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Skriven 2006-12-11 20:44:38 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                               VIS-Press releases

LIKE MARY, WELCOME CHRIST INTO OUR LIVES WITH FAITH

VATICAN CITY, DEC 8, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of
his study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square
below.

The Immaculate Conception, said the Pope, "is one of the most beautiful and
popular feasts of the Blessed Virgin. ... Mary not only committed no sin, but
was even spared that shared heritage of humankind which is original sin. And
this was because of the mission for which God had always destined her: that of
being the Mother of the Redeemer."

Pope Benedict went on to explain how the biblical foundation for the dogma of
the Immaculate Conception is to be found in the words the angel directed to the
young girl from Nazareth: "'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.' Full of
grace," the Pope added, "is Mary's most beautiful name, a name God Himself gave
her in order to indicate that she was always, and will always be, the beloved,
the elect, the one chosen to accept the most precious gift: Jesus, 'the
incarnate love of God'."

The Holy Father emphasized how Mary's humility was a reason for her being
chosen. "God," he said, "was attracted by Mary's humility," and the Virgin
"thus became the Mother of God, image and model of the Church, chosen from
among peoples to receive the blessing of the Lord and transmit it to the entire
human family."

"This 'blessing'," the Pope added, "is none other than Jesus Christ. He is the
source of the grace with which Mary was filled from the very first instant of
her existence. She welcomed Jesus with faith, and with love she gave Him to the
world. This is also our vocation and our mission, the vocation and the mission
of the Church: to welcome Christ into our lives and to give Him to the world,
'that the world may be saved through Him'."
ANG/IMMACULATE CONCEPTION/... VIS 061211 (340)

SUMMARY

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