Episode Transcript
[00:00:07] It's December 8th, the second Sunday of Advent. Thank you for joining us.
[00:00:23] Did you know that the words Notre Dame are French for Our Lady, a title for Mary, the Mother of God.
[00:00:31] On this day, as the church celebrates the second Sunday of Advent, a world famous cathedral named in honor of Our lady is expected to reopen Notre Dame de Paris. Our lady of Paris plans to reopen today after being ravaged by fire in 2019.
[00:00:51] It took several years to stabilize the church building so that reconstruction could begin.
[00:00:57] Immediately following the fire, donations began to pour in from around the world to restore the cathedral to its original beauty. The project has cost upwards of $750 million.
[00:01:10] The French government owns the cathedral, which was taken from the Catholic Church during the French Revolution.
[00:01:17] However, the Archdiocese of Paris has use of the cathedral both now and in the future for the celebration of masses.
[00:01:26] During the fire at Notre Dame, the cathedral's most precious relic, the crown of thorns, was saved from the flames by a Catholic priest and chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade who insisted on going in after it.
[00:01:41] Believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, the crown of thorns has been kept safe at the Louvre Museum during the restoration work.
[00:01:59] Beginning today, on the Sundays of this year's little book, we'll spend some time reflecting on Mary.
[00:02:09] There's a refrain that would be helpful whenever we think about Mary.
[00:02:13] What she is, we are called to be.
[00:02:17] How does that apply to the Immaculate Conception?
[00:02:21] Jesus came as Savior to save us all from sin.
[00:02:26] Because Mary was destined to be the mother of Jesus, she had a unique relationship to the Savior and received his saving grace from the first moment of her existence.
[00:02:51] There's a refrain that would be helpful whenever we think about Mary.
[00:02:56] What she is, we are called to be.
[00:03:00] How does that apply to the Immaculate Conception?
[00:03:04] Jesus came as Savior to save us all from sin.
[00:03:08] Because Mary was destined to be the mother of Jesus, she had a unique relationship to the Savior and received his saving grace from the first moment of her existence.
[00:03:21] We can't claim to have been full of grace from the very first moment of our existence.
[00:03:27] But Jesus is our Savior too.
[00:03:30] Mary doesn't differ from us because she received this grace. She differs because of when she received it. At her conception, we received it when we were baptized.
[00:03:43] From the beginning, she was what we are called to be. Sinless.
[00:03:48] I wonder if I take seriously enough the fact that I am called to be sinless.
[00:03:54] I wonder if instead my goal is high mediocrity. As though God says, well, you're an imperfect creature, so go ahead and sin now and then.
[00:04:06] I wasn't created to be a sinner. I was created in the image of God.
[00:04:13] What Mary is we are called to be Called to be sinless.
[00:04:19] Not on my own, but through the grace of God.
[00:04:27] Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
[00:04:32] Sa.
