Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38
In the book of Ephesians Paul argues that God predestined us all to be holy and blameless in his sight through Jesus the Lord. It does not take a great deal of research to discover that we have not lived up to this statement of Paul. Our sins both individual and collective are vast. Yet, the possibility exists for us to achieve this goal of living without sin in the world through the person of the Lord Jesus. That we have failed in this task is on us, not him.
So today we consider the person of Mary the Mother of Jesus. In her we have this one unique example of someone who has fulfilled this promise of which Paul speaks. She lived without sin as she was ever united to her son in all she did. This was not merely a privilege given her by God in some deterministic fashion, for she had to cooperate with the promptings of God in freedom as we all do. It was a conscious choice on her part to follow God's will for her throughout her life.
It is important for us human beings to have this yearly reminder of what Paul speaks to us of the hope God has for each of us - to be holy and blameless in his sight. And it is important for us to reflect on the singular life of Mary who carried out this hope of God. We too can bear the Lord Jesus in our bodies and bring him forth to the world - not in natural childbirth but in our every word and deed that evokes mercy and love to others.
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