|  “The
Jubilee year of the proclamation of the dogma of the
Immaculate Conception reminds us of its unchanging importance.
To understand the Immaculate Conception properly we
must consider the plan of the Creator who wishes us
to be ‘holy and spotless before him’. Human
sin destroyed this plan. In Mary the plan was fulfilled,
she is created without sin. Contemplating her holiness
we should turn to the One “who did great things
in her”. Mary, the Creator’s masterpiece,
the most beautiful of creatures, calls us to praise
Almighty God. Looking at Mary, we see what God’s
love can achieve when man makes no resistance. Mary
is all holy. She is the Immaculate Conception because
she is the Mother of God. God’s grace triumphs
in Mary and she leads us to Jesus, the only source of
all grace.
The Immaculate Conception is not only the fact that
Mary is without original sin, but that the Holy Spirit
lives in her. When we invoke Mary, we invoke the Holy
Spirit who lives in her and makes us holy like Mary.
When we turn to Mary we are turning to the Spirit and
his power to transform all things.
To imitate Mary is to live in a state of sanctifying
grace. We should love her and invite her into our life
to help us overcome our passions, our sins and the bad
influence which the world has on our life. Through her
intercession we receive special graces. With her we
can draw ever closer to Jesus. She helps us to bear
patiently the sufferings and contradictions of our life
and to praise the Lord even in times of trouble.
Although Mary was preserved from all stain of sin she
is close to us in our suffering and our struggle against
evil.
Maria is inseparable from Jesus and she wishes us to
be united with Him in the same way. She leads us to
the Eucharist, the sacrament which unites us perfectly
with him. The Eucharist helps us discover the depth
of God mercy who comes to save us. Mary helps us to
pray like the apostles in the Upper Room.
In Poland the 150th anniversary of the proclamation
of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated
most solemnly at Niepokalanow Shrine built in honour
of Immaculate Mary by Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe.
In October the Shrine hosted a Mariological Symposium
on the “ Mystery of the Immaculate Conception
and Christian life”. The jubilee is also important
for the Immaculate Legion founded by Saint Kolbe. The
whole year has been one of theological reflection and
prayer at Czestochowa, and various other places in Poland.”
Sr
Anna Siudak, FMM |
