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The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house
of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he
said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was
greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be. Luke 1:26–29
The Blessed Virgin Mary was “full of grace!” To be “full” means
just that—full, lacking in nothing. This fullness of grace
signified that she embodied the perfection of every virtue,
particularly humility. Humility is seeing oneself in the light of
truth, neither exaggerated nor diminished. Mary’s humility is
strikingly revealed in her reaction to the angel Gabriel’s
greeting—she was “greatly troubled at what was said” and pondered
it deeply.
Why would the Mother of God be troubled? Why not simply respond
with confidence, saying, “Thank you for noticing that I am full of
grace?” Because Mary knew that her fullness of grace was not due to
her own merits. It was entirely beyond her natural abilities and
was the result of God’s gracious initiative. Mary freely cooperated
with grace throughout her life, and she knew that God alone was the
source of every gift. Therefore, her initial reaction of being
“troubled” was not due to doubt or fear but was the fruit of her
wonder and awe at the incomprehensible blessings bestowed upon her.
She saw clearly her own lowliness and unworthiness in relation to
God, and this profound humility made her the most beautiful of all
creatures.
Her heart, filled with wonder and contemplation, not only made Mary
the Immaculate Mother of God but also sets before us a model of
perfect discipleship. Though we are not “full” of grace as she was,
we receive countless graces daily. Like Mary, we must strive to
respond to these gifts with humility, awe, and gratitude.
Today, as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate
Conception, we remember that while Adam and Eve were created in a
state of Original Innocence, they fell from grace through
disobedience. As a result, humanity inherited a fallen nature.
However, by a singular grace, Mary was preserved from the stain of
Original Sin from the very moment of her conception. This
prevenient grace—a grace that was given to her before any merit or
action on her part—was given to her in light of the future merits
of her Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, Mary was redeemed in an
extraordinary way, and her soul was preserved from concupiscence
and all of the effects of sin. Unlike Adam and Eve, who turned away
from God, Mary remained faithful to Him throughout her life,
earning her the title, “The New Eve.”
As we celebrate the Immaculate Conception, reflect today on the
mystery of Mary’s life and soul. While we can understand her unique
role in salvation history to a certain degree, the full beauty and
depth of her Immaculate Heart will only be fully revealed in
Heaven. For now, we are invited to meditate upon her profound
humility, her life of grace, and her role as the model of Christian
discipleship.
Dearest Mother of God, you are the Immaculate Conception, filled
with grace from the first moment of your existence. You never
turned away from God’s gift of grace, given to you through the
merits of your Son. Pray for me, that I may come to understand the
virtues you embody and strive to imitate your holiness. Help me to
embrace the grace that draws me closer to your Son, our Savior.
Immaculate Conception, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Image: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Public domain, via Wikimedia
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