The One Minute Catechism: Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary

(CCC 484-511)

In the Annunciation, God invites Mary to carry and give birth to His Son. God does not force Mary
-- or any one of us -- to accept His call. Instead, the plan for salvation fully embraces Mary’s -- and
our -- human freedom. Note the parallel to the Genesis story. Eve’s free act of defiance helped bring
death into the world; Mary’s free assent to carry the Son of God contributed to the life and salvation
of the world. Because Mary responded with the obedience of faith and said “yes” to God, by the
divine power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived Jesus in her womb. Mary truly became the Mother of
God. Jesus is at once fully God and fully man. His humanity comes from Mary alone. It is in His
humanity drawn from Mary that Jesus will suffer crucifixion and rise from the dead.

As Catholics, we believe that Mary was, from the moment of her conception, preserved immune
from the stain of original sin. Mary’s Immaculate Conception indicates that God predestined her to
be the mother of Jesus. This is why the Angel Gabriel greets her as “full of grace.” It is this special
gift of grace that allowed Mary to so readily assent to God’s request and to remain free of every
personal sin throughout her life.

We believe that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We also believe in Mary’s real and perpetual virginity even after she gave birth to Jesus. Her virginity
is a sign of her absolute faith and her undivided gift of herself to God’s will.

Mary’s free obedience at the Annunciation is the perfect example of true faith and trust in God. We
should always strive to imitate Mary’s wholehearted offering of herself to do God’s will.

Reflect: How am I doing obeying God?

Pray: Prayer to the Immaculate Conception. Mary our Mother, today the People of God celebrate
you and venerate you as Immaculate, preserved forever from the stain of sin. Knowing that you, who
are our Mother, are totally free from sin, is of great comfort to us. Knowing that evil has no power
over you, fills us with hope and strength in the daily struggle we have to face against the threats of
the evil one. But we are not alone in this struggle, we are not orphans because Jesus, before dying on
the Cross, gave you to us as our Mother. Even though we are sinners, we are still your children,
children of the Immaculate, called to that holiness that shines in you by the grace of God since the
beginning. Inspired by this hope, today we invoke your maternal protection for us, our families, this
city and the whole world. Through your intercession, may the power of God’s love that preserved
you from original sin, free humanity from every form of spiritual and material slavery and make
God’s plan of salvation be victorious in both hearts and in history. May grace prevail over pride in us
too, your children. May we become merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. During this time
leading to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, teach us to go against the flow: to strip ourselves, to be
humble and giving, to listen and be silent, to go out of ourselves, giving space to the beauty of God,
source of true joy. Pray for us, our Immaculate Mother!
© 2020 John J. Manning