J.M.J. The greatest title given by the Church to Our Blessed Mother and
recognized by the Faithful everywhere is Mater Dei--The Mother of God.
This extraordinary privilege of Mary's Divine Maternity is the
foundation for all the other unparalleled honors that the Lord granted
the Maiden of Nazareth.
The Almighty chose Mary among all women to be the Mother of Jesus
Christ, Who is true God. She who is the Immaculate Mediatrix conceived
Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and brought Him forth while
remaining a virgin.
When we reflect on this incredible mystery, we note that had Mary
rejected God's generous invitation to be the Mother of the Savior, then
any hope for our reconciliation with the benevolent Lord would have had
to be realized in some other way. Therefore, Mary's reply was very
significant.
But thanks be to God, Holy Mary said yes. Her unforgettable fiat
helped to effect our long-anticipated Redemption. Jesus Christ came to
the world through Our Blessed Lady's affirmative response. Her
receptivity in becoming the Mother of Christ paved the way for our
reunion with God.
Our union with Jesus Christ is foreshadowed by Mary's own union with Her
Divine Son. Her surrender to Him is the pattern for our submission to
Christ. The fully human Mary demonstrates that it is possible for us to
live united to Jesus.
Despite our multi-faceted human weakness which we experience daily, we
who have been baptized were endowed with Sanctifying Grace. This amazing
gift makes us friends of God.
Our Blessed Mother, too, received Sanctifying Grace at the precise
moment of Her Immaculate Conception. She was preserved from Original
Sin--that audacious disobedience shown by Adam and Eve to the Creator
Himself. Being steeped in Sanctifying Grace, Our Lady is truly the
Lord's friend.
Although we cannot boast of having been preserved like Mary from the
awful Sin of our first parents, the terrible situation of our bitter
estrangement with God was rectified when we received the fruits of
Christ's salvific Death on Calvary. When? At the instant the cleansing
water was poured on us during the celebration of the Sacrament of
Baptism.
Baptism effected our reunion with the Lord. It manifested in our souls
the fruits won by the selfless Death of the Savior on the Cross. We left
the church after our Baptism that day as friends of God. This treasured
friendship is strengthened when we worthily receive the Sacraments,
pray and perform acts of charity and mortification; however, this
cherished friendship is notably wounded when we, sadly, commit venial
sin; it is completely broken if we--God forbid--commit mortal sin.
The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council stated in its 21 November 1964
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium): "Thus the Blessed
Virgin advanced in Her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully preserved in
Her union with Her Son unto the Cross, where She stood, in keeping with
the Divine Plan, enduring with Her only-begotten Son the intensity of
His suffering, associated Herself with His Sacrifice in Her Mother's
Heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this Victim which
was born of Her." (#58) Thus, the Woman who always did the sublime Will
of God, thereby remaining in intimate friendship with Him, actually
helped us to enjoy that same friendship by Her singular cooperation with
Jesus on Calvary. Now, thanks to Jesus and Mary, we have the
opportunity to be--and remain--authentic friends of the Living God!
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