Mary Immaculate
“You are all-beautiful, my beloved,
and there is no blemish in you.”
(Song of Songs 4:7)
Mary was conceived without original sin. This is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
But did not Paul say that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)? Yes, but this is precisely what shows how special Mary is. She is the only human being after the fall who was the one exception.
Mary would bear the Son of God, and God is perfectly holy. It could not be that an imperfect vessel would bear a perfect God. So according to God’s eternal plan, God did not allow Mary to be conceived with any stain of sin.
God wants those that He intends to use to be clean and pure instruments. Such purity was to be from the time of their conception.
Manoah’s wife, who would give birth to Samson, was told “to be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.” (Jgs 13:4). This was because Samson was “to be consecrated to God from the womb” and would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jgs 13:5).
Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, was told by God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer 1:5).
Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. John the Baptist became the precursor of Christ. Zechariah was told that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” (Lk 1:15-16).
Being a deliverer of Israel, a prophet to the nations, a restorer of Israel’s children to the Lordall these were mighty works of God, for which He raised pure instruments.
But Mary was the greatest instrument of all according to God’s plan. She would be the mother of the Savior, the mother of God Himself. As such, she needed to be a perfectly pure instrument.
But others would still insist that what the Bible says is perfectly true, that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23a). The only exception is Jesus, “who did not know sin” (2 Cor 5:21). As such, then Mary was subject to original sin as well. Let us follow this trend of thought.
All of us indeed have sinned. We are born with original sin, the sin of our first parents. But through the blood shed for us by Jesus on the cross, our sin has been expiated. We “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed” (Rom 3:24-25). We have sinned, but in and through Jesus we are cleansed, if we accept his saving death on the cross by faith.
Now God is not governed by time and space. God transcends time and space. So what God did was to extend to Mary his grace of expiation from sin, won on the cross, but applied backward to the time of Mary’s conception. Thus Mary, like everyone else, was redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but rather than being freed from sin already incurred, she was preserved from original sin.
Can God do that? Of course He can! There is nothing impossible for God! (Lk 1:37).
Indeed notice that with her Magnificat, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior (Lk 1:47). She did not say she will rejoice, but that she already rejoices. But Jesus the Savior was still to be born, and still had to go to the cross to win salvation for all. Thus for Mary, Jesus had already saved her, even before he physically went to the cross. The prophecy of Isaiah rightfully applies to her: “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, ….. like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10).
So Mary was conceived without sin.
We also need to see the Immaculate Conception in view of salvation history. When our first parents sinned, there was the first promise of a Redeemer. The Lord God told the devil that there would be enmity between him and the woman and between their offsprings, and that the offspring of the woman would strike him a mortal blow (Gen 3:15). It is a fight between the woman and the serpent. Now the woman is Mary, and so it is a fight between Mary and the devil. If the woman had original sin, then she would be subject to the power of the devil and would not be able to defeat him. So she needed to be free from sin.
And so in the fullness of time, God brought Mary into the world, and then revealed to her His plan. The angel Gabriel addressed her with the words “Hail, favored one!” (Lk 1:28). Another way to put the greeting is “Hail, fully graced.” Mary was full of grace! One who is fully graced cannot have the stain of sin.
And of course, God intended for Mary to bear His own Son. She was to become the mother of God. As the mother of the Holy One, she had to be unstained.
Consider also that there were other humans not covered by Paul’s assertion that all had sinned. These were Adam and Eve. They were born unstained, created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:27). When God looked at what He had created, He “found it very good” (Gen 1:31). God being Who He is, what He creates is perfect. God cannot create something in His image and likeness that is stained in some way.
So Adam and Eve started out with no sin, because there was no sin as yet in the world. Now Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was created sinless, then how much more Mary who would become the mother of God?
And so Mary was conceived without sin. It was not that she had original sin and was freed from it, but rather that God preserved her from original sin, from the very beginning. She was still redeemed by Jesus, but in God’s mysterious ways, experienced this redemption from sin even before the actual physical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.
