December 8, 2025 – IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

+ From the Gospel according to Luke (1:26-38)

At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Greetings, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”
But she was greatly troubled by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The word of the Lord