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The Catholic Church teaches authoritatively that God preserved Mary from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception. The implication of this teaching is that Mary is totally free from the stain of original sin and personal sins. Mary is absolutely stainless and sinless. The reason for this inestimable privilege of Mary is very simple. God decided to purify the vessel through which His Son will come to the world. God who is absolutely holy, whose nothing impure can endure in His presence, purified Mary in such a way that she could become worthy vessel for Jesus’ first coming. It is unthinkable that God who is all holy will allow His Son to be stained by original sin. It is because of the divine merit of our Lord Jesus Christ that our Lady was preserved from the stain of original sin. Mary did not receive the singular gift of Immaculate Conception by her own merit. She could not have earned this gift. The gift is generously gratuitous.
The doctrine of Immaculate Conception has puzzled non-Catholics. Some non-Catholics consider the doctrine as a grandiose theory- too good to be true. They accuse the Catholic Church of romanticizing and exaggerating the holiness and merit of Mary. They are also quick to remind us that all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:13). They will argue that it is only by the death of Jesus that humanity can be saved. How could Mary be free from the stain of original sin?
The Catholic Church is not exaggerating the holiness and privileges of Mary. On the contrary, the Catholic Church lacks the words to express the stupendous graces of Mary with limitations of human language. Who can really put into words the stupendous graces that Mary received? Human words are inadequate to satisfactorily express the profundity of holiness of our Lady.
It is true that all men and women have sinned and are in need of reconciliation and justification brought about by Jesus. But Mary is an exception because her vocation is exceptional. We receive our salvation after the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus on the cross. But Mary received her salvation before the actual death of Jesus on the Cross. Mary is still saved by Jesus but her justification is unique because of her unique role in the work of salvation as the true mother of our Savior. We cannot blame God for dispersing His Graces the way He desires.
What God achieved in the life of Mary is also what he wants to achieve in our lives too. Graces of God are so effective in the life of Mary because she cooperated with God. She cooperated freely, actively, fully and whole-heartedly. She said her ‘fiat’ with conviction and joy. God will preserve us from stains of original sin with the sacrament of baptism and the horrors of personal sins if only we are willing to cooperate with Him. The graces of God will be active and effective in our lives if we say our ‘yes’ to God, not just with our lips but with our hearts.