For reflection
1. We are all proud of our mothers and think they are the best moms in the world. Think about how your mom has been a blessing to you. Thank God for her.
2. Think about your Mother Mary, who was pure and immaculate and full of grace. How proud of her are you?
(Taken from the forthcoming new book of Frank Padilla entitled “40 More Days with Mary”)
Showing posts with label Family and Life Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family and Life Ministry. Show all posts
Monday, December 8, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
KASALANG BAYAN 2008
Isang malaking tagumpay ang naganap na Kasalang Bayan sa Parokya noong nakaraang Sabado October 25, 2008 kung saan 13 pares ang tumanggap ng Sakramento ng Kasal sa pangunguna ni Rev. Fr.Toochy Ubarco. Ang nasabing gawain ay taunang proyekto ng parokya sa pamamagitan ng Family & Life Ministry (FLM) at pakikiisa ng lahat ng mga samahang pansimbahan katulad ng Mother Butler Guild (MBG), Catholic Women’s League (CWL), San Antonio Youth Choir (SAYC) at Ushers and Collectors Ministry (UCM).
Pagkatapos ng Banal na Misa ay nagkaroon ng isang salo-salo sa Parish Hall para sa lahat ng mga ikinasal kasama ang kanilang mga Ninong at Ninang kung saan bukod sa mga masasarap na pagkain mula sa iba’t-ibang organisasyon sa parokya ang lahat ay hinarana at inaliw din ng mga myembro ng San Antonio Youth Choir (SAYC). Katulad noong nakaraang taon, muling nagbigay ng tulong at pakikiisa ang St. Michael’s College sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaloob ng libreng serbisyo mula sa mga HRM Students ng kolehiyo. Mula sa pamunuan ng Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) at ng Family and Life Ministry (FLM) ang kanilang lubos na pasasalamat ay ipinahahatid sa lahat ng mga tumulong at nagkaloob ng kanilang mga oras, talino at yaman.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Dapat mo bang suportahan ang Reproductive Health Bill No. 5043? Sagutin ang simpleng mga katanungang ito upang mabatid.
Bilang may-pagawaan, sumasangayon ka ba na sapilitan kang magbigay ng libreng serbisyo sa pangkalusugang pangangalaga sa pag-aanak, mga gamit nito, mga kasangkapan at pagtistis (kasama na ang vasectomy at ligation) sa iyong mga manggagawa, at ipakulong ka at/o pagmultahin sa bawa’t pagkakataon na hindi mo ito natupad?
Ang Seksyon 17 ay nagpapahayag na ang mga may-pagawaan ay magbibigay ng libreng serbisyo sa pangkalusugang pangangalaga sa pag-aanak, mga gamit nito at mga kasangkapan para sa mga manggagawa lalung-lalo na sa mga kababaihang manggagawa. (Basahin ang Kahulugan ng Reproductive Health and Rights Section 4, paragraph g, Section 21, Paragraph c at Section 22 ukol sa mga Kaparusahan.)
Bilang health care service provider, sumasangayon ka ba na ikaw ay ipakulong at/o pagmultahin, kung ikaw ay hindi makatupad na makapagbigay ng serbisyo sa pangkalusugang pangangalaga sa pag-aanak katulad ng mga pamamaraan sa pagpaplano ng pamilya at pagbibigay ng serbisyong katulad ng ligation at vasectomy, may-asawa man o wala ang pasyente, anuman ang kasarian, relihiyon o edad?
(Basahin ang Section 21 ng Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 1 hanggang 5 at Section 22 ukol sa mga Kaparusahan)
Bilang kabiyak, sumasangayon ka ba na ang asawa mo ay dumaan sa ligation o vasectomy ng wala kang pahintulot o kaalaman man lamang?
Basahin ang Section 21 ng Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 2)
Bilang mga magulang, sumasangayon ka ba na ang inyong mga anak na may edad simula 10 hanggang 17 ay dapat turuan na ng kanilang sekswal na karapatan at mga paraan kung paano makatamo ng kasiyahan at “ligtas” na buhay-sekswal bilang bahagi ng curriculum sa kanilang paaralan?
