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All too often, people get confused on who the Immaculate Conception is about. Today, December 8th, is the Solemnity for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By that title, we should be able to figure out that it’s the Conception OF Mary, not Mary’s Conception of Jesus. But we don’t. And by we, I mean Catholics, not people outside the Church.
Reasonably, Jesus can’t be conceived and then two weeks later be born. His day of conception is celebrated on March 25th – that’s right, nine months before Christmas – and that is known as the Feast of the Annunciation (when Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and announces that she will be the Mother of God).
Yet it is still quite understandable for people to not know or remember that today is about Mary’s conception, not her Son’s, especially when you read the Gospel for today.
IT’S WHEN GABRIEL COMES TO MARY. IT’S ABOUT JESUS’ CONCEPTION.
What the what, Church?! I know we don’t have a gospel reading that refers to Mary’s conception, but come on! How are people not supposed to be confused on what’s being celebrated today?? How about keeping it to the Magnificat or something?
And I checked – this isn’t some one-off reading for this cycle – this is every single year.
Obviously, it’s not going to change, but it does make me wonder how this was decided as the best reading for today. People already have misconceptions of Church teachings, we shouldn’t be making it harder.
Oh Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculately Conceived, pray for us.
Oh P.S. today is a Holy Day of Obligation so if you haven’t gone yet, you should try to go!
P.P.S. in looking for an image to use, I came across @visualgrace.sacredart, who also shared with this image some text that said the Annunciation and Mary’s sacred womb points to why Mary needed to be Immaculately Conceived…so there’s the connection to today’s readings. . . so okay Church, good on you for being thoughtful and intentional I guess. But I still hold that it’s confusing!
The cover image painting is by Kate Capato, who you can find at the Instagram account about or her website – visualgrace.org.
