God’s saving plan which is revealed in creation attributes equal dignity and worth to women, but it also affirms the uniqueness of the gift of femininity
At the General Audience of Wednesday, 6 December, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on the Virgin Mary, calling particular attention to her as the model for woman's role in the contemporary world. Here is a translation of his address, which was the eighth in the series on the Blessed Virgin.
1. As I have already explained in the preceding catecheses, the role entrusted to Mary by the divine plan of salvation sheds light on the vocation of woman in the life of the Church and society by defining its difference in relation to man. The model represented by Mary clearly shows what is specific to the feminine personality.
In recent times some trends in the feminist movement, in order to advance women's emancipation, have sought to make her like man in every way. However, the divine intention manifested in creation, though desiring woman to be man's equal in dignity and worth, at the same time clearly affirms her diversity and specific features. Woman's identity cannot consist in being a copy of man, since she is endowed with her own qualities and prerogatives, which give her a particular uniqueness that is always to be fostered and encouraged.
These prerogatives and particular features of the feminine personality attained their full development in Mary. The fullness of divine grace actually fostered in her all the natural abilities typical of woman.
'Let it be done to me according to your word'
Mary's role in the work of salvation is totally dependent on Christ's. It is a unique function, required by the fulfilment of the mystery of the Incarnation: Mary's motherhood was necessary to give the world its Saviour, the true Son of God, but also perfectly man.
The importance of woman's co-operation in the coming of Christ is emphasized by the initiative of God, who, through the angel, communicates his plan of salvation to the Virgin of Nazareth so that she can consciously and freely co-operate by giving her own generous consent.
Here the loftiest model of woman's collaboration in the Redemption of man—every man—is fulfilled; this model represents the transcendent reference point for every affirmation of woman's role and function in history.
2. In carrying out this sublime form of co-operation, Mary also shows the style in which woman must concretely express her mission.
With regard to the angel's message, the Virgin makes no proud demands nor does she seek to satisfy personal ambitions. Luke presents her to us as wanting only to offer her humble service with total and trusting acceptance of the divine plan of salvation. This is the meaning of her response: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word" (Lk 1: 3 8).
It is not a question of a purely passive acceptance, since her consent is given only after she has expressed the difficulty that arose from her intent to remain a virgin, inspired by her will to belong more completely to the Lord.
Having received the angel's response, Mary immediately expresses her readiness, maintaining an attitude of humble service.
It is the humble, valuable service that so many women, following Mary's example, have offered and continue to offer in the Church for the growth of Christ's kingdom.
3. The figure of Mary reminds women today of the value of motherhood. In the contemporary world the appropriate and balanced importance is not always given to this value. In some cases, the need for women to work in order to provide for the needs of their family and an erroneous concept of freedom, which sees child-care as a hindrance to woman's autonomy and opportunities, have obscured the significance of motherhood for the development of the feminine personality. On the contrary, in other cases the biological aspect of childbirth becomes so important as to overshadow the other significant opportunities woman has for expressing her innate vocation to being a mother.
In Mary we have been given to understand the true meaning of motherhood, which attains its loftiest dimension in the divine plan of salvation. For her, being a mother not only endows her feminine personality, directed towards the gift of life, with its full development, but also represents an answer of faith to woman's own vocation which assumes its truest value only in the light of God's covenant (cf. Mulieris dignitatem, n. 19).
4. In looking attentively at Mary, we also discover in her the model of virginity lived for the kingdom.
The Virgin par excellence, in her heart she grew in her desire to live in this state in order to achieve an ever deeper intimacy with God.
For women called to virginal chastity, Mary reveals the lofty meaning of so special a vocation and thus draws attention to the spiritual fruitfulness which it produces in the divine plan: a higher order of motherhood, a motherhood according to the Spirit (cf. Mulieris dignitatem, n. 21).
Women sow the seeds of the civilization of love
Mary's maternal heart, open to all human misfortune, also reminds women that the development of the feminine personality calls for a commitment to charity. More sensitive to the values of the heart, woman shows a high capacity for personal self-giving.
To all in our age who offer selfish models for affirming the feminine personality, the luminous and holy figure of the Lord's Mother shows how only by self-giving and self-forgetfulness towards others is it possible to attain authentic fulfilment of the divine plan for one's own life.
Mary's presence therefore encourages sentiments of mercy and solidarity in women for situations of human distress and arouses a desire to alleviate the pain of those who suffer: the poor, the sick and all in need of help.
In virtue of her special bond with Mary, woman has often in the course of history represented God's closeness to the expectations of goodness and tenderness of a humanity wounded by hatred and sin, by sowing in the world seeds of a civilization that can respond to violence with love.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
MARY SHOWS US GOD’S RESPECT FOR WOMEN - Blessed John Paul II
The Church holds that a proper reading of the figure of Mary in the Gospels provides a model of authentic emancipation for women according to God’s plan
"The figure of Mary shows that God has such esteem for woman that any form of discrimination lacks a theoretical basis", the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 29 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary and the value of woman was the seventh in the series on the Blessed Mother.
1. The theological and spiritual aspects of the Church's teaching on Mary, which have been amply developed in our century, have recently acquired a new importance from the sociological and pastoral standpoint, due also to a clearer understanding of woman's role in the Christian community and in society, as we see in many significant interventions of the Magisterium.
The message to women addressed by the Fathers at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council on 8 December 1965 are well known: "But the hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being achieved in its fullness, the hour in which woman acquires in the world an influence, an effect and a power never hitherto achieved" (Enchiridion Vat., 1, 307).
I confirmed these affirmations a few years later in the Encyclical Mulieris dignitatem: "The dignity and the vocation of women—a subject of constant human and Christian reflection—have gained exceptional prominence in recent years" (n. 1)
The role and dignity of woman have been particularly championed in this century by the feminist movement, which has sought to react, sometimes in forceful ways, against everything in the past and present that has hindered the full appreciation and development of the feminine personality as well as her participation in the many expressions of social and political life.
These demands were in large part legitimate and contributed to building up a more balanced view of the feminine question in the contemporary world. The Church, especially in recent times, has paid special attention to these demands, encouraged by the fact that the figure of Mary, if seen in the light of her Gospel life, is a valid response to woman's desire for emancipation: Mary is the only human person who eminently fulfils God's plan of love for humanity
Every woman shares in Mary's sublime dignity
2. This plan is already manifest in the Old Testament, with the creation narrative that introduces the first couple created in the image of God himself: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gn 1:27). Thus woman, no less than man, bears God's image in herself. This means that, since her appearance on the earth as a result of the divine action, she too is appreciated: "God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gn 1:31). According to this view, the difference between man and woman does not imply the inferiority of the latter nor her inequality, but is a new element which enriches God's plan, and is "very good".
However, God's intention goes well beyond what is revealed in the Book of Genesis. In fact, in Mary God created a feminine personality which greatly surpasses the ordinary condition of woman as it appears in the creation of Eve. Mary's unique excellence in the world of grace and her perfection are fruits of the particular divine benevolence which seeks to raise everyone, men and women, to the moral perfection and holiness which are proper to the adopted children of God. Mary is "blessed among women"; however, every woman shares in some way in her sublime dignity in the divine plan.
3. The remarkable gift to the Mother of the Lord not only testifies to what we could call God's respect for woman, but also emphasizes the profound regard in God's plans for her irreplaceable role in human history.
Women need to discover this divine esteem in order to be ever more aware of their lofty dignity. The historical and social situations which caused the reaction of feminism were marked by a lack of appreciation of woman's worth; frequently she was relegated to a second-rate or even marginal role. This did not allow her to express fully the wealth of intelligence and wisdom contained in her femininity. Indeed, throughout history women have not infrequently suffered from scant esteem for their abilities, and sometimes even scorn and unjust prejudice. This is a state of affairs that, despite important changes, unfortunately continues even today in many nations and in many parts of the world.
4. The figure of Mary shows that God has such esteem for woman that any form of discrimination lacks a theoretical basis.
The marvellous work which the Creator achieved in Mary gives men and women the possibility to discover dimensions of their condition which before were not sufficiently perceived. In beholding the Mother of the Lord, women will be able to understand better their dignity and the greatness of their mission. But men too, in the light of the Virgin Mother, will be able to acquire a fuller and more balanced view of their identity, of the family and of society.
Attentive consideration of the figure of Mary, as she is presented to us in Sacred Scripture as read in faith by the Church, is still more necessary in view of the disparagement she sometimes receives from certain feminist currents. The Virgin of Nazareth has, in some cases, been presented as the symbol of the female personality imprisoned in a narrow, confining domesticity.
Mary, on the contrary, is the model of the full development of woman's vocation, since, despite the objective limits imposed by her social condition, she exercised a vast influence on the destiny of humanity and the transformation of society.
In Mary all are called to trust the Lord
5. Moreover Marian doctrine can shed light on the multiple ways in which the life of grace promotes woman's spiritual beauty. In view of the shameful exploitation that sometimes makes woman an object without dignity, destined for the satisfaction of base passions, Mary reaffirms the sublime meaning of feminine beauty, a gift and reflection of God's beauty.
It is true that feminine perfection, as it was fully realized in Mary, can at first sight seem to be an exceptional case and impossible to imitate, a model too lofty for imitation. In fact, the unique holiness of her who from the very first moment received the privilege of the Immaculate Conception is sometimes considered unreachably distant.
However, far from being a restraint on the way of following the Lord, Mary's exalted holiness is, on the contrary, destined in God's plan to encourage all Christians to open themselves to the sanctifying power of the grace of God, for whom nothing is impossible. Therefore in Mary all are called to put total trust in the divine omnipotence, which transforms hearts, guiding them towards full receptivity to his providential plan of love.
"The figure of Mary shows that God has such esteem for woman that any form of discrimination lacks a theoretical basis", the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 29 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary and the value of woman was the seventh in the series on the Blessed Mother.
1. The theological and spiritual aspects of the Church's teaching on Mary, which have been amply developed in our century, have recently acquired a new importance from the sociological and pastoral standpoint, due also to a clearer understanding of woman's role in the Christian community and in society, as we see in many significant interventions of the Magisterium.
The message to women addressed by the Fathers at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council on 8 December 1965 are well known: "But the hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being achieved in its fullness, the hour in which woman acquires in the world an influence, an effect and a power never hitherto achieved" (Enchiridion Vat., 1, 307).
I confirmed these affirmations a few years later in the Encyclical Mulieris dignitatem: "The dignity and the vocation of women—a subject of constant human and Christian reflection—have gained exceptional prominence in recent years" (n. 1)
The role and dignity of woman have been particularly championed in this century by the feminist movement, which has sought to react, sometimes in forceful ways, against everything in the past and present that has hindered the full appreciation and development of the feminine personality as well as her participation in the many expressions of social and political life.
