The Immaculate Conception according to the Saint John Vianney

If a very rich father and mother had a large number of children, and all these children were to die, and only one remained, the one who remained would inherit everything.

Likewise, Adam, along with all his children, died to grace through original sin. And Mary, the only one who was free from sin, remained the heiress to the graces of innocence and the favors reserved for the children of Adam. If they had remained in the state of innocence, what a wealth of gifts they would have received! Such great gifts! God made her the recipient of his graces.

It is said in the Gospel that the father went out early in the morning to look for workmen to work in his vineyard. So was there still no one in this vineyard? No, for Mary was there, who was born in this vineyard. And what is the vine? It is grace.

Yes, Mary was born there, since she was conceived without sin. We were called there—the father of the family sought us, but Mary has always been there. Oh! The beautiful worker! She is pure and unblemished. The good Lord could create a more beautiful world than the one that exists, but he could not have created a more perfect creature than Mary.

________________________________________

Saint John Mary Vianney, in: Mgr. R. Fourrey, La Vierge Marie et le Curé d'Ars, 1989, Ars