A (3:23)

To be holy is to be engaged.

A (3:26)

In what they call the sacrament of the present moment. So the sacrament of the present moment is what it is. The reality is the declaration that God wants to offer us grace at every single moment and every single day. But oftentimes we're not present to this moment, and we want to be on another day. But the sacrament of the present moment declares that God's grace is here for us right now. And this is such a huge thing. I'll get back to that in a second. But one thing to reaffirm is that again, Jesus is Mary's Savior. Jesus is Mary's Lord, Jesus is Mary's God. In fact, just like the merits of Jesus, life, death, and resurrection have been applied to us through baptism, they were applied to Mary ahead of time. And so, just like Jesus saved us after our fall, Jesus saved Mary before she fell. And I think this is something. It's almost like this. It's almost like God reached into history and said this about Mary. If my son is going to take flesh from her, then she has to be all mine. If my son is going to take humanity from her, then she has to completely belong to me. That sin can have no claim on her. And this is the thing, see, sin has a claim on us. But this feast declares that God doesn't just react to sin, he anticipates it.

A (4:52)

The God isn't just a God of repair. He's a God of preparation, that he doesn't just clean up after the mess, that he is the God, the God who builds a world where his plan of love is going to win. And that's what this is. This is part of God's plan of love that was waited for for centuries, for millennia. If you go back all the way To Genesis, right? We have humanity. We've heard it in the first reading today. Humanity. We all fall from that yes of Eve. Now, sometimes we always think of the Eve's answer is no. But actually, she said yes. She said yes to the evil one. She said yes to the lies. She said yes to the deception. She said yes to the invitation to not trust God. That gets undone by Mary's yes. And it's the yes to the truth. It's a yes to the truth teller. It's a yes to life. And so Mary is truly called the new Eve because her yes brings life where Eve's yes brought death. Of course. Again, once again, this feast isn't about Mary's personal holiness. It's about God's new creation breaking into something that had been broken. It's about God's grace entering into a place where darkness had reigned.

A (6:16)

Because this is the real significance, the Immaculate Conception. This feast day is not just a privilege for Mary, it's a prophecy for us.

A (6:25)

This is God saying sin will not have the final word, that his grace is greater. Pause on that for a second. Because how do we look at our lives? A lot of times look at our lives and say, well, see the people around us who are holy, see the people around us who are doing well. Or we look at the saints or even look at Mary and say, well, that's good for them, that's really nice for them. Is it possible for me? Once again, this feast today is not about Mary's privilege. It's about God's prophecy over us saying that sin doesn't have the final say, that God's grace is actually greater in Mary. Today, this feast, we see God's proof. We see the proof where actually God's grace does win. And if God can do that in Mary.

A (7:09)

He can do that in you.

A (7:13)

Let's pause on that for a second. God did this in Mary at the moment of her conception. So here we are. We have more knowledge than she, we have more strength than she. We have more ability than she did in that moment.

A (7:31)

And God did something remarkable in her life because grace is greater. Sin doesn't have the final word in baptism. What happened to her in a new and different way happened to you. When you and I fall and we go to confession, what happened to her? Grace winning happens to you and me when we receive Holy Communion. What happened to her? Grace winning happens to us.

A (7:59)

And I would say this, this feast is like God shouting out to a broken world. Holiness is possible because grace is real.

A (8:09)

And yet this is the last thing. And yet it takes our cooperation, right? So here's God's free gift to Mary at the moment of her conception. Incredible free gift where sin's not going to win, grace is going to win. But at some point, she had to say yes to that as well. Just like us at your baptism. Grace wins. Go to confession. Grace wins. But at some point, we have to also say yes to the Lord. And this is the reality is that, yes, sin does not get the final word. Grace is greater. And you and I have the invitation today to say, I'm not going to wait any longer. And that's the key. The sacrament of the present moment is this, is that God's grace offered to Mary is offered to you and to me. And I could wait. I could wait until next Saturday. I could wait until next week. I could wait until reconciliation service. That happens, you know, at the end of Advent. Or I can just say, no, Lord. Now.

A (9:06)

I don't know how much time passed between when Gabriel said, no, here's the answer to your clarifying question, and Mary saying, behold, I'm the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your will. I don't know how much time passed in that moment. I don't know how much. How much she had to reflect on this or how much she had to process this, how much time she needed.

A (9:26)

But right now, you and I don't need any time.

A (9:30)

We just need to give our answer. We don't have to wait. God's grace has already been given.

A (9:40)

All we have to do is say yes.

A (9:43)

You know, this feast, this immaculate conception, is not about Mary being special. It's about God's determination to save us.

A (9:51)

It's about his ability to reach deeper than sin, reach deeper than brokenness, reach deeper than death. And he can heal before something even breaks. And that means.

A (10:05)

That he can restore everything after it's broken.

A (10:11)

There's no need to wait. God's grace is greater. Sin does not have the last word.

A (10:22)

God does.

A (10:24)

And in response.

A (10:28)

In response to God's last word that he chooses us, he chooses you.

A (10:35)

What will we say?