immaculate: making space to God - the "withoutness" of the holy

The point of the immaculate conception is that there is no "full of grace" without being first "empty of sin".

Mary is the model of the saints, so she is many times empty.
If we take the Beatitudes, we can see that the journey to holiness is first and foremost a journey through self-emptying.

It is a journey of many without's.

Blessed are …

·         the poor in spirit
those without attachment to material things (money, structures)
without placing things before God: 1Tim 6:10 (much loved by desert fathers)

“Lord, you are my portion”. According to Dt 10:9. So Ps 16:5; 73:26; 142:5

·         the gentle
without anger
Gen 4:6-7       1Th 5:14-18

·         those who mourn
without useless grudges and useless tears
Ph 4:4-5
what are the things that really make me sad? The wars in the world, or the liturgical imperfections of my sister?

·         those who hunger/thirst for justice
without selfishness
Lk 12:13-21               without placing things before people

·         the merciful
without ‘common sense’
Love is wild/brideless, without rules/boundaries of common sense. If all I do is to follow etiquette and propriety, surely I know nothing about true love.
Lk 10:29-37   the Good Samaritan

Jn 10:11.15    I lay down my life for the sheep
Jn 19:39          Nicodemus’s 100 pounds (!!) of ointment for the Lord

·         the pure in heart

without second interests/aims                     Mt 8:5-13                   Lk 8:43-48

pure hearts come with pure eyes, hands, tongue, nose…

·         the peacemakers

without revenge:        Rm 12:14-21 if your enemy is hungry, give him bread!

·         the persecuted for justice’s sake

without fear               Jn 14:1-4                    Jn 11:16