These demands were in large part legitimate and contributed to building up a more balanced view of the feminine question in the contemporary world. The Church, especially in recent times, has paid special attention to these demands, encouraged by the fact that the figure of Mary, if seen in the light of her Gospel life, is a valid response to woman's desire for emancipation: Mary is the only human person who eminently fulfils God's plan of love for humanity
Every woman shares in Mary's sublime dignity
2. This plan is already manifest in the Old Testament, with the creation narrative that introduces the first couple created in the image of God himself: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gn 1:27). Thus woman, no less than man, bears God's image in herself. This means that, since her appearance on the earth as a result of the divine action, she too is appreciated: "God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gn 1:31). According to this view, the difference between man and woman does not imply the inferiority of the latter nor her inequality, but is a new element which enriches God's plan, and is "very good".
However, God's intention goes well beyond what is revealed in the Book of Genesis. In fact, in Mary God created a feminine personality which greatly surpasses the ordinary condition of woman as it appears in the creation of Eve. Mary's unique excellence in the world of grace and her perfection are fruits of the particular divine benevolence which seeks to raise everyone, men and women, to the moral perfection and holiness which are proper to the adopted children of God. Mary is "blessed among women"; however, every woman shares in some way in her sublime dignity in the divine plan.
3. The remarkable gift to the Mother of the Lord not only testifies to what we could call God's respect for woman, but also emphasizes the profound regard in God's plans for her irreplaceable role in human history.
Women need to discover this divine esteem in order to be ever more aware of their lofty dignity. The historical and social situations which caused the reaction of feminism were marked by a lack of appreciation of woman's worth; frequently she was relegated to a second-rate or even marginal role. This did not allow her to express fully the wealth of intelligence and wisdom contained in her femininity. Indeed, throughout history women have not infrequently suffered from scant esteem for their abilities, and sometimes even scorn and unjust prejudice. This is a state of affairs that, despite important changes, unfortunately continues even today in many nations and in many parts of the world.
4. The figure of Mary shows that God has such esteem for woman that any form of discrimination lacks a theoretical basis.
The marvellous work which the Creator achieved in Mary gives men and women the possibility to discover dimensions of their condition which before were not sufficiently perceived. In beholding the Mother of the Lord, women will be able to understand better their dignity and the greatness of their mission. But men too, in the light of the Virgin Mother, will be able to acquire a fuller and more balanced view of their identity, of the family and of society.
Attentive consideration of the figure of Mary, as she is presented to us in Sacred Scripture as read in faith by the Church, is still more necessary in view of the disparagement she sometimes receives from certain feminist currents. The Virgin of Nazareth has, in some cases, been presented as the symbol of the female personality imprisoned in a narrow, confining domesticity.
Mary, on the contrary, is the model of the full development of woman's vocation, since, despite the objective limits imposed by her social condition, she exercised a vast influence on the destiny of humanity and the transformation of society.
In Mary all are called to trust the Lord
5. Moreover Marian doctrine can shed light on the multiple ways in which the life of grace promotes woman's spiritual beauty. In view of the shameful exploitation that sometimes makes woman an object without dignity, destined for the satisfaction of base passions, Mary reaffirms the sublime meaning of feminine beauty, a gift and reflection of God's beauty.
It is true that feminine perfection, as it was fully realized in Mary, can at first sight seem to be an exceptional case and impossible to imitate, a model too lofty for imitation. In fact, the unique holiness of her who from the very first moment received the privilege of the Immaculate Conception is sometimes considered unreachably distant.
However, far from being a restraint on the way of following the Lord, Mary's exalted holiness is, on the contrary, destined in God's plan to encourage all Christians to open themselves to the sanctifying power of the grace of God, for whom nothing is impossible. Therefore in Mary all are called to put total trust in the divine omnipotence, which transforms hearts, guiding them towards full receptivity to his providential plan of love.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
MARY IS MODEL OF PERSEVERING SILENCE - Blessed John Paul II
The Blessed Virgin invites the church to meditate constantly on the mystery of Christ and she witnesses to the significance of quiet humility and loving obedience
1. After reflecting on the Marian dimension of ecclesial life, we are now going to cast light on the immense spiritual wealth Mary communicates to the Church by her example and her intercession.
We would first like to pause and briefly reflect on some significant aspects of Mary's personality, which offer all believers valuable guidance in accepting and fulfilling their own vocation.
Mary has gone before us on the way of faith: believing the angel's message, she was the first to welcome the mystery of the Incarnation and did so perfectly (cf. Redemptoris Mater, n. 13). Her journey as a believer began even earlier than her divine motherhood and developed more deeply throughout her earthly experience. Hers was a daring faith. At the Annunciation she believed in what was humanly impossible, and at Cana she urged Jesus to work his first miracle, pressing him to manifest his messianic powers (cf. Jn 2:1-5).
Mary teaches Christians to live their faith as a demanding and engaging journey, which, in every age and situation of life, requires courage and constant perseverance.
Mary's was a humble and hidden life
2. Mary's docility to the divine will was linked to her faith. Believing in God's word, she could accept it fully in her life and, showing herself receptive to God's sovereign plan, she accepted all that was asked of her from on high.
Our Lady's presence in the Church thus encourages Christians to listen to the word of the Lord every day, to understand his loving plan in various daily events, and to co-operate faithfully in bringing it about.
3. This is how Mary teaches the community of believers to look to the future with total abandonment to God. In the Virgin's personal experience, hope is enriched with ever new reasons. Since the Annunciation, Mary concentrates the expectations of ancient Israel on the Son of God, incarnate in her virginal womb. Her hope was strengthened during the successive stages of Jesus' hidden life in Nazareth and his public ministry. Her great faith in the word of Christ, who had announced his Resurrection on the third day, prevented her from wavering, even when faced with the drama of the Cross. She retained her hope in the fulfilment of the messianic work and steadfastly, after the darkness of Good Friday, awaited the morning of the Resurrection.
On their difficult path through history, between the "already" of salvation received and the "not yet" of its fulfilment, the community of believers know they can count on the help of the "Mother of Hope". After experiencing Christ's victory over the powers of death, she communicates to them an ever new capacity to await God's future and to abandon themselves to the Lord's promises.
4. Mary's example enables the Church better to appreciate the value of silence. Mary's silence is not only moderation in speech, but it is especially a wise capacity for remembering and embracing in a single gaze of faith the mystery of the Word made man and the events of his earthly life.
It is this silence as acceptance of the Word, this ability to meditate on the mystery of Christ, that Mary passes on to believers. In a noisey world filled with messages of all kinds, her witness enables us to appreciate a spiritually rich silence and fosters a contemplative spirit.
Mary witnesses to the value of a humble and hidden life. Everyone usually demands, and sometimes almost claims, to be able to realize fully his own person and qualities. Everyone is sensitive to esteem and honour. The Gospels frequently mention that the Apostles were ambitious for the most important places in the kingdom and they argued among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. In this matter Jesus had to teach them the need for humility and service (cf. Mt 18:1-5; 20:20-28; Mk 9:33-37; 10:35-45; Lk 9:46-48; 22:24-27). Mary, on the contrary, never sought honour or the advantages of a privileged position; she always tried to fulfil God's will, leading a life according to the Father's plan of salvation.
To all those who often feel the burden of a seemingly insignificant life, Mary reveals how valuable life can be if it is lived for love of Christ and one's brothers and sisters.
5. Mary, moreover, witnesses to the value of a life that is pure and full of tenderness for all men. The beauty of her soul, totally offered to the Lord, is an object of admiration for the Christian people. In Mary, the Christian community has always seen the ideal woman, full of love and tenderness because she lived in purity of mind and body.
Faced with the cynicism of a certain contemporary culture, which too often seems not to recognize the value of chastity and degrades sexuality by separating it from personal dignity and God's plan, the Virgin Mary holds up the witness of a purity that illumines the conscience and leads to a greater love for creatures and for the Lord.
6. Furthermore, Mary appears to Christians of all times as the one who feels deep compassion for the sufferings of humanity. This compassion does not consist only in an emotional sympathy, but is expressed in effective and concrete help when confronted with humanity's material and moral misery.
In following Mary, the Church is called to take on the same attitude towards all the earth's poor and suffering. The maternal attention of the Lord's Mother to the tears, sorrows and hardships of the men and women of all ages must spur Christians, particularly at the dawn of the new millennium, to increase the concrete and visible signs of a love that will enable today's humble and suffering people to share in the promises and hopes of the new world which is born from Easter.
7. Human affection for and devotion to the Mother of Jesus surpasses the Church's visible boundaries and fosters sentiments of reconciliation. As a mother, Mary desires the union of all her children. Her presence in the Church is an invitation to preserve the unanimity of heart which reigned in the first community (cf. Acts 1:14) and, consequently, to seek ways of unity and peace among all men and women of goodwill.
In interceding with her Son, Mary asks the grace of unity for all humanity, in view of building a civilization of love, overcoming tendencies to division, temptations to revenge and hatred, and the perverse fascination of violence.
Mary is the cause of our joy
8. Our Lady's motherly smile, reproduced in so much Marian iconography, expresses a fullness of grace and peace that seeks to be shared. This expression of her serenity of spirit effectively contributes to giving the Church a joyful face.
Welcoming, in the Annunciation, the angel's invitation to "rejoice" (khaire = rejoice: Lk 1:28), Mary was the first to share in the messianic joy foretold by the Prophets for the "daughter of Sion" (cf. Is 12:6; Zep 3:14-15; Zec 9:9), and she passes it on to humanity in every age.
Invoking her as "causa nostrae laetitiae", the Christian people find in her the capacity to communicate the joy that is born of hope, even in the midst of life's trials, and to guide those who commend themselves to her to the joy that knows no end.
"Our Lady's motherly smile, reproduced in so much Marian iconography, expresses a fullness of grace and peace that seeks to be shared. This expression of her serenity of spirit effectively contributes to giving the Church a joyful face", the Holy Father said at the General Audience on Wednesday, 22 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary, The Pope's catechesis on Mary's influence on the Church's life was the sixth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
1. After reflecting on the Marian dimension of ecclesial life, we are now going to cast light on the immense spiritual wealth Mary communicates to the Church by her example and her intercession.
We would first like to pause and briefly reflect on some significant aspects of Mary's personality, which offer all believers valuable guidance in accepting and fulfilling their own vocation.
