8 DECEMBER: THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women. Thus, the Archangel St Gabriel could have greeted her in a hundred different ways, but he does so by reminding her of what is the most important thing for a Christian soul: that she is full of grace, the creature who enjoys a very special intimacy with God because she is filled with grace.

We too are loved by God, who has made us his children. By adopting us, he has placed his grace in our souls, which leads us to resemble Christ and become holy.

Do you strive to respond with complete generosity to God's inspirations? There are some words of Christ's in the Gospel that are very clear but that sometimes trouble me: For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Mk 4:25). If you and I respond to grace, like our Mother, God will enable us to respond even more; if we strive to be faithful to our calling, he will give us more help at every moment and make us holier each day. Let us make a firm resolution, then, to thank God for all the gifts he has bestowed on us.

Let us ask Holy Mary, Spes Nostra, our Hope, to kindle in us a holy desire that we may all come together to dwell in the house of the Father. Nothing needs disturb us if we make up our minds to anchor our hearts in a real longing for our true fatherland. Our Lord will lead us there with his grace, and he will send a good wind to carry our ship to the bright shores of our destination.

My resolution for today:

To live my life close to Mary, so that, one day, I may be sheltered under her blue mantle, happy forever.

Illustration: Immaculate Conception of Murillo