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December 8, 2009
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Read

Discover more about the Blessed Virgin Mary in a special section on the Picturing Mary Web site.

 

 

Daily Readings

Pray

Prayer on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
(CHB&P, pg. 14)

Reflect

Pope Benedict XVI ,Mary, 4
In God’s Hands
This is something we should indeed learn on the day of the Immaculate Conception: the person who abandons himself totally in God’s hands does not become God’s puppet, a boring “yes man”; he does not lose his freedom. Only the person who entrusts himself totally to God finds true freedom, the great, creative immensity of the freedom of good. The person who turns to God does not become smaller but greater, for through God and with God he becomes great, he becomes divine, he becomes truly himself. The person who puts himself in God’s hands does not distance himself from others, withdrawing into his private salvation; on the contrary, it is only then that his heart truly awakens and he becomes a sensitive, hence, benevolent and open person.

Homily on the fortieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council
December 8, 2005

Act

This patronal feast of the United States of America is a perfect time to commit to being a “person of life” and to ask God to make our laws just and protective of every one of our citizens from conception until natural death.  Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary by doing something to foster a culture of life by joining in the U.S. Bishops “People of Life” campaign.