Mary has gone before us on the way of faith: believing the angel's message, she was the first to welcome the mystery of the Incarnation and did so perfectly (cf. Redemptoris Mater, n. 13). Her journey as a believer began even earlier than her divine motherhood and developed more deeply throughout her earthly experience. Hers was a daring faith. At the Annunciation she believed in what was humanly impossible, and at Cana she urged Jesus to work his first miracle, pressing him to manifest his messianic powers (cf. Jn 2:1-5).
Mary teaches Christians to live their faith as a demanding and engaging journey, which, in every age and situation of life, requires courage and constant perseverance.
Mary's was a humble and hidden life
2. Mary's docility to the divine will was linked to her faith. Believing in God's word, she could accept it fully in her life and, showing herself receptive to God's sovereign plan, she accepted all that was asked of her from on high.
Our Lady's presence in the Church thus encourages Christians to listen to the word of the Lord every day, to understand his loving plan in various daily events, and to co-operate faithfully in bringing it about.
3. This is how Mary teaches the community of believers to look to the future with total abandonment to God. In the Virgin's personal experience, hope is enriched with ever new reasons. Since the Annunciation, Mary concentrates the expectations of ancient Israel on the Son of God, incarnate in her virginal womb. Her hope was strengthened during the successive stages of Jesus' hidden life in Nazareth and his public ministry. Her great faith in the word of Christ, who had announced his Resurrection on the third day, prevented her from wavering, even when faced with the drama of the Cross. She retained her hope in the fulfilment of the messianic work and steadfastly, after the darkness of Good Friday, awaited the morning of the Resurrection.
On their difficult path through history, between the "already" of salvation received and the "not yet" of its fulfilment, the community of believers know they can count on the help of the "Mother of Hope". After experiencing Christ's victory over the powers of death, she communicates to them an ever new capacity to await God's future and to abandon themselves to the Lord's promises.
4. Mary's example enables the Church better to appreciate the value of silence. Mary's silence is not only moderation in speech, but it is especially a wise capacity for remembering and embracing in a single gaze of faith the mystery of the Word made man and the events of his earthly life.
It is this silence as acceptance of the Word, this ability to meditate on the mystery of Christ, that Mary passes on to believers. In a noisey world filled with messages of all kinds, her witness enables us to appreciate a spiritually rich silence and fosters a contemplative spirit.
Mary witnesses to the value of a humble and hidden life. Everyone usually demands, and sometimes almost claims, to be able to realize fully his own person and qualities. Everyone is sensitive to esteem and honour. The Gospels frequently mention that the Apostles were ambitious for the most important places in the kingdom and they argued among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. In this matter Jesus had to teach them the need for humility and service (cf. Mt 18:1-5; 20:20-28; Mk 9:33-37; 10:35-45; Lk 9:46-48; 22:24-27). Mary, on the contrary, never sought honour or the advantages of a privileged position; she always tried to fulfil God's will, leading a life according to the Father's plan of salvation.
To all those who often feel the burden of a seemingly insignificant life, Mary reveals how valuable life can be if it is lived for love of Christ and one's brothers and sisters.
5. Mary, moreover, witnesses to the value of a life that is pure and full of tenderness for all men. The beauty of her soul, totally offered to the Lord, is an object of admiration for the Christian people. In Mary, the Christian community has always seen the ideal woman, full of love and tenderness because she lived in purity of mind and body.
Faced with the cynicism of a certain contemporary culture, which too often seems not to recognize the value of chastity and degrades sexuality by separating it from personal dignity and God's plan, the Virgin Mary holds up the witness of a purity that illumines the conscience and leads to a greater love for creatures and for the Lord.
6. Furthermore, Mary appears to Christians of all times as the one who feels deep compassion for the sufferings of humanity. This compassion does not consist only in an emotional sympathy, but is expressed in effective and concrete help when confronted with humanity's material and moral misery.
In following Mary, the Church is called to take on the same attitude towards all the earth's poor and suffering. The maternal attention of the Lord's Mother to the tears, sorrows and hardships of the men and women of all ages must spur Christians, particularly at the dawn of the new millennium, to increase the concrete and visible signs of a love that will enable today's humble and suffering people to share in the promises and hopes of the new world which is born from Easter.
7. Human affection for and devotion to the Mother of Jesus surpasses the Church's visible boundaries and fosters sentiments of reconciliation. As a mother, Mary desires the union of all her children. Her presence in the Church is an invitation to preserve the unanimity of heart which reigned in the first community (cf. Acts 1:14) and, consequently, to seek ways of unity and peace among all men and women of goodwill.
In interceding with her Son, Mary asks the grace of unity for all humanity, in view of building a civilization of love, overcoming tendencies to division, temptations to revenge and hatred, and the perverse fascination of violence.
Mary is the cause of our joy
8. Our Lady's motherly smile, reproduced in so much Marian iconography, expresses a fullness of grace and peace that seeks to be shared. This expression of her serenity of spirit effectively contributes to giving the Church a joyful face.
Welcoming, in the Annunciation, the angel's invitation to "rejoice" (khaire = rejoice: Lk 1:28), Mary was the first to share in the messianic joy foretold by the Prophets for the "daughter of Sion" (cf. Is 12:6; Zep 3:14-15; Zec 9:9), and she passes it on to humanity in every age.
Invoking her as "causa nostrae laetitiae", the Christian people find in her the capacity to communicate the joy that is born of hope, even in the midst of life's trials, and to guide those who commend themselves to her to the joy that knows no end.
"Our Lady's motherly smile, reproduced in so much Marian iconography, expresses a fullness of grace and peace that seeks to be shared. This expression of her serenity of spirit effectively contributes to giving the Church a joyful face", the Holy Father said at the General Audience on Wednesday, 22 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary, The Pope's catechesis on Mary's influence on the Church's life was the sixth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
TO HONOUR MARY IS TO GO TO JESUS - Blessed John Paul II
Down the centuries, devotion to Mary has inspired a rich treasury of hymns, poetry and art, all celebrating God’s great gift of Redemption 1. After following in our previous catecheses how the Christian community's reflection on the figure and role of the Blessed Virgin in salvation history took shape from the earliest times, let us pause today to meditate on the Marian experience of the Church.
The development of Mariological thought and devotion to the Blessed Virgin down the centuries has contributed to revealing ever better the Church's Marian aspect. Of course, the Blessed Virgin is totally related to Christ, the foundation of faith and ecclesial experience, and she leads to him. That is why, in obedience to Jesus, who reserved a very special role for his Mother in the economy of salvation, Christians have venerated, loved and prayed to Mary in a most particular and fervent way. They have attributed to her an important place in faith and piety, recognizing her as the privileged way to Christ, the supreme Mediator.
The Church's Marian dimension is thus an undeniable element in the experience of the Christian people. It is expressed in many ways in the life of believers, testifying to the place Mary holds in their hearts. It is not a superficial sentiment but a deep and conscious emotional bond, rooted in the faith which spurs Christians of the past and present to turn habitually to Mary, to enter into a more intimate communion with Christ.
2. After the most ancient prayer, formulated in Egypt by the Christian communities of the third century, to implore "the Mother of God" for protection in danger, numerous invocations were addressed to her, whom the baptized consider most powerful in her intercession with the Lord.
Christian people have expressed deep devotion to Mary
Today, the most common prayer is the Hail Mary, whose first part consists of words from the Gospel (cf. Lk 1:28, 42). Christians learn to recite it at home from their earliest years and receive it as a precious gift to be preserved throughout life. This same prayer, repeated tens of times in the Rosary, helps many of the faithful to enter into prayerful contemplation of the Gospel mysteries and sometimes to remain for long intervals in intimate contact with the Mother of Jesus. Since the Middle Ages, the Hail Mary has been the most common prayer of all believers who ask the Holy Mother of the Lord to guide and protect them on their daily journey through life (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus, nn. 42-55).
Christian people have also expressed their love for Mary by multiplying expressions of their devotion: hymns, prayers and poetic compositions, simple or sometimes of great quality, imbued with that same love for her who was given to men as Mother by the Crucified One. Some of these, such as the "Akathist Hymn" and the "Salve Regina", have deeply marked the faith life of believers.
The counterpart of Marian piety is the immensely rich artistic production in the East and West, which has enabled entire generations to appreciate Mary's spiritual beauty. Painters, sculptors, musicians and poets have left us masterpieces which, in shedding light on the various aspects of the Blessed Virgin's greatness, help to give us a better understanding of the meaning and value of her lofty contribution to the work of Redemption.
In Mary, Christian art recognizes the fulfilment of a new humanity which corresponds to God's plan and is therefore a sublime sign of hope for the whole human race.
3. This message could not fail to be grasped by Christians called to a vocation of special consecration. In fact, Mary is particularly venerated in religious orders and congregations, in institutes or associations of consecrated life. Many institutes, primarily but not only female, include Mary's name in their title. Nevertheless, over and above its external expressions, the spirituality of religious families, as well as of many ecclesial movements, some of which are specifically Marian, highlight their special bond with Mary as the guarantee of a charism fully and authentically lived.
This Marian reference in the lives of people particularly favoured by the Holy Spirit has also developed the mystical dimension, which shows how the Christian can experience Mary's intervention in the innermost depths of his being.
This reference to Mary binds not only committed Christians but also simple believers and even the "distant", for whom it is frequently their only link with the life of the Church. Pilgrimages to Marian shrines, which attract large crowds of the faithful throughout the year, are a sign of the Christian people's common sentiment for the Mother of the Lord. Some of these bulwarks of Marian piety are famous, such as Lourdes, Fatima, Loreto, Pompei, Guadalupe and Częstochowa! Others are known only at the national or local level. In all of them, the memory of events associated with recourse to Mary conveys the message of her motherly tenderness, opening our hearts to God's grace.
These places of Marian prayer are a wonderful testimony to God's mercy, which reaches man through Mary's intercession. The miracles of physical healing, spiritual redemption and conversion are the obvious sign that, with Christ and in the Spirit, Mary is continuing her work as helper and mother.
Marian dimension pervades Church's whole life
4. Marian shrines often become centres of evangelization. Indeed, even in the Church today, as in the community awaiting Pentecost, prayer with Mary spurs many Christians to the apostolate and to the service of their brothers and sisters. Here I would especially like to recall the great influence of Marian piety on the practice of charity and the works of mercy. Encouraged by Mary's presence, believers have often felt the need to dedicate themselves to the poor, the unfortunate and the sick, in order to be for the lowliest of the earth a sign of the motherly protection of the Blessed Virgin, the living icon of the Father's mercy.
It can be clearly seen from all this how the Marian dimension pervades the Church's whole life. The proclamation of the Word, the liturgy, the various charitable and cultural expressions find in Mary an occasion for enrichment and renewal.