Ang Reproductive Health Education ay sapilitang itatadhana mula sa Grade 5 hanggang makatapos ng High School (Tingnan ang Seksyon 12 sa Reproductive Health Education and Section 4 Definition of Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Paragraph b, c and d).
Sumasangayon ka ba na ipakulong ka at/o pagmultahin, dahil sa pagpapahayag ng palagay laban sa alinman sa itinatadhana ng batas na ito, kung ang pagpapahayag na iyon ng iyung palagay ay bigyan-pakahulugan na naglalaman ng “malisyosong maling impormasyon”.
(Tingnan ang Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Paragraph f and Section 22 on Penalties)
Ang Seksyon 17 ay nagpapahayag na ang mga may-pagawaan ay magbibigay ng libreng serbisyo sa pangkalusugang pangangalaga sa pag-aanak, mga gamit nito at mga kasangkapan para sa mga manggagawa lalung-lalo na sa mga kababaihang manggagawa. (Basahin ang Kahulugan ng Reproductive Health and Rights Section 4, paragraph g, Section 21, Paragraph c at Section 22 ukol sa mga Kaparusahan.)
Bilang health care service provider, sumasangayon ka ba na ikaw ay ipakulong at/o pagmultahin, kung ikaw ay hindi makatupad na makapagbigay ng serbisyo sa pangkalusugang pangangalaga sa pag-aanak katulad ng mga pamamaraan sa pagpaplano ng pamilya at pagbibigay ng serbisyong katulad ng ligation at vasectomy, may-asawa man o wala ang pasyente, anuman ang kasarian, relihiyon o edad?
(Basahin ang Section 21 ng Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 1 hanggang 5 at Section 22 ukol sa mga Kaparusahan)
Bilang kabiyak, sumasangayon ka ba na ang asawa mo ay dumaan sa ligation o vasectomy ng wala kang pahintulot o kaalaman man lamang?
Basahin ang Section 21 ng Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 2)
Bilang mga magulang, sumasangayon ka ba na ang inyong mga anak na may edad simula 10 hanggang 17 ay dapat turuan na ng kanilang sekswal na karapatan at mga paraan kung paano makatamo ng kasiyahan at “ligtas” na buhay-sekswal bilang bahagi ng curriculum sa kanilang paaralan?
Ang Reproductive Health Education ay sapilitang itatadhana mula sa Grade 5 hanggang makatapos ng High School (Tingnan ang Seksyon 12 sa Reproductive Health Education and Section 4 Definition of Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Paragraph b, c and d).
Sumasangayon ka ba na ipakulong ka at/o pagmultahin, dahil sa pagpapahayag ng palagay laban sa alinman sa itinatadhana ng batas na ito, kung ang pagpapahayag na iyon ng iyung palagay ay bigyan-pakahulugan na naglalaman ng “malisyosong maling impormasyon”.
(Tingnan ang Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Paragraph f and Section 22 on Penalties)
BABALA LABAN SA REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL 5043
Nais po naming paalalahanan ang lahat sa panganib na idudulot ng ipinapanukalang Reproductive Health Bill 5043. Layunin daw ng panukala na mas maging ligtas ang kalusugan ng mga manganganak. Masyado raw tayong marami kaya di sapat ang pagkain at trabaho. Kulang daw ang pera ng gobyerno upang matustusan ang pangangailangan ng mga tao. Pero ang totoo, ang nais ay sugpuin ang ating populasyon, sa pamamaraan na sisira sa moralidad, sa pamilya at karapatan.
Pag naisa batas ang RHB 5043, pwersadong tuturuan ang ating mga anak/ apo mula Grade 5 hanggang 4th year high school kung paano makakapagtalik ng ligtas sa sakit at hindi mabubuntis o makabubuntis. Gagamitin ang pera ng gobyerno sa pagpapalaganap ng libreng condom, pills, IUD, vasectomy atbp. Alam po natin na hindi 100% effective ang mga naturang contraceptives at ang susunod na ipapanukala ay abortion naman – ganito ang landas na tinahak ng lahat ng bansang nag-umpisa sa panukalang gaya ng RHB 5043.
