The Misconception of the Immaculate Conception

FEAST DAY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION!
Gospel Reading today: Luke 1:26-38
"Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:28

What a special day this day is....the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. I didn't know until a few years ago, that the Immaculate Conception is when Mary was conceived by her mother & father. I always thought it was when Jesus was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. In the Catholic Church we honor Mary, for she was blameless & without sin the moment she was conceived and then gave birth to our Lord Jesus. Her mission is to bring us closer to her son. The misconception of the Catholic faith is that we "worship" Mary. We only worship God our Father and His son. We give honor to Mary and give her thanks for what she did for all of us. By her "yes!", we are able to live forever in Heaven with our Father. Another misconception of our devotion to Mary is the reason of praying the rosary. As Catholics, when we pray the rosary, we are not "praying to Mary", however, we are praying the Gospels. I once heard it put perfectly, that the prayers of the rosary is like beautiful background music as we meditate on Jesus' life. Through the rosary, we are naturally brought closer to Jesus by meditating on his life here on earth. She intercedes for us as we pray to Jesus. She hears our prayers and goes directly to her Son to ask for favor upon us. Another saying that I have heard and love is "Jesus can't say no to his Mother!". Just as I may ask you to pray for me, as Catholics, we simply ask Jesus' mother to pray for us. Same goes with the Saints.

I don't know much in this life, but what I do know is that I have experienced the power of praying the rosary. I see Jesus' life in a whole different light. I am reminded through my days of mothering what the true meaning of this life here on earth is about. I am reminded that raising these souls for Eternity is our number one mission as mothers. Through the rosary, Heaven has come to life here on earth for me. I see Christ in the eyes of the person I pass at the grocery store. I see Christ in the smile of someone I glance at while passing on the Interstate. Most importantly, I see Christ in my husband and my children who make my faith stronger and my work here on earth a little lighter. Through the Immaculate Conception, we can walk with Christ here on earth and spend Eternity with Him. All because of a simple "yes" of a poor and sweet young girl from Nazereth.

So, today, I say thank you to my Blessed Mother in Heaven, for all of the love and prayers she has bestowed on me and my family. She loves us all so much and wants the absolute best for us in this life and that is to know and love her Son with our whole heart and soul. I will leave you this morning with Pope John Paul II's personal motto. "Totus Tuus", to Jesus through Mary.

Blessings to you this Holy Tuesday! Pray for me as I am going to try to brave morning mass with my 4,2,& 17month old... Lord give me stregnth!