Why was the Immaculate Conception a singular privilege?

[Luke_K]

I do not have any problem with the immaculate conception of Mary per se, because I think it is great and sensible that God preserved Mary from original sin, considering her role in our salvation.

But why did God only grant this great gift to Mary? Since Jesus’ merits were able to save Mary from original sin, why doesn’t Jesus’ sacrifice apply to the rest of us in this way- a more exalted salvation?

I wouldn’t have such a problem with this except for the fact that millions of people die in original sin from natural miscarriages. Why can’t God give immaculate conceptions to those embryos he knows will die naturally before they can be baptized, or that will be aborted?

The immaculate conception is such a great thing, it just seems to me like God would grant graces like that to everyone, to preserve all of us from sin our whole lives.

Sorry if this is a common question, but I have not found the answer on these forums.

 

[1ke]

God granted Mary this singular privilege because she had a singular mission in all of history, to bring God incarnate into the world, raise and protect him, and unite her life to his mission of salvation.

 

[Luke_K]

God granted Mary this singular privilege because she had a singular mission in all of history, to bring God incarnate into the world, raise and protect him, and unite her life to his mission of salvation.

How was any of that a singular mission? Did not the whole line of Mary’s descendants, by extension, help to bring God incarnate into the world? It’s not like Mary was created in a vacuum.

Joseph helped raise and protect Jesus.

And all of us are supposed to unite our lives to his mission of salvation.

Besides, this doesn’t answer my question. Why doesn’t Jesus’ sacrifice prevent all of us from “falling into the pit in the first place” as the metaphor goes, instead of pulling us out of it?

 

[nkbeth]

All of mankind sinned in Adam and Eve’s sin - not personally but inasmuch as Adam and Eve were our representatives in the deepest sense. We are not just unique individuals, we are members of the human family. God did not “super-impose” original sin on man; we brought it on ourself.

Now it is said of the first sin “Felix Culpa”, or Happy Fault. It was the first terrible evil and rebellion against God’s command. But God out of his love answered our evil by His goodness in His incredible way - He sent His only Son to become man and to save us from sin. And He caused just one woman be to immaculately conceived in order to be a mother for that Son.

To be the human mother of the God-man, to have Him formed in her own womb, is the most incredible and intimate relationship that a human can have with God. Remember that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Ghost! Can’t you see why Mary’s role is completely unique in history? It is not the same to be His grandmother or step-father, as great a role as these are.

If we had not sinned - if were were all immaculately conceived! (even before Christ) - Christ wouldn’t have needed to come at all, and Mary wouldn’t have needed to have been born.

“O happy fault that merited such and so great a Redeemer.”

We can say “Oh but if I were God I would have done it differently. I wouldn’t have let Adam and Eve sin. Or I would have let each individual have their own first “original sin” test. Or I would have let Jesus death immediately totally terminate all sin and suffering on earth. Or I would have let Jesus come but not suffer. Or maybe (while I’m at it) I would have put everyone in heaven right away, so no one would need a test at all.”

But God did not do these things, He gave us the Church to show us what He did do, in His wisdom and power and love. We would need to be God to understand all His reasons. (This is not to say we cannot think about them, but it helps to remember God is God)

The fate of unborn babies is certainly another big related issue. I won’t try to go into that here yet. You might look at threads on Limbo too.