Wednesday, December 07, 2016
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
08 December 2016 Thursday
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY,
Principal Patroness of the Philippines
Solemnity. Holyday of Obligation. White.
Gn 3:9 –15, 20 / Eph 1:3 – 6, 11 – 12 / Lk 1: 26 - 38
Originating from a 7th century celebration of the "Conception of Mary by St. Anne," Pope Clement XI established this Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the entire Church in 1708. In the papal Bull Ineffabilis Deus (08 December 1854), Pope Pius IX defined "the doctrine that maintains that the most blessed Virgin Mary in the first moment of her conception . . . was preserved from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore must be firmly and constantly held by all the faithful." The Immaculate Conception BVM was declared Patroness of the Philippines by Pope Pius XII in 1942.
From the 1st Reading: Gn 3: 9 – 15
Yahweh God called the man saying to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard your voice in the garden and O was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?" The man answered, "The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it." God said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate."
Yahweh said to the serpent, "Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beast! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel."
From the 2nd Reading: Eph 1: 11 - 12
By a decree of Him who disposes all things according to his own plan and decision we, the Jews, have been chosen and called and we were awaiting the Messiah for the praise of his glory.
From the Gospel Reading: Lk 1: 28 - 34, 38a
The angel came to her [Mary], "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you." Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.
But the angel said, "Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever and his reign shall have no end." . . .
Then Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said."
Reflection
In today's Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we praise and thank God for his love and graciousness to Mary whom He had prepared to be the Mother of his Son. And we thank Mary for her generous and courageous acceptance of God's invitation, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said." (Lk 1: 38)
In the second reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Paul recalls the free and loving choices of God: of the Jewish people to prepare for and await the coming of the Messiah and of Paul himself, the Christians in Ephesus and all who share Christian faith to "receive grace and peace from God our Father," "chosen in Christ before the creation of the world." (Eph 1: 1, 3)
God's love and invitation to Mary are similar to God's love and invitation to each one of us, "chosen by Him in Christ before the creation of the world." God invites and asks us to respond generously to Him and to partner with him in whatever He has planned for each one of us.
In the same way that the angel assured Mary, "Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you," God tells us not to fear to respond to him and assures us of his help and grace. God tells us not to fear in loving and serving Him and our neighbor for love of God.
And we also have the love and support of our loving Mother, "Holy Mary, conceived without original sin, pray for us."
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
Liam Camiña
Romarico T. Alvarez
THANKSGIVING
Anna Pashmina
Mamerto & Virgie Domingo & Children
Elmer & Solie Suba & Children
PRAYER INTENTION
Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary – 1966
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Charlene & Manolette Carlos
IN MEMORIAM (+)
Chua Chen
OTHER INTENTIONS:
For the eternal repose of the soul of Rita Go.
For the eternal repose of the soul of Gloria C. Orbin.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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