are days of rest, reflection and renewed devotion to our Lord and today is one such day. Today we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary the most holy mother of God is also named the new Eve in the Catholic Church. Just as our fall was brought forth in the Garden of Eden by a woman, so also was our salvation born from a woman’s womb. In this way men and women were both redeemed.
Mary is also considered the mother of the Church. Christ confirmed this in His last words to Mary and John while on the cross. Like Christ, Mary was free from original sin and unfailing in her devotion to God. For all of these reasons, Mary’s body was not subjected to an earthly death but was assumed into Heaven, body and soul. She is now everyone’s mother and protector as Queen of the Universe.
For most of my life I wasn’t sure I wanted a good Catholic fellow. After one failed long term relationship, a smattering of dead end first dates and years of the single life, I was more than hesitant to limit my options. It seemed to me that young Catholic gentlemen were rare and far between. I also had yet to discover the true power of prayer and was skeptical that it could land me my dream husband. The jury was still out on whether such a person even existed at all. Little did I know that God had plans for me.
At the urging of my deeply Catholic and loving mother, I prayed a nine day novena to Saint Anne. I wasn’t expecting it to work but I knew it would make my mom happy and at the very least, it couldn’t hurt my odds. As a much more seasoned woman of faith than I, my mom had some tips for exactly what intercessions to ask for from the patron Saint of unmarried women. Her number one piece of advice was to BE SPECIFIC. I wasn’t merely praying for a date or even a husband but rather that God send me a kind, humble, handsome, Catholic gentleman who would go the extra mile early and often and would always strive to bring me closer to my faith. I rolled my eyes at the time for what I thought could only amount to wishful thinking but did as instructed. I said the words everyday while desperately hoping that, just maybe, the grandmother of our savior, Jesus Christ, might hear my plea for help.
Not only were my prayers heard. They were answered one thousand times over. Just a few months after my grudging but heartfelt novena to Saint Anne I met the love of my life, a man I would marry just one year later. No good thing in my life has come to me the way I expected but every single prayer was answered. I got everything I asked for in my husband . He’s even more old-fashioned than I am, always holding doors for me and showing up with a dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day. Since we met he’s taught me nearly all the prayers I know; the Rosary, the Memoroire, the Guardian Angel Prayer. He’s constantly looking for ways to woo and spoil me while keeping me humble and on the path to God.
Prayer works! Everyday that I get to wake up to my very own miracle is a happy reminder that God hears me and He loves me.
Blessed in the Midwest 