Immaculate Conception 8 December 2008

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (9 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 12:10 pm Mass.  Mary is preserved from sin from the first moment of her life.  She says yes to God's request to be the Mother of God, not knowing just that that will mean for her or her husband Joseph or her son Jesus.  She becomes a living Tabernacle of the Holy of Holies, Jesus.  Is not that also our vocation?  Do we not come forward at communion to receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus becoming living Tabernacles?  This Advent let us be ready to say yes to God and carry Jesus out to all we meet!

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (14 minutes) given by Deacon Charles Rohrbacher at the 7 pm Mass.  There can be some conversion when we read the Gospel of Jesus' conception for the feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception.  We are called to be as willing as Mary to invite God's creative life giving power into our lives.  Mary in her obedience becomes the new Eve.  The Ikon of Mary's conception shows the chaste passionate embrace of Joachim and Anna.  This Ikon is often given to newly married couples to place over their marriage bed to inspire them to welcome God's creative action in their lives.

Readings: Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 98; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38.