Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Today (December 8) is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is a national holiday in East Timor that is celebrated with a mass in the morning and, as the name implies, feasting (at least we feasted at the convent) on delicious food at lunch.

In honor of this special day, I have included a short devotional I found online about Mary, the Mother of God.

“What would happen if one morning, during the middle of your daily routine, an angel appeared and told you that God had a plan that would completely change your life? How would you respond? This is exactly what happened to Mary, the Mother of God. Luke’s gospel narrative tells of how the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and proclaims, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Let’s consider Mary’s situation when confronted with the news that she would bear God’s Son through the virgin birth. What might this mean to her? Mary was probably about 16, perhaps even younger. She becomes pregnant. Given the societal mores of the time, she could have fully expected that she would be disgraced, that her fiancee Joseph (who knew he wasn’t the father) would abandon her, and that she would probably never marry. It’s also important to understand that Jewish society in the first century took a real hard line on “blasphemy,” as later accounts of Jesus’ ministry and death make clear. A young, single woman claiming that God had made her pregnant would have encountered trouble.

We can try to imagine ourselves in Mary’s shoes, but I don’t expect we can ever really grasp the enormity of her situation. Mary must have known there could be problems. But rather than focusing on the size of her problems, she chose to trust in the size of her God. “I am the Lord’s servant,” she replies. “May it be to me as you have said.”

Mary offers one of the most powerful examples of a person submitting to God's will, surrendering self and setting aside fears about the future. It is a response that ultimately has little to do with Mary’s age, gender or marital status. Mary’s example of a life yielded to God’s purpose speaks powerfully to us even today, more than 2,000 years later.  

God touches our lives often, in ways we almost never expect. While we may feel confused by His plan, we must aspire to Mary’s faith. We need to try, as best we can, to be the Lord’s servants, entrusting ourselves to His care as we walk through each new day in His world.”

I love Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel. She doesn’t argue with him or complain, as I fear I probably would. My response might be something along the lines of, “Wow, that’s certainly a nice offer, but not really what I had planned for my life. I was just hoping to get married, settle down, have kids and live a nice, quiet life here in this little town.” On the contrary, Mary is willing to give up her own hopes and dreams for the future so she can fully serve the Lord.

What a fantastic example for all of us! Personally, I feel like I can relate Mary’s experience to my call to serve as a missionary in East Timor. I have always wanted to serve as a missionary, and when I was presented with the opportunity to serve in this country, I was excited, but uncertain. The truth is, I had always pictured my missionary experience a little differently. I imagined serving:

1.)    Later in my life (after I became a doctor)

2.)    For a shorter stint of time

3.)    In a country that spoke Spanish or English

4.)    Alongside my husband or other English speaking colleagues

God’s plan for me to serve as a missionary in East Timor didn’t fit any of these preconceived notions that I had formulated. Thus I was hesitant to accept this invitation to serve in this country at this time. Mary had to worry about abandonment by her fiancee and even family, public disgrace and humiliation, and uncertainty about what the rest of her life would bring. My trepidations paled in comparison to hers.  I may not have been as eager or willing as Mary to accept God’s call, but I am glad I said “yes”. I have come to discover(as I am sure Mary did and countless other Christians have) that making the choice to serve God isn’t always easy, but it is definitely worth it. I pray that I can look to Mary as an example of perfect Christian service in all my future decisions. God is in control. Let it be done to me according to HIS word.

Happy Feast Day!