The Feast of the Immaculate Conception – COVID style

This year the Feast of the Immaculate Conception falls in COVID season – and yes, that’s a little snark on my part. COVID season in my diocese means you don’t have to go to mass because the fear of this mild virus is much greater than the need to get to mass and receive the sacraments or be in community with your fellow Catholics. Last year, the feast fell on a Sunday. Whenever a feast falls on a Sunday the theme of the Sunday takes precedence. But this year, the theme of everything is COVID – how to avoid it, why to fear it, and why everything else in your life should be secondary. And as such, this feast for Our Lady is not obligatory. Donning your mask and staying home as much as possible is obligatory.

BUT you can and should still celebrate this lovely advent feast day for our Blessed Mother! At least it will give you another day that doesn’t blend into all of the others.

Why Celebrate?

Mary is the patron saint of the United States. We ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for our protection against all threats of violence and division that threaten our nation. And at this point, I could just cry. I know many on social media say that we have never been so divided – which of course is not true. We once had a legit civil war with guns and stuff. Yet we are divided over everything from politics to face masks. If there was a time to bury your face in the skirts of our mother and just cry, this would be it.

Mary is the supreme example of holiness, which we all strive for as Christians. Holiness is simple. It is lovely. It is humble. It is helpful. It is obedient, kind, and caring. It says yes to wherever God calls. It does not rely on its own understanding. That is all Mary, and that’s why we celebrate.

What is the Immaculate Conception?

Sometimes people think this refers to the conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb. It actually refers to Mary’s conception and her soul being free from original and actual sin all the days of her life.

Throughout scripture, God calls for his people to become and remain holy!! It makes sense to me that He would choose His own mother to be his perfect creation as an example to us of what that looks like. Jesus is still Mary’s savior. She says so herself in the scriptures. Her salvation was just handled differently.

And although Mary’s Immaculate Conception was announced ex-cathedra in 1854, serious students of Catholicism will understand that the church only proclaimed what was held and taught for many centuries before.

How to Celebrate the Immaculate Conception at home in the family.

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• Go to mass if it’s allowed and you feel comfortable doing it. Streaming is an option. With many masses saved on Youtube, watching a mass is easier than ever and you can do it on your own time frame. At least read the mass readings.
• Pray the rosary.
• Put an image or a statue of Mary in a prominent place in your home to reflect on all day. Buy some flowers to put near the image or statue. They don’t have to be real. Michael’s has curbside pick up.
• Read and reflect on Mary, The Mother of God.
• Make a Marian Candle. Inspired by this thread, we made our own candle one year and still use it.

• Have a White Dinner. On this feast day in the past, we’ve had a “white dinner” in honor of Mary. White, of course, emphasizes Mary’s pure soul and freedom from sin. Chicken with Rosemary and Thyme. We usually have something with a white sauce on chicken with mashed potatoes and of course a white cake with white frosting! This emphasizes the point we are trying to get across about Mary to our children, but it also makes for a memorable dinner and something they can look forward to. Need something a little quicker this year? Soup with a nice bread would also be an appropriate white winter dinner. Here are some gluten free options from Danielle Walker.

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