Immaculate Conception of Mary
In the Catholic tradition, we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary every year on December 8. That yearly celebration reminds us that Mary was conceived without sin. Though Mary had ordinary human parents who conceived her in the usual way, God had already redeemed Mary from original sin the moment her parents conceived her. That kind of redemption from original sin that Mary had is the same kind of redemption that Jesus would giving to everyone when he grew up to be a man. Mary had received it earlier because she would be playing the crucial role as the biological mother of God. In Luke 1: 26 -28, the verses strongly suggest that Mary had received that kind of redemption ahead of time. As a Catholic myself, I have mistakenly thought that the Immaculate Conception celebration was about Mary's conception and virgin birth of Jesus. I have studied in Catholic schools in my young life and I guess I did not pay attention when that doctrine was being taught during Religion c...