It doesn’t take us long, but if you look around, we can easily find all sorts of depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the image that is behind this altar in the reredos, to so many artistic works, we really do have a tremendous amount of different works to pick from, and likely we all have our favorites. I know in speaking for myself, I am certainly a fan of stained glass. While this may seem fairly ubiquitous in our church buildings, there is just something that is beautiful about it. Typically, on sunny days, it seems that they have a particularly special meaning. We often see Mary in her blue attire, and in such a prayerful state and the colors are often quite vivid. While I enjoy a lot of those characteristics, I tend to enjoy it the most when I see it in that clear sunlight. The sun radiates through Mary in a powerful and remarkable way, and because of that, we are not only able to see her true beauty, but we often see the way that light impacts everything around it, including the church building itself.
I’d argue, however, that there is a more spiritual meaning behind all of this as well, however. It isn’t just about looking at the precious glass and enjoying the sights that we see, but it is about the ways that Mary reflects this very image herself. It isn’t just that she looks good in glass, but in fact, she was able to do the very same things with her life. She took it upon herself to let the light of Christ shine through her, and not so that she would be glorified, but so that this light could be glorified, and would impact many, many generations after her.
Today, as we celebrate this solemnity, we celebrate a simple fact: that Mary was conceived in an immaculate way, and preserved from the contagion of sin, even original sin, from the very first point that she began her physical presence on this earth. To be clear, this was a grace granted her by God, since she could have done nothing to deserve this on her own, but it was granted her by a free gift from God, who had destined her from the beginning of time for this special distinction amongst all men and women. Yet, as we consider this precious gift that has been given her by God, why was she given this grace? What does it invite us to do today?
When we glance over the readings, they actually synchronize with this solemnity, though the two readings may not necessarily seem to synchronize very well on the surface. The first reading comes from the book of Genesis, and though it is a familiar scene, if we delve into what is happening under the surface, then we actually are granted a view of something very profound in the beginnings of the story of salvation history. At this very critical moment, the fall has just occurred, and it seems that humanity is doomed, at least at the outset of this story. There is punishment that is dolled out as the justice of God would dictate, and yet, as all of this happens, notice a subtle undertone that develops. As God speaks to the serpent, He is giving him a very harsh sentence, being allowed to crawl only on his belly for all of his days, and only being able to eat dirt himself. Then, there comes this next component: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”
This, in ordinary circumstances wouldn’t seem all that profound at all, and yet as it happens, it actually is a profound moment. That enmity between the serpent and the woman is the grace that God wishes to provide. Then, there will be a striking that goes back and forth between the offspring of the woman and between the serpent. This is nothing less than the prophecy that there will be someone that is going to put the devil to flight. Someone who is going to strike at evil. Someone who will render the forces of death and destruction null and void. Yet, the woman is the one that this will occur through- and this is nothing less than a prophecy that Mary will be coming to bear a Son to the world.
The second reading comes from Saint Paul and his Letter to the Ephesians. In this letter, there is the reminder of Christ who has blessed us “with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” While this may not seem to be all that related to Mary and to what she accomplishes in the story of salvation, there is still something at play nonetheless. He is reminding the Ephesians in a very clear way that God has chosen them in a very clear and powerful way before all of the foundations of the world, and this is significant for each of them. It shows that God has a very clear and direct plan for every one of them. Yet, there is more present here! If we understand this in the context of Mary, then we understand how God ordained for her to bear the Son into the world, even from the beginnings of time. It wasn’t just at the moment of her conception, but he worked through her to be holy and without blemish before her. This is important and necessary, since she becomes the one who bears the Son of God into the world. Nothing less than sheer perfection will do.
Finally, we arrive at a very familiar story, but one that is essential, nonetheless. It is the scene of the Annunciation- and the moment that Jesus Himself is conceived in the womb of Mary. Yet, the story tells us particularly about Mary’s part and role in all of this. We hear about the angel Gabriel and how he arrives at the town of Nazareth. He greets Mary in a profound way- “Hail full of grace! The Lord is with you!” Already, Mary has been given special grace, and because of this, she has been prepared to be the dwelling place of God’s Son as she is the instrument by which Christ is brought into the world. There is a lot of dialogue, and we have to consider how Mary also responds so well to God’s grace, and yet, there is this beautiful response in all of it as well, as Mary receives God’s grace, and she sees the way that she is being invited into that special role in salvation history as well.
Yet, none of that would have happened without this key moment. In the Immaculate Conception, Mary’s being conceived without sin is celebrated, not just as a feat that is something unto itself, but also something that is paving the way for the Incarnation. It is God extending His hand through all of creation to make up for the shortcomings of man, by giving grace to those who would bring about His Son’s entry into our world, and sharing in our nature. Thus it gives us a moment of praise, not for Mary and what she did, but for God and what He did through her. Thus, when we celebrate this moment, it is a celebration of God’s work- much as if sunlight were passing through glass. Mary is simply the instrument that God uses to bring His Son into the world! Thus, we celebrate God’s glory.
Yet, this gives us a moment to consider ourselves- we are not entirely unlike Mary in our ability to be instruments in God’s hands. No, none of us were immaculately conceived in the way that Mary was, but that doesn’t circumnavigate the fact that each of us have the ability to reflect God in some way. It is up to us, however, to become transparent and to reflect God. We cannot become opaque with our own pride and our own ego or vanity. Rather, we should be so filled with God’s grace as to really manifest His glory, even as we do it in our own shades or our own gifts. This truly is a tremendous grace and gift that we can bring God into this world, and we are given the ability to do that in individual and unique ways.
A final point that stands out from this: each of our lives really matters. God has planned for us and for our gifts and talents to be used in a particular way, and we are not accidental to this world. Rather, we are designed and destined to be dwelling places for God ourselves, even though at times we are working through the little imperfections and weaknesses that we have. Nonetheless, through the Immaculate Conception, we are given the grace to be like Mary in showing God’s glory in ourselves, to the entire world, from the very beginning.
