# Day One of the Immaculate Conception Novena
*2022-09-28*

> Bill Young begins the nine‑day novena to the Immaculate Conception, offering the Apostles’ Creed, a reflection on Mary’s role in salvation history, and a heartfelt prayer for a child‑like heart.

## Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Oh God, come to my aid; Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

## The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell, and on the third day rose again. He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. 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.

## Why Mary? A Scriptural Reflection

St. Paul writes to the Galatians that when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the Law, to redeem those under the Law so that we might receive adoption as sons. As adopted sons, God has poured the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba, Father.” We are no longer slaves but heirs of God’s promise.

The Lord chose Mary before she was born, making her the dwelling place of the Divine. She was an ordinary Hebrew woman, a housewife who prayed, worked, and served faithfully. Yet she fully expressed her feminine gifts, placing God at the center of her life. Because of this, she is full of grace and became the immaculate vessel of the Incarnation.

## Meditation on Mary’s Heart

Mary’s heart was created immaculate by God and kept pure by her own cooperation. It became a true tabernacle where the Lord dwells, a place where we can meet the Father. In her ordinary life she lived out the gift of femininity—working, caring for others, and constantly lifting her heart to God. This makes her a model for us to seek a heart that is simple, generous, and wholly devoted to Christ.

## Prayer for a Child‑like Heart

O Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, keep within me the heart of a child—pure and fresh as spring water. Grant me a simple heart that dwells on love, not on past sorrows; a generous heart that gives itself freely, moves to compassion, and bears no grudges. Form in me a sweet, humble heart that loves without demanding love in return, that disappears in service to your Divine Son, and that remains open to gratitude. May my heart be wounded by the glory of Christ, healed only in heaven.

*Through Mary’s example we are invited to adopt a child‑like, pure heart that fully embraces God’s love.*