“Feriados” or public holidays are dotted around the Portuguese calendar like raisins in a current bun. They are a mixture of national and religious holidays. What surprises me most is that when you ask the average man in the street, people usually have very little idea what the holiday is for. They know it means a day off work, fewer traffic jams, and that the Shopping centres will be packed. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. Even smart well educated people will hesitate, scratch their heads and come out with “um..well, it could be Republic Day, or is it the restoration of the monarchy ..no .. actually I think its the immaculate conception.”
This week that is the one we have had. December 8th. The date on which in 1854, Pope Pius IX defined as dogma the idea that Jesus mother, Mary, from the moment of her birth was preserved by God from original sin and was filled with sanctifying grace. Being brought up in the Protestant tradition, I’ve never really had to deal with concepts like the assumption, the immaculate conception and the eternal virginity of Mary. So I’m afraid the logic escapes me a little. The idea of God taking on humanity in order to procure our salvation is a huge enough concept to comprehend. So why add to it ideas which have little or no Biblical support and which add nothing to the reality that Jesus was fully human. Something Jesus said to John at the time of his baptism comes to mind. I know I don’t “need” to be baptised, (he was free from sin) but it is still right for me to do so, as part of my humanity. Surely that "humanness" of Jesus would include also having a mother who was every way normal as other women. Surely it would include also being part of a family with brothers and sisters. Or am I missing something?
Miraculously conceived? Yes. The divine entering into human life. Immaculately conceived? Not if that means Mary, unlike anyone else the Bible speaks about or indeed, anyone else at any other time in history, was without sin.
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