Guide for the Journey

On December 8 we celebrate Mary’s being conceived without sin, which was officially declared a dogma of the Church in 1854. In this excerpt, over two hundred years before this solemn proclamation, St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660), the foundress with St. Vincent de Paul of the Daughters of Charity, reflects on the meaning of Mary’s sinlessness.

Reflecting on Mary’s holy conception, I saw God’s design that, although she was a true daughter of Adam, there was to be no stain of sin in her. So her most pure body is a worthy dwelling place for the soul that God created for her.

As into a very precious vessel, more and more graces have been poured into her soul and she has never failed to make good use of them.

Therefore, she should be honored by all creatures and served in a particular way by Christians since she is the only pure creature who has always found favor in the eyes of God. This makes her the astonishment of the heavenly court and the admiration of all humanity.

Mary is there for us
The Immaculate Conception leads us to realize and to adore God’s omnipotence because grace totally vanquished nature in her. She was saved without ever having been lost, not only through mercy but also through justice, since this was essential for the incarnation of the Son of God in the eternal plan for the redemption of mankind.

We must, therefore, honor this holy conception that made her so precious in God’s eyes and believe that it depends only on us to receive her assistance in all our needs.

It seems to me that it would be impossible for God to refuse her anything. God’s divine and loving glance never left her since she always lived according to God’s will.

Therefore, we must be convinced that God is always ready to grant whatever she requests because she asks for nothing that is not for God’s glory and our good.

Mary was filled with virtue
We must carefully consider the advantages that Mary has en-joyed over all other creatures as a consequence of her Immaculate Conception. The first is that she never harbored tendencies that could push her to sin.

Oh, what peace, gentleness, charity, and humility there were in her soul since it is this instinct that causes us so much trouble by leading us into sin. Her mind never indulged in useless thoughts nor was it occupied with sin.

Mary’s Immaculate Conception, therefore, completely enlightened her mind and strengthened her will so that she continually acted in such a way that she never omitted anything that God asked of her. Consequently, she was filled with virtue.

This is why, throughout my life, in time and in eternity, I desire to love and to honor her to the best of my ability by my gratitude to the Blessed Trinity for the choice made of the Holy Virgin to be so closely united to the Divinity.