Conception, a natural consideration in this season awaiting a baby’s birth, is not considered this Sunday. It is displaced by a warning from John the Baptist as the Gospel reading. Quite unfortunate, as today, December 8th, is a specific day celebrating conception. It is Mary’s Immaculate Conception. The festive celebration of Mary’s conception happens in the Christmas season as Jesus’ conception is coming to birth. Yet both conceptions are missed in favor of the Second Sunday of Advent’s reading highlighting John. This needs to be reversed.
Conception is a magnificent wonder. It is also, as this Feast signifies, immaculate. Immaculate means without defilement, without sin. Asserted in the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is the belief that Mary of Nazareth was conceived without sin. From her time in the womb Mary knew only communion with God. With entire respect to Mary let us expand our conception of communion with God. Let us recognize we are all conceived immaculately, meaning we are all born without defilement. We are all conceived without sin. We are all always in communion with God. It is true that over the course of our lives we feel more in communion with God at sometimes than at other times. It is also true over that same course we meet others who are more in touch with their Divine communion, others who are less in touch. However, it is circumstances of life and not our nature that tears at that communion. Those who believe that humanity is not born in communion with God are mistaken. They are not in communion with Jesus nor with Mary. Those who work against making this world a wondrous and immaculate place for wondrous and immaculate children are also not in communion with Jesus or with Mary. We can find such persons in members of Congress who in this Christmas season or in any season defund programs such as Women, Infant, Children (WIC) and children’s health insurance and food stamps and head start. They divert funds to prisons and weapons and wars instead. These persons are self-described as Christians. They include Ted Cruz, John Boehner, Paul Ryan and many others. It would seem these self-titled Christians have no conception of Jesus or Mary.
Truly preparing the way for Jesus or Mary or every other child of God would have disciples, year round, conceiving a gentle, loving, and peaceful world able to raise gentle, loving, and peaceful children. Such a world is the best christening present any mother could ask for.
Prayer: Dear Mary, I join myself to others who are preparing the world for the birth of new life.
Question: How can I encourage homes, neighborhoods, cities, and society to support pregnant women and welcome little children?
December 8, 2013 Gospel Mt 3:1-12 2nd Sunday of Advent / Feast of the Immaculate Conception