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 November 21, 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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