Immaculate Conception Dec. 8th Mississippi River

 

Did you know the word “Mississippi” is an Indian word that means “great waters”? Beginning in 1673 Fr. Jacques Marquette with Louis Joillet, were missionary explorers who came from Canada to the US. The name Fr. Marqutte gave to what the Indians called the Mississippi river, he named “The River of the Immaculate Conception.”

The entrustment of this mighty waterway (the Mississippi river) — one of the largest and most important rivers in the world — to the Virgin Mary was part of the French Jesuits’ mission to evangelize the Native Americans of the area, which by all accounts they did, not with violence, nor the conquering of land, but with fellowship and respect. Father Marquette was known for entrusting everything to Mary and Her Immaculate Conception.

Did you know, Marquette, Kansas was named after Marquette, Michigan, which was named after the Jesuit priest Fr. Jacques Marquette. The have a large statue of him in their city in Michigan.

In 1792, Bishop Carroll, the first Bishop of the US, consecrated the United States to the Immaculate Conception. Then in 1846, the bishops of the now United States declared Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as the patroness of the country. These events occurred before the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed in 1854.

On Dec. 8^th, 1854, Pope Pius IX, stated, “The Most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of Her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

After the fall, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God did not abandon man. God proclaimed the first announcement of the Messiah and Redeemer, when He said, “I will put enmity, between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring, she shall crush your head, and you shall lie in wait for His heel.” The book of Genesis speaks of the battle between the serpent and the Woman and the final victory through descendant. Where Eve committed sin and lost her spotlessness, Mary kept Her Immaculate soul spotless-- to the end of Her life. She never-- not even once-- sinned in Her life. The promised woman will be an enmity with the serpent, the devil. To be at enmity, means the woman and the serpent have nothing to do with each other. Since Mary did not suffer from original sin and since She never committed sin Her whole life, She was at total enmity with the devil because of Her Immaculate Conception and Her sinless life.

Some statues of Mary show Her standing on the earth. Her foot is crushing the head of the serpent. Mary is woman promised in the book of Genesis, who will crush the head of the serpent.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary at the Annunciation, he said, “Hail Full of Grace!” The angel declared Mary’s soul, full of grace, because Her soul was like no other, filled and overflowing with grace, because it was Immaculate.

Through St. Catherine Laboure, Mary gave us the miraculous medal with the words, “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee!” are prayed by millions of Catholics everyday.

In Lourdes, France, when St. Bernadette asked Our Lady, what is Her name, The Virgin replied, “I am the Immaculate Conception”.

Since Mary was never touched by any sin whatsoever, how powerful She must be to be able to aid us, who are sinners. We should call upon Mary often in time of temptation and we should ask Her for graces to help us overcome our sins.

On May, 1^st of 2020, the US Bishops re-consecrated the United States again to the Immaculate Conception. And by this consecration, we have hope and we trust the Virgin Mary, will watch over and protect our country.

O Mary, you who are our Mother, and on this day, we consecrate our parish of Holy Trinity to Your Immaculate Conception. You who were conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee. Keep us within your Most Pure and Immaculate Heart and help our country to overcome every evil affliction. Amen.