December 8, 2004

The season of Advent, Sacred Scripture itself, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church strongly emphasize the reality that God has a plan. In general terms, this plan can be summarized in the sending of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from sin and open the way to heaven. In specific terms, this plan can be summarized in the truth that God has a purpose for every single one of us, involving us getting to heaven (and taking as many people with us as possible).

In the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate that event which began the concrete fulfillment of God's plan. Mary's conception in the womb of her mother Saint Anne is the first streak of dawn, announcing the arrival of the day of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Now is the beginning of the fulfillment of the earliest prophesy of the Redeemer, the protoevangelium, "Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ... I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seat and hers; He will strike at your head while you strike at His heel". (Genesis 3:15)

Mary is this woman, the new Eve, who cooperates with the new Adam, Jesus Christ. This first prediction of the Messiah in scripture was powerfully illustrated in the movie, The Passion of the Christ, when Jesus stomps His heel on the head of the snake in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus brings victory over sin, Satan and death. He who receives Jesus, receives a share in this victory as he makes it to heaven (God's plan).

An interesting note: because of some ambiguity of the Hebrew grammar and the Greek and Latin translations of this scripture verse, some translations read, "He will crush your head". Others read, "She will crush your head" - thus statues of Mary standing on a snake. Yet others "They will crush your head"- thus all Christians. Theologically, it is always "He" (Jesus), who crushes the head of Satan through every Christian who makes it to heaven, even through Mary. We have the victory when "HE is in us": HE, sHE, tHEy.

Fr. Luke Fletcher, CFR
Vocations Director, residing at St. Joseph Friary in Harlem
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