Day 6 of Advent, 12/8/23, Hail Mary, Full of Grace (Lk 1:26-38)

Most Protestants probably don't know (I didn't know) that Dec 8 of every year is the day devout Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

I'll start this Advent reflection with a prayer: I pray that Protestants and Catholics may love each other in Christ, rather than strongly denounce one another over differences.

"Greetings, you who are highly favored [Hail, full of grace]! The Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28). "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled" (Lk 1:38).

It is interesting that Catholics and Protestants stress different aspects of this very familiar Advent passage. Catholics emphasize Mary's unique calling and privilege as a holy vessel to bring forth the Holy Son of God into the world (Luke 1:28), while Protestants emphasize her godly submission, surrender and costly obedience to the will of God upon her life (Luke 1:38). Her privilege is the grace of God and her obedience is her response to God's grace.

As a Protestant it is hard for me to embrace the dogma of the Immaculate Conception since it is not stated anywhere in the Bible. Yet it is undeniable that Mary together with Christ have provided comfort, consolation and confidence, strength, stability and security to countless millions of sincere Christians throughout the last 2,000 years, including brilliant theologians, scholars, and countless evangelists, preachers, missionaries, church planters and martyrs. Though they pray to Mary (and Jesus), genuine Catholics believe that it is only the Gospel and Christ who saves them.

I regard myself as a pro-Catholic Protestant, as I am also a pro-liberal conservative. Some regard this as a cop out position by not taking a definitive stance one way or another regarding Mary. But I have a definitive stance: It is that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6) and that only "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor 15:3) and forgives sinners (Lk 23:34), which Mary is not able to do and which genuine Catholics know, even if they believe the Immaculate Conception and pray to her as well as to Christ. 

Again, I pray that Catholics and Protestants may love one another in Christ, rather than denounce one another over differences—no matter how strongly and passionately they feel about the utmost importance they attach to these differences.