I want to begin by giving thanks to our lady.

And at the same time to give thanks to St. Jose Maria,

who in significant part established this wonderful custom of honoring our lady for nine days in preparation for

today's solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Also want to thank our lady for not allowing it to snow on today's solemnity.

She allowed that yesterday.

A brief reflection can't do justice to the many ramifications of this marvelous truth of our Catholic faith.

That Mary was conceived without original sin.

And as we heard in today's gospel, the original Greek

calls her by name as full of grace.

On the order of goodness and motherly love, she's off the charts.

Normal moms who don't claim to be anything exceptional

live for their children,

and if their children are suffering some sort of physical malady or moral

malady, they're totally focused on that child. The imagination falls short of the reality

of Mary's motherly love, but nothing can compare

to her

exquisite love for us

and to be a little bit

to give a little bit of a holy selfish meaning

to this feast

yes this immaculate conception gives glory to God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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