DECEMBER 8, SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (A, B, C) Lectionary #689

Today's feast is about the conception of Mary, not about Mary's conception of Jesus. The conception of Mary by Anna as immaculate, that is, as free from original sin, is not taught in the Scriptures; it is a mystery that derives from her future role as the mother of the Lord. It is, in other words, a conclusion derived from the Church's understanding of who Jesus is and Mary's role as Theotokos, Mother of the Lord (see January 1). The readings, therefore, focus on Mary's relationship to Jesus and, indirectly, to the church.

Genesis 3:9-15, 20. The story of the “original sin” was interpreted by the church as suggesting that we are all bound by the failure of our first parents, subject to punishment for their sin. It became church teaching that Mary was freed from this burden by a special gift of God, to prepare her for her mission as the mother of Jesus. The Latin translation of this story gave Eve's name as “Eva,” and made it possible for some Latin Christmas carols to pun that “Ave” (the angel's greeting to Mary) “fit ex Eva” (“Ave” was shaped from “Eva.”)

Psalm of the Day: Ps (97) 98
An “enthronement hymn,” celebrating the Lord as a king who has taken action on behalf of the nation and revealed the divine judgment before all the nations.

See also suggestions for Christmas Mass during the Day, below

Canten al Señor/Sing to the Lord (Alonso)   SS 302
El Señor Revela a las Naciones: Respuesta II (Cortés)  FYC 242
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Bedford)  SO 18/PRM A109/PMB 759/WS 49
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Black)  CBW 227
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Gelineau/Carroll)  WOR 1060/RS 137/LPGG 1065
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Guimont)   GC 969/RS 136/LPMG 689
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Haas/Haugen/Kodner)  RS 135/GC 55
Sing to the Lord a New Song (Schiavone)   LP 213/JS 1065

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12. Knowing how desperately humans would mess things up by misusing the gift of freedom, God planned to send Christ Jesus and to unite us to Christ. Passages like this led early Christian teachers to conclude that Mary, as part of that plan, would have been prepared by God.

Luke 1:26-38. Earlier (and somewhat inaccurate) translations of this announcement story were used to argue for Mary's freedom from sin. The Latin translations called her “gratia plena”—“full of grace”—and theologians argued that she could not be “full of grace” if she were subject to original sin. Modern English translations that more accurately translate the Greek (e.g., as “highly favored one”) show the problem with relying on “proof texts,” but the story, in any translation, certainly makes the point that Mary was a central part of God's plan to save humanity from its sin.

Songs for the Liturgy

*A Message Came to a Maiden Young (G)  RS 478
All Who Claim the Faith of Jesus (G)  RS 897
Alma Redemptoris Mater (G)   JS 488
*Ave Maria (G)  WOR 713/LMGM 95/WC 951/RS 896, 98/GC 772, 774/JS 493, 504/MI‑BB/GP 429/PMB 532/SS
Canticle of the Turning (2)  RS 678/GC 527
*Hail Mary (G)  LMGM 98/GC 772, 779/RS 896/MI‑BB/PMB 528/WC 968/WS 692
*Hail Mary: Gentle Woman (G)  GP 426/JS 489/GC 779/MI‑BB/WC 953/WS 688
Highly Favored One (G)  CBW 459
*Holy Mary, Full of Grace (G)  CBW 461
*I Am for You, v 2 (G)  GC 676
I Say "Yes," Lord/Digo "Si," Senor (G)  RS 722/GC 581
I Sing a Maid (G)  RS 899/GC 777/CBW 462
Immaculate Mary (G)  WOR 708/GP 430/LMGM 99/CBW 463/WC 958/BB/RS 890/GC 783/JS 535/WS 691/PMB 530/SS
*Joy to You (G)  WC 956/PMB 526
Magnificat/Canticle of Mary (2)  WOR 15, 87, 88, 534, 553/WC 208, 226, 437, 438/MI‑BB/RS 17, 209, 210, 211, 656, 675/GP 163, 291, 292, 427, 428, 433, 434, 436/GC 13, 84, 522, 773, 782/CBW 14I, 575, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678/JS 11, 119, 120, 495, 501, 503, 505/PMB 9, 180, 181, 182/WS 29, 336/SS
*Mary, Full of Grace (G)  MI‑BB
Mary, How Lovely the Light of Your Glory (G)  WOR 711
*Mary, Woman of the Promise (G)  CBW 465/JS 496/SS
*No Wind at the Window (G)  RS 876/GC 768
O Holy Mary (G)  MI‑BB/JS 494
O Sanctissima  RS 900/GC 775/WOR 712/CBW 468/WC 965/WS 687/JS 500/PMB 533/MI-BB/SS
Praise We the Lord This Day (G)  GC 769/RS 877/WOR 696/JS 512
Savior of the Nations, Come (G)  WOR 372/BB/RS 480/GC 348/WC 453/JS 321/SS
Servant of the Word (G)  CBW 467
She Will Show Us the Promised One (G)  WC 964/PMB 539
Sing of Mary (G)  WOR 404/GP 432/LMGM 100/WC 962/MI‑BB/RS 528/GC 778/JS 490/WS 685/PMB 538/SS
Sing We of the Blessed Mother (G)  WOR 714/RS 895/GC 776/JS 491/SS 716
Sion, Sing (G)  RS 532
Stainless the Maiden (2)  WC 954
*The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came (G)  WOR 695/CBW 316/GP 441/JS 513/BB