DAILY HOMILIES #Blessed Virgin Mary

How do we say “Yes” to God? St. Paul tells us in today’s second reading: “to be holy and blameless before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:3-4). Our “Yes” to God is our decision to live holy and blameless lives. It is our willingness to be the world's salt and light. Is it easy to say “Yes” to God? No. Nevertheless, if Mary said “Yes”, you too can say “Yes.”

The lamb Abraham said God would provide, the lamb sacrificed in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, that Samuel offered, and the prophets spoke about is Jesus Christ.

Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.

The question we must ask ourselves today is: “Am I a weed in God’s kingdom?” Let us join Jeremiah in today’s first reading to ask for God’s mercy that we may no longer be weeds but good seed.

It was this purity of heart that made God so fall in love with her as to choose her to be his mother. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us a secret; “Blessed are the Pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8). Only a heart so pure can contain God as Mary did. As we reflect on Mary’s Immaculate Heart, let us look at our own hearts. What efforts am I making to guard my heart from all defilements of evil?

In celebrating Mary’s Immaculate Conception, we are reminded that there is no limit to what God can do in us and through us if only we allow God to have His way in our lives by doing His will; that is, by saying “Yes” just as Mary said: “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). We utter our “yes” to God by living a life that is holy and blameless.