The one who chose his mother

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  This is a feast that is often misunderstood, for perhaps the first thought is that today is about celebrating the fact that Mary conceived her Son without sin.  In fact, today is about celebrating the fact that Mary herself was conceived without sin.

Fulton Sheen, who served as Bishop of Rochester, New York from 1966 to 1969 spoke of this feast by explaining that God had the privilege of choosing the one who would be his mother.  If you had this privilege, would you not choose the best, most perfect woman?  In fact, the Church teaches that from the moment of her own conception, Mary was protected by the special gift of prevenient grace from the effects of sin.  Today is about celebrating this gift, given to a mortal by the immortal.

Saint Anselm sppoke of this day explaining that God is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world.  God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life.  For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world.  Without God's Son, nothing could exist, without Mary's Son, nothing could be redeemed. (from the Office of Readings for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception)