Mary's Sinless Nature

[trayC123]

I was wondering why Mary had to be “full of grace” or sinless to bear Jesus within her, when we do not have to be sinless (cannot be sinless) to receive Jesus into our bodies in Holy COmmunion. Thank you for your answer!

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The Immaculate Conception of Mary was not absolutely necessary; God could have chosen to be born of a woman who had contracted original sin, if he so chose. However, the Immaculate Conception was a gift of grace from God to Mary in order to better prepare her to be his Mother. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (491) says:

Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

**Recommended reading:

Refuting the Attack on Mary** by Fr. Mateo