The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, is one of the centerpiece feasts of the Advent season. Pope Francis points out that, like all the Marian feasts, this is about us and our call to holiness as well as something special in the life of Mary:
“Full of grace! This is how God saw her from the first moment of his loving design. He saw her as beautiful, full of grace. Our Mother is beautiful! Mary sustains our journey toward Christmas, for she teaches us how to live this Advent Season in expectation of the Lord….The mystery of this girl from Nazareth, who is in the heart of God, is not estranged from us. She is not there and we over here. No, we are connected. Indeed, God rests his loving gaze on every man and every woman!”
—from the book The Joy of Advent: Daily Reflections from Pope Francis by Diane M. Houdek
//Franciscan Media//