Pag naipasa ang bill na ito ay lalong magkaka ideya ang mga bata tungkol sa pagtatalik, kaya batang bata pa ay mawawala na ang kamusmusan. Nagkakaproblema na tayo ngayon. Lalo na pong lalala. Ang mga pribadong kumpanya naman ay pwersadong magbigay ng birth control measures sa kanilang mga empleyado.
Ang mas nakakatakot pa bukod sa paglaganap ng immoralidad ay pag nagpahayag ka ng kontra sa batas ay kulong o multa ka.
Mag-ingat po tayo, magmatyag at kumilos. Taon-taon ay may nagtutulak ng panukalang ito. Medyo matindi po ngayon at mukhang hindi sila titigil. Pero kung magkakaisa ang mga Katoliko, hindi po ito makakalusot. Sa ating pagkilos at pagkakaisa nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng pamilyang Pilipino, na gusto nating panatilihing banal.
Pag-aralan po natin ang isyu at makilahok sa mga gawaing tumututol sa RHB 5043. Kaugnay po nito, ang Couples For Christ Foundation for Family and Life ay namimigay po ng mga leaflets sa harap ng simbahan. Nag-aanyaya po sila sa inyong lahat na lumagda sa isang petisyon laban sa masamang idudulot ng RHB 5043.
Higit sa lahat, ating ipagdasal ang mga namumuno ng ating gobyerno.
Maraming salamat po at nawa’y mapasa atin ang pagpapala ng Banal na Pamilya sa Nazareth. Nawa’y sa darating na Pasko, at sa lahat ng Pasko, ay manatiling ligtas sa mapanirang impluwensya ang pamilyang Pilipino.
Pagpalain po tayong lahat ng Diyos!
Pag naisa batas ang RHB 5043, pwersadong tuturuan ang ating mga anak/ apo mula Grade 5 hanggang 4th year high school kung paano makakapagtalik ng ligtas sa sakit at hindi mabubuntis o makabubuntis. Gagamitin ang pera ng gobyerno sa pagpapalaganap ng libreng condom, pills, IUD, vasectomy atbp. Alam po natin na hindi 100% effective ang mga naturang contraceptives at ang susunod na ipapanukala ay abortion naman – ganito ang landas na tinahak ng lahat ng bansang nag-umpisa sa panukalang gaya ng RHB 5043.
Pag naipasa ang bill na ito ay lalong magkaka ideya ang mga bata tungkol sa pagtatalik, kaya batang bata pa ay mawawala na ang kamusmusan. Nagkakaproblema na tayo ngayon. Lalo na pong lalala. Ang mga pribadong kumpanya naman ay pwersadong magbigay ng birth control measures sa kanilang mga empleyado.
Ang mas nakakatakot pa bukod sa paglaganap ng immoralidad ay pag nagpahayag ka ng kontra sa batas ay kulong o multa ka.
Mag-ingat po tayo, magmatyag at kumilos. Taon-taon ay may nagtutulak ng panukalang ito. Medyo matindi po ngayon at mukhang hindi sila titigil. Pero kung magkakaisa ang mga Katoliko, hindi po ito makakalusot. Sa ating pagkilos at pagkakaisa nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng pamilyang Pilipino, na gusto nating panatilihing banal.
Pag-aralan po natin ang isyu at makilahok sa mga gawaing tumututol sa RHB 5043. Kaugnay po nito, ang Couples For Christ Foundation for Family and Life ay namimigay po ng mga leaflets sa harap ng simbahan. Nag-aanyaya po sila sa inyong lahat na lumagda sa isang petisyon laban sa masamang idudulot ng RHB 5043.
Higit sa lahat, ating ipagdasal ang mga namumuno ng ating gobyerno.
Maraming salamat po at nawa’y mapasa atin ang pagpapala ng Banal na Pamilya sa Nazareth. Nawa’y sa darating na Pasko, at sa lahat ng Pasko, ay manatiling ligtas sa mapanirang impluwensya ang pamilyang Pilipino.
