Mary, The New Eve

It was fitting that she, the New Eve, who was to cooperate so intimately with her Son in the work of our redemption, be entirely free of sin. She who was to be associated with her Son in His victory over Satan must never have been under the dominion of Satan.

In revealing to us Mary’s Immaculate Conception and perfect holiness, God places before our eyes a concrete model of what we are to love, and, loving, strive to be. He gives us a model that is at once perfect and yet lowly, lovable, and imitable. Despite her unique privilege and lofty holiness, Mary is the most imitable of the saints, because her greatness is in her lowliness. She is the handmaid of the Lord. Mother, yes, but first handmaid. Blessed because she believed.

In gazing upon the Immaculate Virgin, utterly free of the disorders of our sinful nature, the devout faithful feel a new hope in their own humanity. In contrast to our experience of a world given to sin, corruption, lying, cheating, cruelty, and lust, we see a fellow creature that is utterly pure and good, totally given to love, a mother’s love for all. For mortals trapped in this valley of tears to look upon the sinless Virgin is like prisoners buried in a dungeon being allowed to see the bright sun and breathe pure air once more.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!!

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Christ had to Suffer

It was absolutely necessary for Christ to suffer. His passion was unavoidable. Christ always knew the reason He was born was to die on the Cross. He never avoided His destiny. The Cross is Christ's glorification. We too are called to glory in our own sufferings. Listen to the words of Saint Peter: "When a man can suffer injustice and endure hardship through his awareness of God's presence, this is the work of grace in him. It was for this you were called, since Christ suffered for you in just this way and left you an example, to have you follow in His footsteps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in His mouth. When He was insulted, He returned no insult. When He was made to suffer, He did not counter with threats. Instead, He delivered Himself up to the One who judges justly. In His own body He brought your sins to the Cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God's will. By His wounds you were healed. At one time you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd, the guardian of you souls."

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching