Meditation for December 8, The Immaculate Conception

Yesterday, I meditated on the fact that Mary is greater as child of God than as Mother of God. In other words, she is greater by the fullness of her state of grace than by her Divine Maternity; she is greater through the Holy Trinity's Presence within her soul than through the Word Incarnate whose Body was formed within her own.

But if no creature other than Mary can claim Divine Mater­nity, every soul in grace enjoys the Divine Sonship. That means that I too can possess what was greatest in Mary, for the Holy Trinity who lived in her through sanctifying grace dwells likewise in me.

This being true, how does Mary differ from me?

The difference is twofold and therein lies the privilege of the Immaculate Conception.

I came into the world without sanctifying grace; baptism had to impart this divine life to me. But Mary entered as a matter of course into human and divine life at one and the same time. Preserved as she was from original sin, she enjoyed the indwelling of the Holy Spirit from the first moment of her existence.

Further, whereas in me this possession of the Holy Spirit is limited and reduced to the degree of sanctity God has destined for me, divine life in Mary was of incomparable fullness. Olier goes so far as to say that from the very first moment of her life, Mary enjoyed in her possession of grace more divine life than all the saints together ever had.

"Immaculate Mother, assist me that I may be filled with Divine Life to the degree God has planned for me. Let me put no obstacle to the divine invasion of God-life into my soul."

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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)