During the season of Advent, there is some focus on Mary, the Mother of God. Mary is a central figure of the season of Advent. There are also two significant Marian celebrations that fall during the season of Advent: the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The first Marian celebration that falls during Advent is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which is celebrated on Dec. 8. Many people misunderstand the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and think it refers to the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary.
The fact that the Immaculate Conception is celebrated very close to Christmas, when people have the birth of Jesus on their minds, seems on most accounts to perpetuate this theological misunderstanding. However, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary focuses on the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother.
The celebration of the Immaculate Conception recalls the conception of Mary without the stain of original sin in the womb of St. Anne. Since Mary would serve as the mother of God’s only Son, God allowed her to be “immaculately” conceived without the taint of original sin so Mary might serve as a worthy mother of his Son.
Under the title of her Immaculate Conception, Mary serves as patroness of the United States of America. We mark our country’s patronal feast each year on Dec. 8, and for this reason, in the United States, the Immaculate Conception is always observed as a holy day of obligation, even when it falls on a Monday or a Saturday.
“As we enter this time of thanksgiving and welcome again Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, let us all take a moment to pause and count our many blessings.”
Just to assist in full understanding, allow me to state that in contrast to the Immaculate Conception, the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary is the focus of the feast of the Annunciation, and is celebrated on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day. The feast of the Annunciation recalls the encounter between Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, when Mary assented to God’s will for her in bringing the Messiah to birth.
The conception of Jesus Christ in the womb of Mary is referred to as the Incarnation, or the Word of God being one with us in our humanity and taking on human flesh. O Mary, the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!
The second Marian celebration that falls during Advent is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is celebrated on Dec. 12. This feast recalls the apparitions of Mary at the hill of Tepeyac, Mexico, from Dec. 9 to 12, 1531, to a native convert, St. Juan Diego.
Under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary serves as patroness of the Americas. In this apparition, Mary aligned herself directly with the poor people living in Tepeyac, and in so doing, she reminded the poor, and indeed all of us today, of the dignity of every human person, regardless of the circumstances of their individual lives.
I am certain that you have seen copies of the wonderful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that was left on St. Juan Diego’s cloak. Reminding us of the dignity of each human person, increasingly Our Lady of Guadalupe is being invoked and becoming a powerful force and symbol in the struggle to end all attacks against the sanctity of all human life. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
As we enter this time of thanksgiving and welcome again Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, let us all take a moment to pause and count our many blessings.
As I count my blessings, please know that I count among them being on this journey of faith with all here in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Know of my prayers for you and my gratitude for your faith!
May our gratitude for the blessings from God that we have received motivate us to share with others. During this time of food insecurity for so many in our county, I urge us all to support our local food banks with food and financial donations. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Comfort my People — Mary, the spirit of Advent
During the season of Advent, there is some focus on Mary, the Mother of God. Mary is a central figure of the season of Advent. There are also two significant Marian celebrations that fall during the season of Advent: the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The first Marian celebration that falls during Advent is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which is celebrated on Dec. 8. Many people misunderstand the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and think it refers to the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary.
The fact that the Immaculate Conception is celebrated very close to Christmas, when people have the birth of Jesus on their minds, seems on most accounts to perpetuate this theological misunderstanding. However, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary focuses on the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother.
The celebration of the Immaculate Conception recalls the conception of Mary without the stain of original sin in the womb of St. Anne. Since Mary would serve as the mother of God’s only Son, God allowed her to be “immaculately” conceived without the taint of original sin so Mary might serve as a worthy mother of his Son.
Under the title of her Immaculate Conception, Mary serves as patroness of the United States of America. We mark our country’s patronal feast each year on Dec. 8, and for this reason, in the United States, the Immaculate Conception is always observed as a holy day of obligation, even when it falls on a Monday or a Saturday.
Just to assist in full understanding, allow me to state that in contrast to the Immaculate Conception, the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary is the focus of the feast of the Annunciation, and is celebrated on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day. The feast of the Annunciation recalls the encounter between Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, when Mary assented to God’s will for her in bringing the Messiah to birth.
The conception of Jesus Christ in the womb of Mary is referred to as the Incarnation, or the Word of God being one with us in our humanity and taking on human flesh. O Mary, the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!
The second Marian celebration that falls during Advent is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is celebrated on Dec. 12. This feast recalls the apparitions of Mary at the hill of Tepeyac, Mexico, from Dec. 9 to 12, 1531, to a native convert, St. Juan Diego.
Under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary serves as patroness of the Americas. In this apparition, Mary aligned herself directly with the poor people living in Tepeyac, and in so doing, she reminded the poor, and indeed all of us today, of the dignity of every human person, regardless of the circumstances of their individual lives.
I am certain that you have seen copies of the wonderful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that was left on St. Juan Diego’s cloak. Reminding us of the dignity of each human person, increasingly Our Lady of Guadalupe is being invoked and becoming a powerful force and symbol in the struggle to end all attacks against the sanctity of all human life. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
As we enter this time of thanksgiving and welcome again Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, let us all take a moment to pause and count our many blessings.
As I count my blessings, please know that I count among them being on this journey of faith with all here in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Know of my prayers for you and my gratitude for your faith!
May our gratitude for the blessings from God that we have received motivate us to share with others. During this time of food insecurity for so many in our county, I urge us all to support our local food banks with food and financial donations. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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