The People of God, under the guidance of their Pastors, are called to discern in this fact the action of the Holy Spirit who has spurred the Christian faith onward in its discovery of Mary's face. It is he who works marvels in the centres of Marian piety. It is he who, by encouraging knowledge of and love for Mary, leads the faithful to learn from the Virgin of the Magnificat how to read the signs of God in history and to acquire a wisdom that makes every man and every woman the architects of a new humanity.
"It can be clearly seen ... how the Marian dimension pervades the Church's whole life. The proclamation of the Word, the liturgy, the various charitable and cultural expressions find in Mary an occasion for enrichment and renewal", the Holy Father said at the General Audience on Wednesday, 15 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary in the spiritual experience of the Church was the fifth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
The development of Mariological thought and devotion to the Blessed Virgin down the centuries has contributed to revealing ever better the Church's Marian aspect. Of course, the Blessed Virgin is totally related to Christ, the foundation of faith and ecclesial experience, and she leads to him. That is why, in obedience to Jesus, who reserved a very special role for his Mother in the economy of salvation, Christians have venerated, loved and prayed to Mary in a most particular and fervent way. They have attributed to her an important place in faith and piety, recognizing her as the privileged way to Christ, the supreme Mediator.
The Church's Marian dimension is thus an undeniable element in the experience of the Christian people. It is expressed in many ways in the life of believers, testifying to the place Mary holds in their hearts. It is not a superficial sentiment but a deep and conscious emotional bond, rooted in the faith which spurs Christians of the past and present to turn habitually to Mary, to enter into a more intimate communion with Christ.
2. After the most ancient prayer, formulated in Egypt by the Christian communities of the third century, to implore "the Mother of God" for protection in danger, numerous invocations were addressed to her, whom the baptized consider most powerful in her intercession with the Lord.
Christian people have expressed deep devotion to Mary
Today, the most common prayer is the Hail Mary, whose first part consists of words from the Gospel (cf. Lk 1:28, 42). Christians learn to recite it at home from their earliest years and receive it as a precious gift to be preserved throughout life. This same prayer, repeated tens of times in the Rosary, helps many of the faithful to enter into prayerful contemplation of the Gospel mysteries and sometimes to remain for long intervals in intimate contact with the Mother of Jesus. Since the Middle Ages, the Hail Mary has been the most common prayer of all believers who ask the Holy Mother of the Lord to guide and protect them on their daily journey through life (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus, nn. 42-55).
Christian people have also expressed their love for Mary by multiplying expressions of their devotion: hymns, prayers and poetic compositions, simple or sometimes of great quality, imbued with that same love for her who was given to men as Mother by the Crucified One. Some of these, such as the "Akathist Hymn" and the "Salve Regina", have deeply marked the faith life of believers.
The counterpart of Marian piety is the immensely rich artistic production in the East and West, which has enabled entire generations to appreciate Mary's spiritual beauty. Painters, sculptors, musicians and poets have left us masterpieces which, in shedding light on the various aspects of the Blessed Virgin's greatness, help to give us a better understanding of the meaning and value of her lofty contribution to the work of Redemption.
In Mary, Christian art recognizes the fulfilment of a new humanity which corresponds to God's plan and is therefore a sublime sign of hope for the whole human race.
3. This message could not fail to be grasped by Christians called to a vocation of special consecration. In fact, Mary is particularly venerated in religious orders and congregations, in institutes or associations of consecrated life. Many institutes, primarily but not only female, include Mary's name in their title. Nevertheless, over and above its external expressions, the spirituality of religious families, as well as of many ecclesial movements, some of which are specifically Marian, highlight their special bond with Mary as the guarantee of a charism fully and authentically lived.
This Marian reference in the lives of people particularly favoured by the Holy Spirit has also developed the mystical dimension, which shows how the Christian can experience Mary's intervention in the innermost depths of his being.
This reference to Mary binds not only committed Christians but also simple believers and even the "distant", for whom it is frequently their only link with the life of the Church. Pilgrimages to Marian shrines, which attract large crowds of the faithful throughout the year, are a sign of the Christian people's common sentiment for the Mother of the Lord. Some of these bulwarks of Marian piety are famous, such as Lourdes, Fatima, Loreto, Pompei, Guadalupe and Częstochowa! Others are known only at the national or local level. In all of them, the memory of events associated with recourse to Mary conveys the message of her motherly tenderness, opening our hearts to God's grace.
These places of Marian prayer are a wonderful testimony to God's mercy, which reaches man through Mary's intercession. The miracles of physical healing, spiritual redemption and conversion are the obvious sign that, with Christ and in the Spirit, Mary is continuing her work as helper and mother.
Marian dimension pervades Church's whole life
4. Marian shrines often become centres of evangelization. Indeed, even in the Church today, as in the community awaiting Pentecost, prayer with Mary spurs many Christians to the apostolate and to the service of their brothers and sisters. Here I would especially like to recall the great influence of Marian piety on the practice of charity and the works of mercy. Encouraged by Mary's presence, believers have often felt the need to dedicate themselves to the poor, the unfortunate and the sick, in order to be for the lowliest of the earth a sign of the motherly protection of the Blessed Virgin, the living icon of the Father's mercy.
It can be clearly seen from all this how the Marian dimension pervades the Church's whole life. The proclamation of the Word, the liturgy, the various charitable and cultural expressions find in Mary an occasion for enrichment and renewal.
The People of God, under the guidance of their Pastors, are called to discern in this fact the action of the Holy Spirit who has spurred the Christian faith onward in its discovery of Mary's face. It is he who works marvels in the centres of Marian piety. It is he who, by encouraging knowledge of and love for Mary, leads the faithful to learn from the Virgin of the Magnificat how to read the signs of God in history and to acquire a wisdom that makes every man and every woman the architects of a new humanity.
"It can be clearly seen ... how the Marian dimension pervades the Church's whole life. The proclamation of the Word, the liturgy, the various charitable and cultural expressions find in Mary an occasion for enrichment and renewal", the Holy Father said at the General Audience on Wednesday, 15 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary in the spiritual experience of the Church was the fifth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
CHURCH GREW IN UNDERSTANDING OF MARY’S ROLE - Blessed John Paul II
Down the centuries, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church has sought to understand more clearly the revealed truth about the Mother of God
"The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light", the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 8 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary in Sacred Scripture and theological reflection was the fourth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
1. In our preceding catecheses we saw how the doctrine of Mary's motherhood passed from its first formula, "Mother of Jesus", to the more complete and explicit, "Mother of God", even to the affirmation of her maternal involvement in the redemption of humanity.
For other aspects of Marian doctrine as well, many centuries were necessary to arrive at the explicit definition of the revealed truths concerning Mary. Typical examples of this faith journey towards the ever deeper discovery of Mary's role in the history of salvation are the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, proclaimed, as we know by two of my venerable predecessors, respectively, the Servant of God Pius IX in 1854, and the Servant of God Pius XII during the Jubilee Year of 1950.
Mariology is a particular field of theological research: in it the Christian people's love for Mary intuited, frequently in anticipation, certain aspects of the mystery of the Blessed Virgin, calling the attention of theologians and pastors to them.
Mother of Jesus had role in salvation history
2. We must recognize that, at first sight, the Gospels offer scant information on the person and life of Mary. We would certainly like to have had fuller information about her, which would have enabled us to know the Mother of God better.
This expectation remains unsatisfied, even in the other New Testament writings where an explicit doctrinal development regarding Mary is lacking. Even St Paul's letters, which offer us a rich reflection on Christ and his work, limit themselves to stating, in a very significant passage, that God sent his Son "born of woman" (Gal 4:4).
Very little is said about Mary's family. If we exclude the infancy narratives, in the Synoptic Gospels we find only two statements which shed some light on Mary: one concerning the attempt by his "brethren" or relatives to take Jesus back to Nazareth (cf. Mk 3:2 1; Mt 12:48); the other, in response to a woman's exclamation about the blessedness of Jesus' Mother (Lk 11:27).
Nevertheless, Luke, in the infancy Gospel, in the episodes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation of the Child in the temple and his finding among the teachers at the age of 12, not only provides us with some important facts, but presents a sort of "proto-Mariology" of fundamental interest. His information is indirectly completed by Matthew in the account of the annunciation to Joseph (Mt 1:18-25), but only with regard to the virginal conception of Jesus.
Moreover, John's Gospel deepens our knowledge of the value for salvation history of the role played by the Mother of Jesus, when it records her presence at the beginning and end of his public fife. Particularly significant is Mary's presence at the Cross, when she received from her dying Son the charge to be mother to the beloved disciple and, in him, to all Christians (cf. Jn 2:1-12; Jn 19:25-27).
Lastly, the Acts of the Apostles expressly numbers the Mother of Jesus among the women of the first community awaiting Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:14).
However, in the absence of further New Testament evidence and reliable historical sources, we know nothing of Mary's life after the Pentecost event nor of the date and circumstances of her death. We can only suppose that she continued to live with the Apostle John and that she was very closely involved in the development of the first Christian community.
3. The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light.
Moreover, we must remember that the Evangelists' viewpoint is totally Christological and is concerned with the Mother only in relation to the joyful proclamation of the Son. As St Ambrose observed, the Evangelist, in expounding the mystery of the Incarnation, "believed it was better not to seek further testimonies about Mary's virginity, in order not to seem the defender of the Virgin rather than the preacher of the mystery" (Exp. in Lucam, 2, 6: PL 15, 1555).
We can recognize in this fact a special intention of the Holy Spirit, who desired to awaken in the Church an effort of research which, preserving the centrality of the mystery of Christ, might not be caught up in details about Mary's life, but aim above all at discovering her role in the work of salvation, her personal holiness and her maternal mission in Christian life.
Faith of the simple recognized Mary's holiness
4. The Holy Spirit guides the Church's effort, committing her to take on Mary's own attitudes. In the account of Jesus' birth, Luke noted how his mother kept all these things, "pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2:19), striving, that is, to "put together" (symballousa), in a deeper vision, all the events of which she was the privileged witness.
Similarly, the people of God are also urged by the same Spirit to understand deeply all that has been said about Mary, in order to progress in the knowledge of her mission, intimately linked to the mystery of Christ.
As Mariology develops, the particular role of the Christian people emerges. They co-operate, by the affirmation and witness of their faith, in the progress of Marian doctrine, which normally is not only the work of theologians, even if their task is indispensable to deepening and clearly explaining the datum of faith and the Christian experience itself.
