Reflection by Yvonne Duffy
The deeper we peer into and ponder the Flame of Love, the more expansive and profound we discover this immense gift to humanity to be. To more greatly appreciate the Love of God burning in Mary’s Immaculate Heart, consider the question posed by the great Marian Saint, Maximilian Kolbe.
“Who are you, O Immaculate Conception?”
“Not God, for God is eternal. Not an angel, for angels are created from nothing. Not Adam, made from the dust of the earth. Not Eve, drawn from Adam’s body. Nor are you the Incarnate Word existing from all eternity—that Word which was conceived, but which is not really a conception. Prior to their conception, the children of Eve do not exist. Thus they properly can be called conceptions. But you, O Mary, differ from them because they are conceptions contaminated by original sin; whereas, you are the only Immaculate Conception…”
The Holy Spirit, “is the fruit of the love between Father and Son…the Holy Spirit is uncreated conception, an eternal being. He is prototype for every human conception. Thus the Father begets; the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds…The Holy Spirit is a most Holy Conception, infinitely holy, immaculate…
…The most perfect creature, entirely filled with love for God, is the Immaculata, the one without the stain of sin, the one who never deviated from the will of God. She is united in an ineffable manner with the Holy Spirit, her spouse….. The Holy Spirit dwells in her from the first instance of her existence, and He will reside within her throughout eternity…..He expresses in her the love of the Father and of the Son, the love with which God loves Himself, the love of the Holy Trinity, a fruitful love, a conception (Emphasis added).
The uncreated Immaculate Conception [The Holy Spirit] conceives divine life immaculately in the soul of Mary, His Immaculate Conception. The virginal womb is reserved for Him who at the proper time conceives there the divine life of the God-Man….
The Immaculata, betrothed by the Holy Spirit, becomes from the first instance of her existence the complement of the Holy Trinity. In the Holy Spirit’s union with Mary, not only does love unite them, but the Holy Spirit’s union with her represents the total love of the Holy Trinity while Mary’s love represents the entire love of creation. Thus is created the union of Heaven and earth, uncreated love with created love…
At Lourdes the Immaculata did not describe herself as conceived without sin, but as Saint Bernadette related, Mary said, in a voice in which a slight tremor could be noted: I am the Immaculate Conception.
If among humans a bride takes the name of her husband by the fact that she belongs to him, unites herself to him, makes herself like unto him, and together with him engenders new life, how much more should the name of the Holy Spirit, Immaculate Conception, be the name of her with whom He unites Himself in supernatural love?” [Articles and Homilies of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Vol. 7, Num. 1184, pgs. 426-430]
The deposit of the Flame of Love is seen in the Immaculate Conception when “the total love of the Holy Trinity” unites Himself entirely to the heart and soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Immaculate Conception is the unseen, mystical, spiritual movement of the complete love of God to the Immaculata that, as Saint Kolbe explains, in time becomes a physical, visible action of the Word of God becoming Incarnate in the womb of the Holy Virgin.
O Mary, created Immaculate Conception, who brings forth Jesus in union with the uncreated Immaculate Conception, share with us your Flame of Love, share with us your Immaculate Conception to bring us into complete unity with God.