Wenesde, December 8, 2021
Solemnity of di Immaculate Conception of di Blessed Virgin Mary
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Mary talk say, “See, I be the Lord handmaid. Make e happen to me as you don talk.” Luke 1:38a
Happy Solemnity! Na day to celebrate be this! Today, we dey honour the glorious and miraculous Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother, wey be work of God mercy wey deep pass wetin we fit understand.
E proper make we see di Immaculate Conception as act of deep mercy. Why e be so? Wetin dey about dis solemnity wey connect am so closely with mercy?
Mercy na gift wey God dey give freely. When we talk say “freely,” we mean say no be wetin person merit or work earn. God no owe us mercy. If na debt wey E owe us, e no go be mercy; e go be our right. But mercy no be our right. God dey give am freely, and E dey give am plenty.
For this glorious Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, e important make we look am as free gift from two sides. First, “Immaculate Conception” mean say when God create Blessed Virgin Mary, E create her without sin. This happen through wetin we dey call prevenient grace. This grace wey E give her na work of God perfect mercy wey E give freely. She no work earn am or merit am; instead, God, for His goodness, choose to create her without original sin, so that she go be fitting instrument wey the Son go take come into the world. For Mary own part, she accept this gift with all her heart and choose, with her own free will wey she continue to use, to remain without sin all through her life.
Second, when God create our Blessed Mother without any stain of sin, E no keep her for only Himself. E no hold her for Himself alone. Instead, E choose to make this perfect work of His creation our own mother. Mary, the Immaculate Mother, don become our spiritual mother for the order of God grace and mercy. This one too na work of perfect mercy wey our loving God give freely. We no deserve this kind spiritual mother and protector, but we get her, and she dey always intercede for us and give us plenty graces from God, just as perfect mother go do.
Today, think deeply about this free gift of God mercy wey get two parts: 1) Because of His mercy, E create Mary without any stain of sin, and 2) E give her to us as our own mother and queen. Seek her motherly care today and all through the year!
Mother wey I love well-well, my Queen, I dey gaze at your beauty and holiness—you wey, even though na just creature you be, dey perfect for every way. God don give you dis unique grace freely, and you cooperate with am perfectly. Make I always depend on your motherly love and care, and make I always allow you to give me God’s grace according to di Father’s plan. You, Mother wey I love well-well, na gift of Mercy wey God give all of us freely! Mother Mary, I love you. Pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
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Read More – Solemnity of di Immaculate Conception of di Blessed Virgin Mary
Di main picture above: Immaculate Conception by Peter Paul Rubens, through Wikimedia Commons
