He is Risen! Alleluia!

 

I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

St. John Paul II, a deeply loved Pope and theologian, a mystic, a brilliant and humble man, once wrote, "God seeks man in the womb of Mary". 

And his words continue to draw all of us who love Our Mother into an awed silence. Many are perplexed, perhaps confused, some may even be discomforted by his words. Perhaps we may be standing alongside Nicodemus:

"How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born?"  (John 3)

Even if there were an answer to the unanswerable question posed by Nicodemus, we are then confronted with an ever deeper, seemingly unsolvable question.... How could we, born in sin, enter into a womb so utterly pure? 

                      The Womb of the Immaculata is the CREATED Immaculate Conception just as the Holy Spirit, Sacred Spouse of the Mother of God, is the UNCREATED Immaculate Conception. 

The Uncreated Immaculate Conception conceives Divine life in the soul of Mary, His Immaculate Conception (St. Maximilian Kolbe; St. Francis of Assisi).

This is a union of Mary's very being with the Holy Spirit. He dwells in her, and He always will, for Eternity. He made her body virginal too, an Immaculate Space for the Divine Life of the God-Man to dwell.

St. Louis de Montfort describes to us how God rewarded His deeply humble Handmaid: 

"Mary has the authority over the angels and the blessed in Heaven, and as a reward for her great humility, God gave her the power and mission of assigning to saints the thrones made vacant by the apostate angels who fell away through pride.  Such is the will of the almighty God who exalts the humble, that the powers of Heaven, earth, and hell, willingly or unwillingly, must obey the commands of the humble Virgin Mary.  For God has made her queen of Heaven and earth, leader of his armies, keeper of his treasure, dispenser of his graces, mediatrix on behalf of men, destroyer of his enemies, and faithful associate in his great works and triumphs." 

AND THIS IS THE WOMAN WHOM THE LORD, THE CRUCIFIED ONE, GAVE TO US.

WE CALL HER, "MOTHER".

           The WOMAN whom our greatly loved Pope teaches us that God seeks us in her womb.

She herself replies to our trepidation in approaching her, this CREATED IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, this "WOMAN who sits at God's Right Hand as His Queen:

"Listen, and let it penetrate your heart, my dear little one; do not be troubled or weighted down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?" (Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego and to all of us)

In her womb of purity, God's Tabernacle, she teaches us spiritual childhood, sweet gentleness,  ardent charity, faith-filled obedience, how to practice the Presence of God every second of every day, purity of thought and action, patience in the harshest of trials, self-mortification to win souls for her Son, and wisdom from the one...

"...who was already spiritually the Seat of Wisdom through faith, became also the Seat of Wisdom Incarnate as Mother. "

                  AND GREATEST OF ALL ... SHE SHOWS US HOW TO LOVE AS SHE LOVES.

When our Mother, the Dispenser of God's graces, lovingly and gently leads us into the beauty of these, her virtues, she draws our soul into the Divine Silence that is her Womb, the Holy Place where dwells her Sacred Spouse. 

The answer to Nicodemus' question is revealed.  From Mary's womb, and as her spiritually gestating children, we give her our all as we pray for our all:

                 REMEMBER, MOST GRACIOUS VIRGIN, MARY, THAT NEVER WAS IT KNOWN,

                 THAT ANYONE, WHO FLED TO THY PROTECTION, IMPLORED THY HELP,

                 OR SOUGHT THINE INTERCESSION, WAS LEFT UNAIDED.

                 INSPIRED BY THIS CONFIDENCE, I FLY UNTO THEE, 

                 O VIRGIN OF VIRGIN, MY MOTHER.

                 TO THEE DO I COME, BEFORE THEE I STAND, SINFUL AND SORROWFUL.

                 O MOTHER OF THE WORD INCARNATE, DESPISE NOT MY PETITION, 

                 BUT IN THY CLEMENCY, HEAR AND ANSWER ME.                         

                 AMEN.

MAY GOD ALWAYS SEEK AND FIND US IN THE WOMB OF MARY.

--

Anna Rae-Kelly OCDS
www.annaprae.com