Genesis 3:9-15, 20 / Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 / Luke 1:26-38
On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX formally proclaimed the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church.
Essentially, the doctrine here is that from the moment when she was conceived in the womb of her mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary was kept free from original sin and was filled with the sanctifying grace normally conferred during baptism.
Although the belief was widely accepted by the Church as early as the 4th century, it was only in 1854 that it was formally proclaimed.
It also seeks to clarify that Mary, at the first instance of her conception, and by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stains of original sin.
And being always freed from original sin, Mary also received the sanctifying grace that would, for us, normally come with baptism after birth.
Mary was filled with this sanctifying grace and that was why the angel Gabriel greeted her, "Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you".
The grace that Mary received was a special privilege from God that kept her free from sin so that she can respond to the call to be the Mother of God.
We too have received sanctifying grace at our baptism so that we can choose to walk in the ways of God and grow in holiness.
The grace that Mary received prepared her to be the Mother of God; the grace that we received at our baptism prepared us to be the holy People of God.
Let us pray with our Blessed Mother that we will always preserve the grace of God in our hearts so that the Son of God will make His home in us.