Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today's Mass Readings

In 1830, Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in France. St. Catherine said, “She showed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe with rays of light coming from her hands toward the globe. Around the frame were the words, ‘O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.’ Mary asked Catherine to take these images to her confessor, Father Jean Marie Aladel, telling him they should be placed on medals. Our Lady said to St. Catherine, “All who wear them will receive great graces.”

The rays coming out of some of Our Lady’s fingers are graces that people ask for. While some of the fingers have no rays, and our Lady says, “my empty fingers are graces that people have not asked for yet.” Our Lady is standing on the Earth, with the ancient serpent, the devil striking her heal. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” This text from our first reading is also in our Abbey Basilica, above Our Lady. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are so powerful that demons run from them with all speed.

This medal was first called the medal of the Immaculate Conception, due to the inscription “O Mary Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” There were many miracles with people wearing the medal, especially around their necks, it has been changed to the Miraculous Medal.

Why am I telling you all this? Because Mary’s Immaculate Conception was Immaculate in itself! “Que soy era Immaculada Concepciou”—“I am the Immaculate Conception.” These are the exact words Our Lady spoke to the little 14-year-old shepherdess girl, St. Bernadette Soubirous. And today we celebrate 149 years as a monastic community here at Conception Abbey, which is also miraculous in itself.

I encourage you, if you don’t have a devotion to Our Lady, or if it is weak, strengthen it. St. Louis De Montfort says, “Mary is the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus and will surrender themselves to her, body and soul, without reserve in order to belong entirely to Jesus.” I remember a priest in his homily saying “when we die and finally see Our Lord and Our Lady face to face, and the Lord says ‘who are you?’ it will be 10 times scarier to hear Our Lady say ‘my son, I don’t even know who this person is!’” Always go to Mary and she will lead you to Jesus.

Reflection by Br. Maximilian Burkhart, OSB