Pagpalain po tayong lahat ng Diyos!
Friday, October 3, 2008
No to Reproductive Health Bill (HB5043)
To: Congress of the Philippines
We strongly oppose the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill (HB5043) for the following reasons:
1. AS EMPLOYERS, we do not want to be compelled to provide free reproductive health care services, supplies, devices and surgical procedures (including vasectomy and ligation) to our employees, and be subjected to both imprisonment and/or a fine, for every time that we fail to comply. (Section 17 states that employers shall provide for free delivery of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers more particularly women workers. (Definition of Reproductive Health and Rights Section 4, paragraph g, Section 21, Paragraph c and Section 22 on Penalties)
2. AS HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS, we do not want to be subjected to imprisonment and/or a fine, if we fail to provide reproductive health care services such as giving information on family planning methods and providing services like ligation and vasectomy, regardless of the patient's civil status, gender, religion or age ( Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraphs 1 to 5 and Section 22 on Penalties)
3. AS SPOUSES, we do not agree that our husband or wife can undergo a ligation or vasectomy without our consent or knowledge. (Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 2)
4. AS PARENTS, we do not agree that children from age 10 to 17 should be taught their sexual rights and the means to have a satisfying and "safe" sex life as part of their school curriculum. (Section 12 on Reproductive Health Education and Section 4 Definition of Family Planning and Productive Health, Paragraph b, c and d)
5. AS CITIZENS, we do not want to be subjected to imprisonment and/or pay a fine, for expressing an opinion against any provision of this law, if such expression of opinion is interpreted as constituting "malicious disinformation" ( Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Paragraph f and Section 22 on Penalties)
6. We also oppose other provisions such as losing our parental authority over a minor child who was raped and found pregnant (Section 21, a, no.3)
7. We also do not agree to the provision which reclassifies contraceptives as essential medicines (Section 10) and appropriating limited government funds to reproductive services instead of basic services (Section 23) Thus, we urge you to immediately stop deliberations on the bill and stop wasting taxpayers money.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
We strongly oppose the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill (HB5043) for the following reasons:
1. AS EMPLOYERS, we do not want to be compelled to provide free reproductive health care services, supplies, devices and surgical procedures (including vasectomy and ligation) to our employees, and be subjected to both imprisonment and/or a fine, for every time that we fail to comply. (Section 17 states that employers shall provide for free delivery of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers more particularly women workers. (Definition of Reproductive Health and Rights Section 4, paragraph g, Section 21, Paragraph c and Section 22 on Penalties)
2. AS HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS, we do not want to be subjected to imprisonment and/or a fine, if we fail to provide reproductive health care services such as giving information on family planning methods and providing services like ligation and vasectomy, regardless of the patient's civil status, gender, religion or age ( Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraphs 1 to 5 and Section 22 on Penalties)
3. AS SPOUSES, we do not agree that our husband or wife can undergo a ligation or vasectomy without our consent or knowledge. (Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Letter a, Paragraph 2)
4. AS PARENTS, we do not agree that children from age 10 to 17 should be taught their sexual rights and the means to have a satisfying and "safe" sex life as part of their school curriculum. (Section 12 on Reproductive Health Education and Section 4 Definition of Family Planning and Productive Health, Paragraph b, c and d)
5. AS CITIZENS, we do not want to be subjected to imprisonment and/or pay a fine, for expressing an opinion against any provision of this law, if such expression of opinion is interpreted as constituting "malicious disinformation" ( Section 21 on Prohibited Acts, Paragraph f and Section 22 on Penalties)
6. We also oppose other provisions such as losing our parental authority over a minor child who was raped and found pregnant (Section 21, a, no.3)
7. We also do not agree to the provision which reclassifies contraceptives as essential medicines (Section 10) and appropriating limited government funds to reproductive services instead of basic services (Section 23) Thus, we urge you to immediately stop deliberations on the bill and stop wasting taxpayers money.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
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