FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

 

The Immaculate Conception

 Pope Pius IX promulgated this doctrine in the document Ineffabilis Deus in 1854

The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain—that’s what “immaculate” means: without stain. The essence of original sin consists in the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. Mary was preserved from these defects by God’s grace; from the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings.

When discussing the Immaculate Conception, an implicit reference may be found in the angel’s greeting to Mary. The angel Gabriel said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary.

The grace given to Mary is at once permanent and of a unique kind. Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning “to fill or endow with grace.” Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed was not a result of the angel’s visit. In fact, Catholics hold, it extended over the whole of her life, from conception onward. She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence.

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My most memorable experience with this doctrine involves having to translate, sight unseen, parts of the papal document of Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, from Latin to English as part of my entrance exam into the School of Theology back in the spring of 1965.

Another part of the entrance exam was a live interview with a three-person panel of professors on the subject of Saint Thomas' proofs for the existence of God. 

I am still shocked that I passed those exams! That was a miracle in itself!