The faith of the simple is admired and praised by Jesus, who recognized in it a marvellous expression of the Father's benevolence (cf. Mt 11:25; Lk 10:21). Down the centuries it continues to proclaim the marvels of the history of salvation, hidden from the wise. This faith, in harmony with the Virgin's simplicity, has led to progress in the recognition of her personal holiness and the transcendent value of her motherhood.
The mystery of Mary commits every Christian, in communion with the Church, "to pondering in his heart" what the Gospel revelation affirms about the Mother of Christ. In the logic of the Magnificat, after the example of Mary, each one will personally experience God's love and will discover a sign of God's tenderness for man in the marvels wrought by the Blessed Trinity in the woman "full of grace".
"The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light", the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 8 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary in Sacred Scripture and theological reflection was the fourth in the series on the Blessed Mother.
1. In our preceding catecheses we saw how the doctrine of Mary's motherhood passed from its first formula, "Mother of Jesus", to the more complete and explicit, "Mother of God", even to the affirmation of her maternal involvement in the redemption of humanity.
For other aspects of Marian doctrine as well, many centuries were necessary to arrive at the explicit definition of the revealed truths concerning Mary. Typical examples of this faith journey towards the ever deeper discovery of Mary's role in the history of salvation are the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, proclaimed, as we know by two of my venerable predecessors, respectively, the Servant of God Pius IX in 1854, and the Servant of God Pius XII during the Jubilee Year of 1950.
Mariology is a particular field of theological research: in it the Christian people's love for Mary intuited, frequently in anticipation, certain aspects of the mystery of the Blessed Virgin, calling the attention of theologians and pastors to them.
Mother of Jesus had role in salvation history
2. We must recognize that, at first sight, the Gospels offer scant information on the person and life of Mary. We would certainly like to have had fuller information about her, which would have enabled us to know the Mother of God better.
This expectation remains unsatisfied, even in the other New Testament writings where an explicit doctrinal development regarding Mary is lacking. Even St Paul's letters, which offer us a rich reflection on Christ and his work, limit themselves to stating, in a very significant passage, that God sent his Son "born of woman" (Gal 4:4).
Very little is said about Mary's family. If we exclude the infancy narratives, in the Synoptic Gospels we find only two statements which shed some light on Mary: one concerning the attempt by his "brethren" or relatives to take Jesus back to Nazareth (cf. Mk 3:2 1; Mt 12:48); the other, in response to a woman's exclamation about the blessedness of Jesus' Mother (Lk 11:27).
Nevertheless, Luke, in the infancy Gospel, in the episodes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation of the Child in the temple and his finding among the teachers at the age of 12, not only provides us with some important facts, but presents a sort of "proto-Mariology" of fundamental interest. His information is indirectly completed by Matthew in the account of the annunciation to Joseph (Mt 1:18-25), but only with regard to the virginal conception of Jesus.
Moreover, John's Gospel deepens our knowledge of the value for salvation history of the role played by the Mother of Jesus, when it records her presence at the beginning and end of his public fife. Particularly significant is Mary's presence at the Cross, when she received from her dying Son the charge to be mother to the beloved disciple and, in him, to all Christians (cf. Jn 2:1-12; Jn 19:25-27).
Lastly, the Acts of the Apostles expressly numbers the Mother of Jesus among the women of the first community awaiting Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:14).
However, in the absence of further New Testament evidence and reliable historical sources, we know nothing of Mary's life after the Pentecost event nor of the date and circumstances of her death. We can only suppose that she continued to live with the Apostle John and that she was very closely involved in the development of the first Christian community.
3. The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light.
Moreover, we must remember that the Evangelists' viewpoint is totally Christological and is concerned with the Mother only in relation to the joyful proclamation of the Son. As St Ambrose observed, the Evangelist, in expounding the mystery of the Incarnation, "believed it was better not to seek further testimonies about Mary's virginity, in order not to seem the defender of the Virgin rather than the preacher of the mystery" (Exp. in Lucam, 2, 6: PL 15, 1555).
We can recognize in this fact a special intention of the Holy Spirit, who desired to awaken in the Church an effort of research which, preserving the centrality of the mystery of Christ, might not be caught up in details about Mary's life, but aim above all at discovering her role in the work of salvation, her personal holiness and her maternal mission in Christian life.
Faith of the simple recognized Mary's holiness
4. The Holy Spirit guides the Church's effort, committing her to take on Mary's own attitudes. In the account of Jesus' birth, Luke noted how his mother kept all these things, "pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2:19), striving, that is, to "put together" (symballousa), in a deeper vision, all the events of which she was the privileged witness.
Similarly, the people of God are also urged by the same Spirit to understand deeply all that has been said about Mary, in order to progress in the knowledge of her mission, intimately linked to the mystery of Christ.
As Mariology develops, the particular role of the Christian people emerges. They co-operate, by the affirmation and witness of their faith, in the progress of Marian doctrine, which normally is not only the work of theologians, even if their task is indispensable to deepening and clearly explaining the datum of faith and the Christian experience itself.
The faith of the simple is admired and praised by Jesus, who recognized in it a marvellous expression of the Father's benevolence (cf. Mt 11:25; Lk 10:21). Down the centuries it continues to proclaim the marvels of the history of salvation, hidden from the wise. This faith, in harmony with the Virgin's simplicity, has led to progress in the recognition of her personal holiness and the transcendent value of her motherhood.
The mystery of Mary commits every Christian, in communion with the Church, "to pondering in his heart" what the Gospel revelation affirms about the Mother of Christ. In the logic of the Magnificat, after the example of Mary, each one will personally experience God's love and will discover a sign of God's tenderness for man in the marvels wrought by the Blessed Trinity in the woman "full of grace".
Monday, December 26, 2011
MARY WAS UNITED TO JESUS ON THE CROSS by Blessed John Paul II
Down the centuries the Church’s tradition has appreciated ever more profoundly Mary’s very close sharing in her Son’s redemptive mission
At the General Audience of Wednesday, 25 October, the Holy Father returned to his catechesis on the Blessed Virgin Mary and her participation in her Son's saving work. "Mary is our Mother: this consoling truth, offered to us ever more clearly and profoundly by the love and faith of the Church, has sustained and sustains the spiritual life of us all, and encourages us, even in suffering, to have faith and hope".
1. Saying that "the Virgin Mary ... is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and of the Redeemer" (Lumen gentium, n. 53), the Council draws attention to the link between Mary's motherhood and Redemption.
After becoming aware of the maternal role of Mary, who was venerated in the teaching and worship of the first centuries as the virginal Mother of Jesus Christ and therefore as the Mother of God, in the Middle Ages the Church's piety and theological reflection brought to light her co-operation in the Saviour's work.
This delay is explained by the fact that the efforts of the Church Fathers and of the early Ecumenical Councils, focused as they were on Christ's identity, necessarily left other aspects of dogma aside. Only gradually could the revealed truth be unfolded in all its richness. Down the centuries, Mariology would always take its direction from Christology. The divine motherhood of Mary was itself proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus primarily to affirm the oneness of Christ's person. Similarly, there was a deeper understanding of Mary's presence in salvation history.
2. At the end of the second century, St Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, already pointed out Mary's contribution to the work of salvation. He understood the value of Mary's consent at the time of the Annunciation, recognizing in the Virgin of Nazareth's obedience to and faith in the angel's message the perfect antithesis of Eve's disobedience and disbelief, with a beneficial effect on humanity's destiny. In fact, just as Eve caused death, so Mary, with her "yes", became "a cause of salvation" for herself and for all mankind (cf. Adv. Haer., III, 22, 4; SC 211, 441). But this affirmation was not developed in a consistent and systematic way by the other Fathers of the Church.
Mary became spiritual Mother of whole human race
Instead, this doctrine was systematically worked out for the first time at the end of the 10th century in the Life of Mary by a Byzantine monk, John the Geometer. Here Mary is united to Christ in the whole work of Redemption, sharing, according to God's plan, in the Cross and suffering for our salvation. She remained united to the Son "in every deed, attitude and wish" (cf. Life of Mary, Bol. 196, f. 122 v.). Mary's association with Jesus' saving work came about through her Mother's love, a love inspired by grace, which conferred a higher power on it: love freed of passion proves to be the most compassionate (cf. ibid., Bol. 196, f. 123 v.).
3. In the West St Bernard, who died in 1153, turns to Mary and comments on the presentation of Jesus in the temple: "Offer your Son, sacrosanct Virgin, and present the fruit of your womb to the Lord. For our reconciliation with all, offer the heavenly victim pleasing to God" (Serm. 3 in Purif., 2: PL 183, 370).
A disciple and friend of St Bernard, Arnold of Chartres, shed light particularly on Mary's offering in the sacrifice of Calvary. He distinguished in the Cross "two altars: one in Mary's heart, the other in Christ's body. Christ sacrificed his flesh, Mary her soul". Mary sacrificed herself spiritually in deep communion with Christ, and implored the world's salvation: "What the mother asks, the Son approves and the Father grants" (cf. De septem verbis Domini in cruce, 3: PL 189, 1694).
From this age on other authors explain the doctrine of Mary's special cooperation in the redemptive sacrifice.
4. At the same time, in Christian worship and piety contemplative reflection on Mary's "compassion" developed, poignantly depicted in images of the Pietà. Mary's sharing in the drama of the Cross makes this event more deeply human and helps the faithful to enter into the mystery: the Mother's compassion more clearly reveals the Passion of the Son.
By sharing in Christ's redemptive work, Mary's spiritual and universal motherhood is also recognized. In the East, John the Geometer told Mary: "You are our mother". Giving Mary thanks "for the sorrow and suffering she bore for us", he sheds light on her maternal affection and motherly regard for all those who receive salvation (cf. Farewell Discourse on the Dormition of Our Most Glorious Lady, Mother of God, in A. Wenger, L'Assomption de la Très Sainte Vierge dans la tradition byzantine, p. 407).
In the West too, the doctrine of the spiritual motherhood developed with St Anselm, who asserted: "You are the mother ... of reconciliation and the reconciled, the mother of salvation and the saved" (cf. Oratio 52, 8: PL 158, 957 A).
Mary does not cease to be venerated as the Mother of God, but the fact that she is our Mother gives her divine motherhood a new aspect that opens within us the way to a more intimate communion with her.
5. Mary's motherhood in our regard does not only consist of an affective bond: because of her merits and her intercession she contributes effectively to our spiritual birth and to the development of the life of grace within us. This is why Mary is called "Mother of grace" and "Mother of life".
Mother of the Life from whom all take life
The title "Mother of life", already employed by St Gregory of Nyssa, was explained as follows by Bl. Guerric of Igny, who died in 1157: "She is the Mother of the Life from whom all men take life: in giving birth to this life herself, she has somehow given rebirth to all those who have lived it. Only one was begotten, but we have all been reborn" (In Assumpt. I, 2: PL 185, 188).
