The Immaculate Conception

For many people, the Immaculate Conception is a bridge too far. Because childbirth is such a common occurrence, it seems for many, rising from the dead is far easier to believe than the Immaculate Conception. It isn’t for me. My first experience with the concept of the Immaculate Conception was my own Aunt Anna who wasn’t able to conceive until after visiting Rome and seeing the Pope. When I heard the family story as child and young adult my reaction was, “Yea, right”.

My next experience was a friend and his wife who were told by “competent medical authority” that it was impossible for him and his wife to conceive a child. They adopted two children before having two naturally themselves. Then there was the friend and his wife who were assured by their doctor that they were beyond the child bearing years - then had twins. That particular set of circumstances has happened to two different couples. Then there was the near disastrous pregnancy of a friend’s wife after he had had a vasectomy. Low and behold, tests proved the child was his own. Finally, there was the whole Franko Harris thing. Sorry, that was the immaculate REception not CONception

So, for me, a miracle is a miracle. If I can accept that Christ rose from the dead, the Immaculate Conception is easy. Besides the biggest provable miracle, based on DNA statistics, is that any one of us exists at all. When you calculate those odds, anything else seems almost likely – except maybe the Indians winning the World Series.

21st century man is too cool, too in control, too sure of himself to believe in anything that requires a spiritual faith. Ironically, 21st century man has faith in the Big Bang theory. Yet, he doesn’t know where the big bang came from. He just has faith that it occurred. He believes in evolution. But he cannot cause anything to “evolve” in a manner of his own design. Wouldn’t it be nice if all men were 6’ 2” 190 lbs? 21st century man still can’t explain how a bumble bee flies, but he’s absolutely sure God had no hand in it. And there are only about 10,000,000,000 things to the tenth power that 21st century man can’t explain about life, but he remains arrogant enough to believe he’s in control. To me, it just makes more sense to believe God’s in control.