What does today's Solemnity, The Immaculate Conception, celebrate?- The doctrine of the birth of Jesus from a virgin mother.
- The doctrine that the Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin.
- Terry Bradshaw's fortuitous "pass" to Franco Harris in a 1972 AFC playoff game.
Fr. Cantalamessa's commentary.
the dogma of Mary Immaculate also tells us something very positive: God is stronger than sin and where sin abounds grace abounds even more (cf. Romans 5:20).Mary is the sign and guarantee of this. The whole Church, after her, is called to become "glorious, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, that she might be holy and immaculate" (Ephesians 5:27).May I suggest, as an appropriate feast day treat, chocolate-tangerine semifreddo? (Don't say I never did anything for you!)