A 13th-century text, the Mariale, used a vivid image in attributing this rebirth to the "painful travail" of Cavalry, by which "she became the spiritual mother of the whole human race". Indeed, "in her chaste womb she conceived by compassion the children of the Church" (Q. 29, par. 3).
6. The Second Vatican Council, after stating that Mary "in a wholly singular way co-operated in the work of the Saviour", concludes: "for this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace" (Lumen gentium, n. 61), thus confirming the Church's perception that Mary is at the side of her Son as the spiritual Mother of all humanity.
Mary is our Mother: this consoling truth, offered to us ever more clearly and profoundly by the love and faith of the Church, has sustained and sustains the spiritual life of us all, and encourages us, even in suffering, to have faith and hope.
At the General Audience of Wednesday, 25 October, the Holy Father returned to his catechesis on the Blessed Virgin Mary and her participation in her Son's saving work. "Mary is our Mother: this consoling truth, offered to us ever more clearly and profoundly by the love and faith of the Church, has sustained and sustains the spiritual life of us all, and encourages us, even in suffering, to have faith and hope".
1. Saying that "the Virgin Mary ... is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and of the Redeemer" (Lumen gentium, n. 53), the Council draws attention to the link between Mary's motherhood and Redemption.
After becoming aware of the maternal role of Mary, who was venerated in the teaching and worship of the first centuries as the virginal Mother of Jesus Christ and therefore as the Mother of God, in the Middle Ages the Church's piety and theological reflection brought to light her co-operation in the Saviour's work.
This delay is explained by the fact that the efforts of the Church Fathers and of the early Ecumenical Councils, focused as they were on Christ's identity, necessarily left other aspects of dogma aside. Only gradually could the revealed truth be unfolded in all its richness. Down the centuries, Mariology would always take its direction from Christology. The divine motherhood of Mary was itself proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus primarily to affirm the oneness of Christ's person. Similarly, there was a deeper understanding of Mary's presence in salvation history.
2. At the end of the second century, St Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, already pointed out Mary's contribution to the work of salvation. He understood the value of Mary's consent at the time of the Annunciation, recognizing in the Virgin of Nazareth's obedience to and faith in the angel's message the perfect antithesis of Eve's disobedience and disbelief, with a beneficial effect on humanity's destiny. In fact, just as Eve caused death, so Mary, with her "yes", became "a cause of salvation" for herself and for all mankind (cf. Adv. Haer., III, 22, 4; SC 211, 441). But this affirmation was not developed in a consistent and systematic way by the other Fathers of the Church.
Mary became spiritual Mother of whole human race
Instead, this doctrine was systematically worked out for the first time at the end of the 10th century in the Life of Mary by a Byzantine monk, John the Geometer. Here Mary is united to Christ in the whole work of Redemption, sharing, according to God's plan, in the Cross and suffering for our salvation. She remained united to the Son "in every deed, attitude and wish" (cf. Life of Mary, Bol. 196, f. 122 v.). Mary's association with Jesus' saving work came about through her Mother's love, a love inspired by grace, which conferred a higher power on it: love freed of passion proves to be the most compassionate (cf. ibid., Bol. 196, f. 123 v.).
3. In the West St Bernard, who died in 1153, turns to Mary and comments on the presentation of Jesus in the temple: "Offer your Son, sacrosanct Virgin, and present the fruit of your womb to the Lord. For our reconciliation with all, offer the heavenly victim pleasing to God" (Serm. 3 in Purif., 2: PL 183, 370).
A disciple and friend of St Bernard, Arnold of Chartres, shed light particularly on Mary's offering in the sacrifice of Calvary. He distinguished in the Cross "two altars: one in Mary's heart, the other in Christ's body. Christ sacrificed his flesh, Mary her soul". Mary sacrificed herself spiritually in deep communion with Christ, and implored the world's salvation: "What the mother asks, the Son approves and the Father grants" (cf. De septem verbis Domini in cruce, 3: PL 189, 1694).
From this age on other authors explain the doctrine of Mary's special cooperation in the redemptive sacrifice.
4. At the same time, in Christian worship and piety contemplative reflection on Mary's "compassion" developed, poignantly depicted in images of the Pietà. Mary's sharing in the drama of the Cross makes this event more deeply human and helps the faithful to enter into the mystery: the Mother's compassion more clearly reveals the Passion of the Son.
By sharing in Christ's redemptive work, Mary's spiritual and universal motherhood is also recognized. In the East, John the Geometer told Mary: "You are our mother". Giving Mary thanks "for the sorrow and suffering she bore for us", he sheds light on her maternal affection and motherly regard for all those who receive salvation (cf. Farewell Discourse on the Dormition of Our Most Glorious Lady, Mother of God, in A. Wenger, L'Assomption de la Très Sainte Vierge dans la tradition byzantine, p. 407).
In the West too, the doctrine of the spiritual motherhood developed with St Anselm, who asserted: "You are the mother ... of reconciliation and the reconciled, the mother of salvation and the saved" (cf. Oratio 52, 8: PL 158, 957 A).
Mary does not cease to be venerated as the Mother of God, but the fact that she is our Mother gives her divine motherhood a new aspect that opens within us the way to a more intimate communion with her.
5. Mary's motherhood in our regard does not only consist of an affective bond: because of her merits and her intercession she contributes effectively to our spiritual birth and to the development of the life of grace within us. This is why Mary is called "Mother of grace" and "Mother of life".
Mother of the Life from whom all take life
The title "Mother of life", already employed by St Gregory of Nyssa, was explained as follows by Bl. Guerric of Igny, who died in 1157: "She is the Mother of the Life from whom all men take life: in giving birth to this life herself, she has somehow given rebirth to all those who have lived it. Only one was begotten, but we have all been reborn" (In Assumpt. I, 2: PL 185, 188).
A 13th-century text, the Mariale, used a vivid image in attributing this rebirth to the "painful travail" of Cavalry, by which "she became the spiritual mother of the whole human race". Indeed, "in her chaste womb she conceived by compassion the children of the Church" (Q. 29, par. 3).
6. The Second Vatican Council, after stating that Mary "in a wholly singular way co-operated in the work of the Saviour", concludes: "for this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace" (Lumen gentium, n. 61), thus confirming the Church's perception that Mary is at the side of her Son as the spiritual Mother of all humanity.
Mary is our Mother: this consoling truth, offered to us ever more clearly and profoundly by the love and faith of the Church, has sustained and sustains the spiritual life of us all, and encourages us, even in suffering, to have faith and hope.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Set Forth in Her Litany by Very Rev. C. J. O'Connell, Dean - Chapters XLVI - XLVII
CHAPTER XLVI. Queen Conceived Without Sin.
The great and glorious Queen of Angels, of patriarchs, of prophets, of Apostles, of martyrs, of confessors, of virgins, of all saints was by a special predilection of the Creator, conceived without sin, immaculate. The illustrious Pontiff Pope Pius IX. declared this teaching a dogma of the church on the sixth day of December, 1854.
No words could be more appropriate, none more beautiful concerning our most pure, most chaste Mother Mary, our Queen Immaculate, than those of the apostolic letter of our most holy Father, Pope Pius IX. of holy memory, who proclaimed the doctrine of Mary's immaculate conception an article of faith.
From the apostolic brief we learn that God, who is ineffable, whose ways are those of mercy and truth, whose will is omnipotence itself, whose wisdom reaches irresistibly from one eternity to another and disposes of all things kindly, seeing in His prescience from all eternity the lamentable ruin of the entire human race, the consequence of Adam's transgression? and having in the hidden mystery from the beginning of the ages decreed that, by the sacrament still more mysterious, of the incarnation of the Word, He would accomplish the primitive work of His goodness, in order that man urged to wrong doing by the perfidy of the evil spirit, should not perish, contrary to the design of His mercy, and that which should come upon the first Adam was put aside in the second by a blessing greater than that misfortune, chose and prepared from the beginning and before the ages, a mother for His only Son, that taking from her His flesh and blood, He should be born in the blessed fulness of time; and He loved her among all creatures with such a love, that He placed in her alone, by a sovereign predilection, all His complaisances.
Elevating her incomparably above all the angels and saints, He favored her with the abundance of celestial gifts, taken from the divine treasury, in such a marvelous manner, that always and entirely free from all stain of sin, all beautiful and all perfect, she possessed the plenitude of innocence and of the greatest sanctity that can be conceived outside of God, and in such a way that no other, save God, can comprehend it.
And, indeed, it was in every way proper that she should always shine forth with the splendors of sanctity, the most perfect, and that entirely exempt from the taint even of original sin, she would obtain the most complete victory over the ancient serpent, that Mother, so venerable, to whom God the Father was pleased to give His only begotten Son, conceived in her heart, equal to Him, and whom He loves as Himself, and to give Him in such a way that He is naturally one and the same common Son of God the Father, and the Virgin; she whom the Son Himself chose to be substantially His Mother, she, of whom the Holy Ghost wished that, by His operation, He should be conceived and born, out of whom He Himself proceeds.
This unique and glorious triumph of the Virgin, her most excellent innocence, her purity, her sanctity, her integrity possessed free from all stain of sin, her ineffable riches, of all the heavenly graces, of all the virtues, of all the privileges, her greatness, the Fathers of the Church have recognized the image of them in the Ark of Noe, which, after being made by God's command, escaped entirely from the general deluge of the whole world: again, in the ladder of Jacob "that reached from earth to Heaven, on the rungs of which the angels of God ascended and descended, while God Himself rested on the summit of it;" by which, her untarnished innocence, and her sanctity, free from any spot, were admirably prefigured.
To describe all that has been said, or, so to say, all those divine gifts and the original integrity of the Virgin, of whom was born Jesus, the Fathers, using the words of the prophets, have likened the venerable Virgin herself to the pure dove, the holy Jerusalem, the sublime throne of God, the ark of sanctification, and the house that eternal wisdom built for Himself; to the queen, who, filled with delights and resting upon her beloved, came forth from the mouth of the Most High, all perfect, all beautiful, all lovable in the sight of God.
And revolving in their heart and mind that the Blessed Virgin Mary was in the name and by the command of God, called "full of grace" by the Angel Gabriel, when he announced to her incomparable dignity of the Mother of God; the Fathers and ecclesiastical writers have taught that, by the singular and solemn salvation, of which there is no other instance, it is declared that the Mother of God is the seat of all graces, that she is adorned with all the gifts of the Holy Ghost; still more, that she is as the infinite treasure and unsoundable depths of these gifts; in such manner that she was at no time tainted with the malediction, and that participating, in union with her Son, in the eternal benediction, she merited to hear from the lips of Elizabeth, inspired of the Holy Ghost: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."
