The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
“I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.”
Eve’s vulnerable words here speak to the humanity of us all. If I had a penny for every time I hid from the Lord, I could probably pay off my student loans. I have always had this perception that God had to see the best side of me. Every prayer had to be perfectly said, every conversation I had with God had to be perfectly crafted. Every time I went to the Lord, I waited for him to scold me instead of inviting him into whatever situation I was in. This is where a distorted image of God began.
Today on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, we see such a stark contrast between Eve in the first reading and Mary in the Gospel. We can clearly see why some call Mary the “New Eve.” In the first reading, God looks for Eve, but due to her disobedience, she now realizes that she is naked. She is ashamed and hides herself from the Lord.
Every time I hear these scriptures I am reminded of something I heard several years ago. The root of all sin is summed up in one word: fear. Though fear itself is not inherently sinful, we do sin in different ways out of fear of many things: fear of rejection; fear of what people think of us; fear of never being happy or successful; fear that what we have is not enough; fear that God will not provide.
The Scriptures today show the reality of fear and doubt in our everyday lives. To overcome this, we are left with the words of angel Gabriel to Mary: “for nothing will be impossible for God.” Following his words, Mary proclaims her yes to being the Mother of Christ. In contrast to the reading from Genesis, today’s Gospel reminds us of Mary’s great fiat and obedience to God.
From the moment of her conception, Mary was free from original sin. She is our Mother, and we can call upon her when faced with fear or temptation from the enemy. She is our model of obedience, surrender, faith, and love for her Creator. And in her nature is the great love she has for us, her children.
Let us pray. Most Blessed Mother, when I am faced with lies of the enemy, help me to choose obedience. In place of fear, let me choose desire. Help me to surrender, to take everything out of my own hands and the hands of the enemy and hand it to your son, Jesus. Amen.