An Advent Invitation: Pray the Rosary & Honor Mary, Our Immaculate Mother
TAs we celebrate this Second Sunday of Advent, our hearts continue to watch and wait for the coming of Christ. One of the most powerful ways to deepen our Advent preparation is by praying the Most Holy Rosary. Even a single decade each day can open your heart to God’s grace and help rekindle the spiritual fire within during this sacred season of hope and expectation.
This week offers us a special opportunity to turn to Mary in prayer, as Monday is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary a Holy Day of Obligation. This solemnity is both the patronal feast of the United States of America and the patronal feast of our own Diocese of Syracuse. We are blessed to live and worship under the special protection of the Immaculate Mother of God.
What the Church Teaches About the Immaculate Conception
Many people mistakenly think this feast refers to Jesus’ conception.
In truth, the Immaculate Conception refers to Mary’s
conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. From the first
moment of her existence, Mary was preserved from original sin by a
singular grace and privilege of Almighty God. This was done in
view of the saving mission of Christ, who would one day take flesh
within her. Mary was redeemed in advance so she could serve as a
pure and holy dwelling place for the Savior of the world.
Mary’s Yes and the Coming Feast of the Nativity
The grace of the Immaculate Conception is not an isolated
moment it is intimately connected to the Feast of the Nativity we
will celebrate at Christmas. Mary’s preservation from sin prepared
her to freely give her wholehearted yes at the Annunciation. Her
“fiat” allowed the Word to become flesh and dwell among us.
Without her openness, humility, and trust, salvation history would
look very different.
Mary’s yes is a model for every disciple. In a world marked by noise, division, and distraction, her quiet courage shows us how to receive Christ with a heart made ready by grace. As we move closer to the Nativity, we are invited to echo her yes in our own lives by surrendering to God’s will and welcoming Christ anew.
Pray the Rosary This Advent
The Rosary is one of the surest ways to grow in love for Mary and
her Son. I especially encourage families to pray it together at home
during Advent. As Venerable Father Patrick Peyton famousl y said, “The family that prays together stays together.”
Even one decade a day can transform your Advent and prepare room
in your heart for Christ’s coming.
May Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception intercede for our parish, our diocese, and our nation leading us ever closer to Jesus.
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Jason C. Hage, Pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Mary, Mother of Our Savior, pray for us!