Day 4

The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo

Busy Catholic’s Online Advent Retreat

A Season of Praise

Day Four – Thursday, December 8

Praise God for Perfection

Today’s Reading

Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
…[H]e chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.

(Ephesians 1)

Fr. Knight’s Reflection

   Can you believe you will get to heaven with an A+, that you will be as free of sin as if you had never sinned at all, from birth to death?

   The significance of Mary’s “immaculate conception” is that everyone reborn “in Christ” will have an “immaculate conclusion.” All our sins will not only be pardoned but “taken away”—erased from the record, as if they had never happened (see John 1:29).

   We need to praise God for our “immaculate conception” in order to appreciate Mary’s.

   Mary’s immaculate conception is more a promise than an exception. The Prefaces for the Immaculate Conception and Assumption call Mary “the beginning and image of your Church’s coming to perfection” as the bride of Christ and “our model of holiness” (see Ephesians 1:4 and 5:27). Everyone in heaven, without exception, is there with an A+.

   If we praise God for this often enough, we will begin to appreciate what it means. What we praise we appreciate.

   Then we will not settle for anything less than perfection. We will live to grow. Mary’s immaculate conception will be the pattern, the image, and the promise that inspires our life. We will try to be saints because we will have hope.

   But the first step is to praise.

Copyright by David Knight.  Used by permission of Twenty-Third Publications.

For Your Reflection or Discussion

Do you know loved ones who have died who have experienced the “immaculate conclusion”?  What prevents you from believing that this is your destiny too?

Daily Practice

Be aware that you are called to be perfect, which Jesus calls “whole.” Focus on one thing that prevents you from being more whole.

Advent Prayer

Father, all powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When he humbled himself to come among us,
he fulfilled the plan you formed long ago 

and opened for us the way to salvation.

Now we watch for the day,

when Christ will come again in his glory.

And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven

we proclaim your glory
and join in their unending hymn of praise.