Only through Jesus’ death and resurrection is any human saved. This applies even to Jesus’ mother, Mary, whose Feast of the Immaculate Conception we celebrate this Monday. Mary needed to be saved just like any of us; the difference with her is that the saving benefits of her Son were applied to her at the first moment of her conception. How can this be? What difference does this make to us? The answers are found in Christ’s Cross.
“Of all sacred images the ‘figure of the precious, life-giving cross of Christ,’ is preeminent, because it is the symbol of the entire paschal mystery. The cross is the image most cherished by the Christian people and the most ancient; it represents Christ’s suffering and victory” (Book of Blessings, article 1233).
Sharing in Christ’s victory is not something we share in through any personal merit on our part; it is an absolute gift from God. This gift was applied to Mary at the very moment of her conception - what we call prevenient grace - grace that comes before the action that causes it (Latin from “pre” before, “venient” coming). God, being eternal, sees the past, present, and future as one moment. So, He applied the merits of Christ’s saving work to Mary before His birth, death, and resurrection occurred in our time.
Thus preserved from any stain of sin, Mary is “full of grace” and is the worthy vessel through which our Savior entered the world (cf. Luke 1:28 & 31) so that the happy work of our salvation could begin. Free to cooperate fully with God’s plan, Mary is also an image of what we as the Church should be: like a beautiful bride entirely dedicated to her spouse. Finally, because of the gift of her Immaculate Conception, Mary serves as our advocate and the model of how we are to live a holy life.
Looking to the Cross of Christ, we rejoice in the victory on offer to us, a victory applied uniquely to Mary. Because of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, we have an example of what effect God’s grace has on human beings; through Mary’s unique giftedness, we have an advocate and guide as we strive to cooperate with God’s grace. Together, we can glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, the preeminent sign of His mercy on us all.
David J. Conrad
“Of all sacred images the ‘figure of the precious, life-giving cross of Christ,’ is preeminent, because it is the symbol of the entire paschal mystery. The cross is the image most cherished by the Christian people and the most ancient; it represents Christ’s suffering and victory” (Book of Blessings, article 1233).
Sharing in Christ’s victory is not something we share in through any personal merit on our part; it is an absolute gift from God. This gift was applied to Mary at the very moment of her conception - what we call prevenient grace - grace that comes before the action that causes it (Latin from “pre” before, “venient” coming). God, being eternal, sees the past, present, and future as one moment. So, He applied the merits of Christ’s saving work to Mary before His birth, death, and resurrection occurred in our time.
Thus preserved from any stain of sin, Mary is “full of grace” and is the worthy vessel through which our Savior entered the world (cf. Luke 1:28 & 31) so that the happy work of our salvation could begin. Free to cooperate fully with God’s plan, Mary is also an image of what we as the Church should be: like a beautiful bride entirely dedicated to her spouse. Finally, because of the gift of her Immaculate Conception, Mary serves as our advocate and the model of how we are to live a holy life.
Looking to the Cross of Christ, we rejoice in the victory on offer to us, a victory applied uniquely to Mary. Because of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, we have an example of what effect God’s grace has on human beings; through Mary’s unique giftedness, we have an advocate and guide as we strive to cooperate with God’s grace. Together, we can glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, the preeminent sign of His mercy on us all.
David J. Conrad
RSS Feed
