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Today we celebrate the solemn feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The actual date of the feast is the 8th but as it fell on Sunday this year, it was transferred to today. The gospel for the feast is that of the Annunciation from chapter 1 of Luke's gospel. It follows immediately after the story of the appearance of Gabriel to Zechariah, telling him that his wife Elizabeth would have a son called John. We know that it was the same Gabriel who told Mary that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. They are parallel stories in Luke's gospel, but the difference between them could not be greater. Zechariah was a priest who received his message in the most sacred part of the temple whereas Gabriel visited Mary, a young woman in her humble home in Nazareth far away from the temple. Zechariah doubted the words of Gabriel and was struck dumb; Mary said, ''Let it be done to me according to your word.'' Zechariah probably hoped that John would follow him into the priesthood but John knew that he was called to another vcocation. He went through the whole Jordan region proclaiming baptism for the forgiveness of sin preparing the way of the Lord.. Mary accompanied her son Jesus on the way to the cross and was there at his death. Both John the Baptist and Mary are inspiring figures for us during this time of Advent. We too are called, like John, to prepare ourselves, our families and friends to place Jesus at the centre of our Christmas celebrations. Mary only thought of Jesus as he carried out his mission to his final breath on the cross. May she help us to live and proclaim the true meaning of Christmas as the birth of Jesus and not a frantic time of consumerism where Santa Claus and not Jesus is the main figure. As Paul tells us in the first reading, ''We have been chosen by God's will to be the people who would put their hopes in Christ.' (Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12)
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