Lecture on the Immaculate Conception by Father Mike Schmitz

May 14, 2024

Lecture on the Immaculate Conception by Father Mike Schmitz

Key Points

  • Date of Celebration: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8th each year.
  • Common Misconception: Confusion often arises as people think this refers to the conception of Jesus (which is celebrated on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation) but it actually refers to the conception of Mary.

Theological Explanation

  • Immaculate Conception: Refers to Mary being conceived without original sin.
  • Reason for Immaculate Conception: By the merits of Jesus Christ's future life, death, and resurrection, Mary was preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception.

Analogy for Understanding

  • Epidemic Analogy: Dr. Joe Johnson has a treatment for a deadly virus and also a vaccination. If you receive the vaccination, you don’t get the virus and still, Dr. Joe is your savior. Similarly, Mary was 'vaccinated' against original sin by the future merits of Jesus.

Theological Implications

  • Jesus as Mary's Savior: Even though Mary was without original sin, Jesus still saved her preemptively.
  • Transcendence of God's Grace: God's grace can operate outside of time, applying the merits of Jesus' sacrifice to Mary before it happened in history.
  • Historical Context: Mary was conceived about 47 years before Jesus's crucifixion (likely around age 14 when she conceived Jesus, who was about 33 at his death).

Biblical References

  • Old vs. New Testament Figures:
    • In Genesis 3: Adam and Eve were originally without sin but fell into disobedience and unbelief. They transmitted original sin to all humanity.
    • In the New Testament: Jesus is the New Adam, and Mary is seen as the New Eve. Just as the old Eve led Adam into disobedience, Mary’s obedience helped bring about the redemption through Jesus.
    • Role of Mary and Jesus: Mary’s 'yes' to God contrasted with Eve’s 'no,' leading to humanity’s redemption through Jesus’s 'yes' to the Father.

Significance of Mary's Role

  • Participation in Redemption: God chose Mary to participate actively in the redemption of humanity by consenting to bear Jesus.
  • Mary's Sainthood: Maria is extolled not for her own merits but for her willing cooperation with God's grace.

Key Takeaway

  • Responding to God: Like Mary, we are invited to say 'yes' to God’s call in our lives, allowing His work to transform us.

Example from Music

  • Song 'Mary, Did You Know?': Father Mike mentions that the song is beautiful but gets one line wrong about Mary being redeemed by Jesus after his birth. Instead, she was already redeemed from the very moment of her conception.

Conclusion

  • Invitation: The feast of the Immaculate Conception invites everyone to say 'yes' to God just as Mary did.