It is also their belief, no less clearly expressed and unanimous, that the glorious Virgin, in whom He that is all powerful hath done great things, shone with such brilliancy in all the heavenly gifts, of the plentitude of grace, and of such innocence, that she was as an ineffable miracle of God, or rather the accumulation of all miracles, in a word, worthy to be the Mother of God: and approaching God as closely as it is possible for a created being to do, and more than all created beings, she is raised to such greatness that the praises of men and angels cannot do justice to her.
In order to bring out more clearly that state of innocence and justice, in which the Mother of God was created, they have often not only compared her to Eve, virgin, innocent and pure, before she fell into the snares of the astute serpent, but more still they place her above Eve, finding a thousand admirable means to express this superiority.
Eve, indeed, in following the suggestion of the serpent, lost her original innocence and became his slave; but the blessed Virgin, increasing constantly her original gifts, far from ever giving ear to the serpent, overcame entirely, by the divine virtue which she had received, his strength and his power.
Let all, therefore, with even more ardor and piety continue to honor, invoke and beseech the ever blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin, and let all have recourse with entire confidence to that sweet Mother of grace and of mercy in all their dangers, their sorrows, their necessities and their fears.
There is nothing to dread; there is no reason to lose hope when we walk under the care, auspices, patronage and protection of her who, having for us the heart of a mother, and taking upon herself the affair of our salvation, is solicitous for all men and nations.
Made by our Lord Queen of Heaven and earth, exalted above all the choirs of angels and all the orders of saints, seated at the right hand of her only Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; what she wishes she obtains; she cannot ask in vain.
CHAPTER XLVII. Queen Of The Most Holy Rosary.
Our holy mother, the Church, never ceases to look after the good and welfare of all her children. At the sight of any danger she goes to their aid and with the tender heart of a loving mother, offers them her counsel and assistance. The power of God is with her, the counsel, wisdom, understanding and fortitude of the Holy Spirit dwell in her, and the promise of her Divine Founder, Jesus Christ, that He would be with her all days to the consummation of the world, is wonderfully verified.
The teachings and practices of the Church meet the needs of all men and times. She offers to incredulous scoffers of holy religion the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; those who deny original sin, she confronts with the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: upon those who seek but gain and are given to a voluptuous life, she presses the life of the poor, simple and indefatigable Saint Joseph, the chaste spouse of the ever glorious and Blessed Mother of the Saviour. To all she holds up Mary as their help, their support, their secure refuge, rich in every virtue, and blessed with the plentitude of the graces of Heaven.
Many, very many, devotions have Mary for their object. There is one among them that seems to embrace all other acts of piety in her honor, that of the devotion of the Holy Rosary. It was in France, in the province of Languedoc, that it originated in the beginning of the thirteenth century. At this time, great havoc was being wrought in the Church by the revival of an ancient heresy, that of the Albigenses.
Both Church and state united their forces against the common foe, but to no purpose. It was reserved in the plan of Divine Providence, for a holy, zealous religious, a true man of God, Saint Dominic, to suppress the disorders, and obtain a signal victory over heresy and irreligion.
He had labored strenuously to bring back to God, those deluded souls, yet little headway was made. He fortified himself in season and out of season by prayer. One day while the Saint was in fervent recollection, tears dimming his eyes, pleading with God to show mercy to the enemies of Christ and His Church, Mary, upon the part of God, disclosed to him the means whereby he would triumph over those poor wandering souls and obtain victory for the Church.
"Know," said the Blessed Virgin to him, "Oh, my son, that the means which the Adorable Trinity employs for the salvation of this world is in the Angelic Salutation, which is the foundation of the New Testament. If, then, you wish to overcome hardened hearts, preach my rosary."
Without delay, Saint Dominic obeyed the heavenly vision, and, with the rosary as his only weapon, he set out to win to God souls dear to Him and to Mary. This vision of the Blessed Virgin to Saint Dominic was not her first, nor has it been her last to favored souls. Often she has been, so to say, God's angel bearing glad tidings to men of good will.
The happy results of the preaching of the rosary were marvelous, for history places the number of those misguided souls who returned to the service of holy religion, at above one hundred thousand families. A glorious victory for Mary and her rosary.
This, however, was but an earnest of what in after years the rosary was to win of victories for Christ and His Church in every land and clime. Today, every devout child of holy mother Church clings to His rosary as to His very life, knowing that this devotion is the power that will enable him to overcome the devil, the world and the flesh. Rather than part with his rosary he would sacrifice his life, for losing his life in such a cause would be to gain it for all eternity.
It is a devotion pleasing to God and to His most admirable Mother Mary. The "Our Father" was taught us by our Lord Himself, while the "Hail Mary" comes direct from God through the Angel Gabriel, Saint Elizabeth and the Church inspired by the Holy Ghost.
The rosary contains fifteen decades of "Hail Marys," with one "Our Father," before each decade. It is a brief yet beautiful history of Jesus and Mary, from the moment the angel saluted her, "hail full of grace," until she was crowned by the hand of her Divine Son as the Queen of Heaven and the Queen of earth.
The rosary is divided into three parts, each containing five decades, and known as the chaplet which signifies a wreath of natural flowers worn on the head as an especial mark of distinction.
Rosary derives its name from Mary's rose garden, or from rose, simply, the queen of flowers, while the "Hail Mary" is called the "queen of prayers."
In telling the rosary we weave the "queen of prayers" into a beautiful crown of Mary's roses, which we place upon her fair, queenly brow and salute her Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.
Friday, December 23, 2011
The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Set Forth in Her Litany by Very Rev. C. J. O'Connell, Dean - Chapters XLI - XLV
CHAPTER XLI.
Queen Of Apostles.
The patriarchs slept with their fathers, the prophets passed into the home of their eternity: both in their day and generation fulfilled well the mission given them by the Almighty. They were His special servants among men, preserving and handing down to succeeding generations the comforting promise of a Messiah.
The great day dawned, and the Redeemer was born into the world. The promise was accomplished. The humble Virgin Mary of Nazareth was the chosen one among women, by reason of her immaculateness, to become the Mother of the "Word made flesh." He is the way, the truth and life of the world; its promised Redeemer.
Mary carried Him for nine months in her chaste womb, gave birth to Him, and cared for Him through the years of His infancy, childhood and young manhood. She presented Him to the world as the God-man: the Saviour foretold by patriarch and by prophet. She took Him to the temple, for the rite of circumcision, as required by law for all male children; she made Him known as God, when, at the marriage feast of Cana, He changed water into wine at her behest. She was the first to declare to men and nations, to Jew and Gentile, that her Son, Jesus, was the Christ, the Son of God, true God and true man.
Thereafter Christ went about doing good everywhere, preaching the glad tidings He had brought down from Heaven and working miracles. To perpetuate Himself among men, to continue His mission among the nations, He commissioned His Apostles to teach all peoples, that He is in very truth the promised Redeemer.
The twelve patriarchs were the fathers of the Jewish nation; the twelve Apostles were the spiritual fathers of the Christian people. It is also held by Saint Thomas that the number of the Apostles corresponded to the twelve stars that formed the crown that rested upon the head of the spouse spoken of in the Apocalypse, that is of Mary.
Christ selected His Apostles from among the poor and illiterate, that it might the better appear from what source they drew their power and knowledge.
"For God," says Saint Paul, "hath chosen the foolish things of the world, that He may confound the wise, and the weak things of the world hath God chosen that He may confound the strong. And the base things of the world, and the things that are contemptible hath God chosen, and things that are not, that He might bring to naught, things that are. That no flesh should glory in His sight" (I Cor. I—27,28,29).
The world glories in its wisdom, power and honor, whilst God selects the less wise according to the world, the less powerful, that the world may know that the work done is a divine work.
The Apostles lived scantly; they neither desired nor sought earthly goods; they possessed nothing; they died to all around them to live but for God.
Such was the life of Mary in a sublime degree. She passed her days in comparative seclusion, as poor as the poorest, satisfied with her close union with God in prayer and contemplation. The Apostles lived not for themselves, but they lived and died for Christ, who first gave His life for them. Mary lived for Jesus, and died of pure love for Him. The Apostles lived and died for the good of souls. Mary's life was one of sacrifice and love for the redemption of men. Isaias, seeing the Apostles through the light of divine revelation, spoke of them in transports of joy: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of Him that showeth forth good, that preacheth salvation, that saith to Sion, thy God shall reign" (LII-7).
The Apostles were the ministers of Jesus Christ; the defenders of truth; the organs of the Holy Ghost; the messengers of the Word of God. They went everywhere, preaching Christ and Him crucified. Mary was the Virgin Mother of Jesus, the depository of eternal truth, the spouse of the Holy Ghost and the constant companion of the man of sorrows. Of the Apostles the words of Ecclesiasticus may be truly spoken: "These were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed" (Eccl. XLIV—10).
Mary is the Mother of mercy and the dispenser of the graces that flow from the seat of mercy. Her deeds of godliness never abate, they are in our own times the admiration of the people of God. For years after the ascension of Jesus into Heaven, she remained with the Apostles, helping them by her prayers, and leading them onward to noble deeds by her admirable example. They were bowed in grief, when they laid the body of their queen in the tomb, where it was to remain, however, but a few days. It was soon taken into Heaven to enjoy for all eternity the beatific vision, and to welcome the Apostles at their death, into the kingdom of her Son, their Divine Master.
CHAPTER XLII.
Queen Of Martyrs.
The great Doctor of the Church, Saint Jerome, declares that the shedding of one's blood for Christ and His Church, is not the only martyrdom, but that a perfect submission to the mind and will of God, deserves the same name.
It is not given to all to be called to shed their blood for the faith, but all may merit the title of martyr, who bend the neck beneath the spiritual sword in overcoming the temptations of flesh and blood that arise in them.
To possess riches, yet be detached from all worldly goods as Job and David: to give bountifully of what we have, like Tobias or the widow of the Gospel; to preserve chastity in youth, as Joseph in Egypt, is to be worthy of the name of martyr.
The holy man, Simeon, predicted of Mary that a sword should pierce her heart: "Thy own soul a sword shall pierce" (Luke II—35). As Mary participated in the coming of the Redeemer into the world, freely giving her consent to become His Mother, so, as willingly did she accept to share in all that God, in His infinite justice, would inflict of sufferings, even death itself, upon her Divine Son, our Saviour, who took upon His own shoulders the iniquities of the world.
