Reflection for Monday December 8 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Luke 1:26-38

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.  

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end."  

But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

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Reflection:

We celebrate today the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This was approved in 1476 by Pope Sixtus IV and later extended to the universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1708.

Recognizing the belief held for centuries by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854.

This dogma affirms that “the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, was preserved free from all stain of original sin” (Ineffabilis Deus, 1854).

Among the many women at that time, why was Mary chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus? She was chosen not because of status or privilege, but because of her humility and her obedience to the will of God. Mary did not insist on her own plans, nor did she allow fear or self-interest to overshadow her trust in the Lord. Instead, she surrendered her life completely into God’s hands.

The Lord continues to choose and work through the humble and the obedient for the fulfillment of His plans in the world. In Mary, we see a heart fully open to God’s grace—a life willingly offered in faith. She reminds us that true greatness is found not in control, but in surrender.

Like Mary, we are also invited to listen to the wisdom and intervention of God in our lives. Yet we may ask ourselves honestly: do we submit only when God’s will aligns with our desires? Do we embrace His guidance only when it is convenient or beneficial to us? When God’s ways challenge our comfort, disrupt our routines, or call us to turn away from sin, do we hesitate, resist, or quietly say no?

God’s intervention in our lives is always rooted in His love for us. At first, His call may seem difficult to accept or hard to understand, especially when it draws us out of our comfort zones or invites us to let go of habits that keep us enslaved. But in time, we come to realize that His plan is always right—leading us toward healing, freedom, and our redemption.

God has a beautiful plan for all of us. He asks only one thing so that this plan may unfold in our lives: that we humbly and freely submit ourselves to His loving will.

As we reflect on Mary’s “yes,” we are challenged to look into our own hearts. Are we truly willing to trust God completely, even when His plan is unclear or demanding? —Marino J. Dasmarinas