THE IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (MEMORIAL)

Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.

This story seems to be a curious choice to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Wouldn’t the story of Mary’s yes to becoming the mother of Jesus be a better example of her holiness? Perhaps. But Luke’s account of the finding of Jesus in the Temple tells us a lot about Mary’s immaculate heart—what it is, and what it isn’t.

The Church teaches that Mary’s heart is “immaculate” because she was conceived free from the stain of original sin. We believe that of all the people who have ever lived, Mary remains the only human ever to have loved Jesus perfectly. But her immaculate, perfectly loving heart didn’t protect Mary from the messiness of life.

As today’s Gospel shows, Mary had to deal with the same kinds of irritations, mishaps, and problems that we all face. If you have ever lost track of one of your children, even for a few minutes, you can relate to the “great anxiety” Mary felt (Luke 2:48). You can also relate to the astonishment, bewilderment, and frustration she experienced when she found him. All these emotions are a far cry from the peaceful, calm Mary we usually see in paintings and statues.

Here’s another way you can relate to Mary: her search for the missing Jesus can mirror your own search for him. Every time you pray, receive Christ in the Eucharist, or try to discern his will, you are undertaking that search. And experience tells you that you don’t always end up finding him right away!

Holiness doesn’t mean finding Jesus immediately; it means persisting in the search. And for us who are not immaculately conceived, holiness does not mean moral perfection. It means being quick to confess when we fall to sin and humbly accepting God’s mercy and the grace to change.

So be like Mary and keep seeking Jesus, no matter now messy life gets!

“Holy Mary, be with me through the ups and downs of life.”

2 Timothy 4:1-8
Psalm 71:8-9, 14-17, 22
Luke 2:41-51