Mary loved Jesus with a love that surpassed the love of all angels and men for Him. Her love for Him was that of a mother's heart for her son. She loved Him more than herself, and would rather have suffered and died in His stead than see Him subjected to the ignominies with which His enemies loaded Him.
Christ endured the most fearful agonies in His senses and in His members, in all of which Mary shared through her sympathy for Him. She knew that our Lord was the Son of God, as well as her own Son in the flesh, which knowledge intensified the anguish of her soul.
The bitter sufferings of Christ and of His Mother were not of a moment or of short duration, but they began with His entry into life, and ceased only with His death upon the Cross.
In the words of her Divine Son, as He hung upon the gibbet of the cross, abandoned by all, might sorrowful Mary exclaim as she stood gazing into the face of her dying Son: "My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?" (Mark XV—34). Had not God, for His own divine purposes, sustained her, she would have given up her soul into His hands, as the words fell from the lips of Jesus: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit" (Luke XXIII— 46). As the Saviour, in His death and passion, suffered greater torments than all the martyrs, so did His Mother, because of the depth of her maternal love for Him.
In sorrowful Mary, standing erect beneath the Cross, the martyrs of all times behold their prototype in patience, in suffering, in fortitude, in courage, in virtue, in the love of God, in the sacrifice of their life for Christ's sake. The sufferings of the martyrs, in comparison to hers, are no more than a spring to a great river, or a rivulet to a vast ocean.
The halo of martyrdom that encircles her fair brow, gives luster to the crowns of all other martyrs. She is the first, the fairest, the greatest, the Queen of Martyrs.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Queen Of Confessors.
It is an easy matter to follow the leadership of one who is victorious over all his enemies; whose prestige is everywhere hailed with acclamation; who receives homage without stint from his devotees, and who in turn is able to reward them richly for their fealty to him.
On the other hand, it requires courage, virtue, even the strongest attachment and love to champion the leadership of one who is shorn of all worldly pomp and influence; who has neither gold nor silver to offer; who can bestow no honors on those who marshal themselves under his standard. Such a one is Christ Jesus. He holds out to His followers no earthly consideration, only insults, chains, prisons, hunger, thirst and all manner of persecution, with the promise, however of a reward, a crown of glory beyond the grave that no man can take from them.
He offers nothing of this world's goods, nothing of riches, of preferment, of honor, of greatness, but pledges in lieu of the fleeting emoluments of this life, or the stenciled trappings of the world, that which the "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him." (1 Cor. II—9). These are the assets that Christ tenders to those who are not ashamed of Him before man, but confess openly that they are followers of the humble Nazarene.
They are the strength of the church, the foundation stones of the edifice. They are as posts of safety against sin and iniquity, or, like pilots who guide the world in the path of justice and truth. They are the true shepherds of souls who drive the wolves from the flock of which they have care. They are the laborers who are assiduous in ridding the fields of their master of weeds of every kind. They are faithful soldiers of the Crucified, who battled against the enemies of God to save souls from ruin and perdition.
They are noble victors, having triumphed over the devil, the world and the flesh. They are the champions of the Cross which they bear aloft, of which they are not ashamed; of Christ in whom they glory, and of His word which they proclaim fearlessly to all men and nations in the face of dangers, insults, flagellations, imprisonments and persecutions. They are the trumpet of the Gospel, the powerful voice of the teachings of Christ, the guides of the people, the upholders of the faith, the depositories of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, the temples of the Holy Ghost.
To the valiant confessors of the faith our Lord said: "You shall be witnesses unto Me, even to the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts. I—8). Carry My name before men and nations without fear. "Blessed are ye when they shall revile and persecute you and speak all that is evil against you, unjustly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Heaven" (Matt. V—11-12).
The reward He promises is not of this world, but of that which is to come. They will suffer here, but will rejoice hereafter.
Mary confessed Christ before the world from the moment she gave her consent to become His Mother until standing firm and erect on Calvary's mount beneath His Cross, she confessed before Jew and Gentile in her silent and dignified .demeanor that the Crucified was the Son of the Most High and her own Divine Son, true God and true man.
In the face of all the indignities offered to Him she clung to Him. She followed Him through His bitter passion, she walked with Him to Calvary, she received His limp body into her arms, and pressed tenderly to her Mother's bosom that Son, who so oft in childhood rested upon it.
Every insult flung at Him was aimed at her, every ignominy suffered by Him was shared in by her; every blow that fell upon Him, pained her; the nails that pierced His hands and feet wounded her soul, and when His side was transfixed with a lance a sword of sorrow passed through her heart.
Encouraged by Mary's example, the confessors of the faith cease not to proclaim Christ as their God and their Redeemer, notwithstanding the blasphemies and outrages heaped upon them by the persecutors of Christ and of His Church.
Mary stood by the standard of Christ, they I following her leadership, cling to it in life and death. And while they confess and do not deny that He who died upon the rood is their God and King, they confess and proclaim that she who stood sorrowful beneath the Cross is His Mother and their Queen.
CHAPTER XLIV.
Queen Op Virgins.
"The Queen that stood on thy right hand; after her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbors shall be brought to Thee. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing;
They shall be brought into the kingdom of the king.
They shall remember thy name throughout all generations.
Therefore shall people praise thee forever; yea, forever and ever" (Psal. XLIV—10, 15, 18).
Mary ever Virgin is seated at the right hand of her Divine Son in His heavenly kingdom. As Queen of Heaven, she occupies the place of honor next to the King. This Virgin of Virgins shall lead other virgins to the King, who, with gladness and rejoicing, shall form His special court. "They are virgins, these follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" (Apoc. XIV
To them the Psalmist promises the empire of the world. They hold the first rank in the hierarchy of the saints, and because of their voluntary renouncement of all earthly goods and pleasures, which endure not, but pass like vapors before the winds, they are elevated above the other creatures of God. Of Mary, the peerless Virgin, the Virgin Mother, the words of Tobias are spoken: "Thou shalt rejoice in thy children, because they shall all be blessed, and shall be gathered together to the Lord" (Tobias XIII—17).
Especial reference is here made of those who consecrate themselves to God and spend their lives in the sanctification of their souls in holy religion. Saint Jerome explains beautifully the dignity of those children of Mary, the Queen of Virgins, when he says: "Death came through Eve, life by Mary. She formed a new family, one of virgins, in order that her Son, the King, who was worshiped in Heaven by angels, might have also on earth, in virgins, angels, who would pay him homage."
Mary was the first among women to consecrate herself to God voluntarily by the vow of perpetual Virginity. She has drawn millions on millions of other virgins of every rank, age and condition in life to follow her leadership and live the life of angels among men.
They praise and magnify the name of their model and queen, Mary ever Virgin.
They surpass in merit the heavenly spirits, for they are virgins in a corruptible body, which makes their virtue of a heroic mold, and thereby all the more meritorious. They wear a double crown, that of virgin and that of martyr, for the Fathers of the church assure us that the preservation of virginity is a prolonged martyrdom which will receive a like reward with that of blood.
"These follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. For they are without spot before the throne of God" (Apoc. XIV—4-5). In following the Lamb, they follow in the suite of Mary, the ever glorious Virgin Mother of the King, and she is ever on His right hand.
How fruitful is Mary's voluntary vow of perpetual chastity in the innumerable children who have chosen her as their Queen! They love her virginity and willingly give up all of life's ephemeral pleasures to merit to follow with her the Lamb throughout the mansions of His heavenly kingdom.
"All the angels and archangels, the thrones and principalities, serve you faithfully, O Mary," exclaims Saint Bonaventure; "All the powers and virtues obey you; all the dominations wait upon you; all the cherubim and seraphim form your entourage and minister unto you. All the angels cease not to cry out, Holy, holy, holy, is the Mother of God, Mother and Virgin" (Speculi).
How enthusiastically does the army of virgins join their voices in the glad chorus of the angels, praising and magnifying the name of their Queen, Mary undefiled, untouched, immaculate Virgin of Virgins.
CHAPTER XLV.
Queen Of All Saints.
"Be ye therefore, perfect, as also your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. V—48).
God Himself, according to the words of the Evangelist, is the great model of sanctity. That we may be saints, He encourages us to imitate him, to follow His Divine Son, Jesus Christ. "Be ye holy, because I, the Lord, your God am holy" (Levit. XIX—2).
Created to the image of God and restored to His friendship through the redemption effected by the Saviour, we should have God constantly before us, and aim to cultivate, as far as is in our power, his holiness.
To be a saint is to live in conformity to the will of God, for His will being one with His divine spirit, is necessarily conformable to the eternal law that governs all things and establishes the measure and rule of all sanctity. In God this conformity is infinite, hence His holiness is infinite.
Sanctity is the love of God and a close union with Him, who Himself is the plenitude of sanctity. In serving God with all the powers of mind, heart and soul we approach daily closer to Him, and become more like unto Him.
"Be ye, therefore, perfect, as also your Heavenly Father is perfect." From the moment of the Blessed Virgin's creation, she was possessed of greater virtues, of more intense love for God than all the saints and angels. Her holiness as far surpasses their combined sanctity as the waters of the ocean surpass those of a rivulet.
"He that is holy, let him be sanctified still" (Apoc. XXII—11). "For the lawgiver shall give a blessing; they shall go from virtue to virtue, the God of gods shall be seen in Sion" (Psal. LXXXIII—7). Who can, considering these words of the Apocalypse and of the Psalmist, fathom the sanctity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, in each moment of her long and saintly life, increased in grace and favor before God?
Who, like her, could say with the Apostle: "For me, to live is Christ" (Philip. I—21). "And I live, now not I; but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. II—20). Because of the loveliness of her soul, Christ did really tabernacle in her, for she is the most holy, the most perfect, the queen of all saints and angels.
Noe, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Josue, all the patriarchs and prophets are venerated; the Apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, holy doctors, all the saints of all times and places are held in benediction.
Of Tobias and his family, the Scripture narrates: "All his kindred and all his generation continued in good life, and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God and to men, and to all that dwelt in the land" (Tobias XIV—17). But who of all these holy men and women is as acceptable and near to God as Mary? Who among them has uttered a prophecy like unto hers: "All generations shall call me blessed?"
Saint John writes in the Apocalypse: "I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, tribes and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands: And they cried with a loud voice, saying: 'Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength to our God forever and ever" (Apoc. VII—9,10,12).
This acclamation of joy will not stop here. They will verify the prophecy of their Queen, "all generations shall call me blessed," by singing her praises also and honoring her, the Mother of God, the Mother of their Saviour and Redeemer, through whose merits they now enjoy the blessings of Heaven. They shall bless God because He showed the might of His arm in creating immaculate His Virgin Mother, their Queen.
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