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MARY, THE PREPARED ONE
December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Question of the Day: What does my election ask of me?
“Mary, do not be afraid, you have won God’s favor,” says the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:30).
The word favor doesn’t say anything about the recipient. Favor says something about the one who is doing the favoring. So it’s really not saying anything about Mary. It’s saying something about God’s election of Mary. She is one who is the absolutely perfect receiver, and refuses to play the “Lord, I am not worthy” card that had become normative in most biblical theophanies. She just says, “Let it be done unto me” (Luke 1:38). She lets God do all the giving. Her job is just to receive such perfect giving.
God does not love you because you are good; God loves you because God is good. God does not love you because you are good; you are good because God loves you.
