# Fourth Day Mary: The Mother Who Hears the Word of God
*2015-12-02*

> Bill Young reflects on the fourth day of the Immaculate Conception novena, meditating on Mary as the one who hears and keeps God’s word, and offers a prayer to the Immaculate Virgin.

## Opening Prayer and Creed

Bill begins with a brief opening prayer, invoking the Trinity and reciting the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty… I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.”

## The Gospel Reflection: Mary, the One Who Hears

Bill reads from Luke’s Gospel, recalling the woman in the crowd who praised the one who bore and fed Jesus. He emphasizes Jesus’ words, “More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” He then repeats the affirmation that the Lord chose Mary before she was born, highlighting her role as the dwelling place of God’s presence.

## Meditation on Listening to God

Bill explains that true hearing involves silence and attentiveness, likening our ears to instruments always ready to receive sound. He points out that the Immaculate Virgin, free from sin, is a clean slate on which God can write. By listening to God’s word, Mary becomes the model for us to produce works that bear eternal fruit.

## Prayer to the Immaculate Virgin

Bill leads a prayer to Mary, addressing her as the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the Eternal Word, and spouse of the Holy Spirit. He asks for purity of thought, word, and action, and for her intercession for all, especially those who have turned away from the Church. He concludes with a blessing.

*May we, like Mary, learn to hear God’s word in silence and let it shape our lives toward the bliss of paradise.*