J.M.J.
Our response to
Mary
Woman
Clothed with the Sun
Mary is often viewed as the woman
mentioned in Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse). She is the
model of the Church: virginity (keeping the Faith intact from error), and
maternity (while simultaneously bringing forth new members through the
preaching of God’s Holy Word and the administration of the Seven Sacraments).
“In the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby
she exists without spot or wrinkle” (Lumen
Gentium, #65).
Our Lady is also a sign, a realization of what the Church will become. Mary is
the icon—“the sacred image”—of what the Church will be in Heaven.
Assumed
into Heaven and Crowned
On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius
XII defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary, upon the completion of her earthly
existence, was assumed body and soul by the Almighty
into Paradise. Our Blessed Mother was rewarded by God for her fidelity to His
will; she already shares—soul and body—in the glory of her Son’s Resurrection.
Her Assumption anticipates our resurrection from the dead. Crowned as Queen of
Heaven and earth, Our Lady prays for us near her Divine Son. Neither has
forgotten us. Rather, Christ and His Mother await our entrance into celestial
glory. The Solemnity of the Assumption occurs on August 15.
Grounded in the Church’s teaching
about the Blessed Virgin Mary, we express, by our devotion, our love for this
kind Mother. Venerating Mary is reasonable because of her involvement in the
sacred mysteries of Jesus. She has been honored since the earliest days of the
Church. True devotion to Our Lady leads to greater love for Jesus Christ.
Sacred
Liturgy
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is
the greatest prayer of the Church. The Mother of Christ is mentioned several
times during the Mass: the “I Confess” (Confiteor),
the Creed (Credo), and the Eucharistic Prayer.
Her name is often used in the hymns, orations, homily and General
Intercessions. We may suppose that Mary attended Mass, especially when she was
under the care of Saint John the Evangelist (+c. 100). What reverence she must
have displayed when this “Beloved Apostle” offered the Mass! An excellent
spiritual practice is to “invite” Mary with us to Mass. She knows from Calvary
what is needed to participate well in her Son’s Sacrifice and will teach us. Since
Christ is present at each Mass, Mary, Mother of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
cannot be far removed.
Other
Sacraments
Our Lady, model of the spiritual
life, has a natural connection to the Sacraments. Each of the other six
Sacraments was instituted by Jesus her Son in order to confer the grace that it
signifies. Again, because of her affinity to Jesus, she is supportive of the
Sacraments as treasures granted by the Master to His friends here on earth for
their spiritual growth.
Liturgy
of the Hours
The Mass and the Liturgy of the
Hours (Divine Office) form the Church’s “official prayer.” As in the Mass,
frequent reference is made in the Liturgy of the Hours to Our Blessed Mother.
Evening Prayer (Vespers), for example, includes the chanting or reciting of the
Magnificat—the Gospel Canticle of Mary. This prayer of thanksgiving may be used
at other times by Christians. Father Jean Gerson (1363-1429), the Chancellor of
the University of Paris, indicated that based upon his research, Mary herself
repeated the Magnificat
in a spirit of
deep gratitude daily immediately after receiving her Son in Holy Communion
(Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, The Secret of Mary).
Sacred
Scripture
Seven of the twenty-seven New
Testament writings refer to Mary: the four Holy Gospels; the Acts of the
Apostles; the Letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians; the Book of Revelation.
Reading these passages will afford the reader fresh insights into the place of
the Madonna in the early Church and her meaning in our contemporary era.
Apostolic
Tradition and Writings of the Church Fathers
The Apostles—inspired by the Holy
Spirit—pondered the role of the Ever-Virgin and inherited from that Holy Spirit
a wealth of revelation concerning the Mother of God. Furthermore, many Fathers of
the Church treated Our Lady and her mission. The teachings of the Fathers are
important because they trace the development of the Church’s understanding of
the Madonna. Studying these works, which are not always complex, offers
numerous rewards.
Prayer
The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, acclaimed by Pope John Paul II as his “favorite prayer,” is well known
and very valuable. The “Hail, Mary” is the simple but forceful salutation found
in part in Sacred Scripture. Some other prayers referring to Our Lady that may
be recited privately or communally are the “Remember” (Memorare), the Stations of the Cross, the
“Hail, Holy Queen” (Salve, Regina) and the Litany of Loreto.
Prayer through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother has been cherished for
years as a special aid for the living out of the virtue of chastity according
to one’s state in life.
Spiritual
Reading
Both classical and modern authors
have produced scores of volumes concerning Mary. It would be difficult to give
a sufficient overview. But, certainly Saint Louis
Marie Grignion de Montfort, Saint
Alphonsus Mary Liguori (1696-1787), and Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe (1894-1941)
rank among the very best.
Sacred
Times
The General Roman Calendar, which
lists the various Solemnities, Feasts and Memorials of the
Liturgical Year, includes several days on which Mary is particularly honored.
Furthermore, the Season of Advent, the
months of May and October,
Saturdays and especially the First Saturdays—thanks in large measure to the
request of Our Lady of Fatima—are dedicated to the Mother of God. Attending
Mass, receiving the Sacrament of Penance,
fasting, abstaining from meat,
lighting a candle, and making a donation to the poor are appropriate ways to
adore Jesus and revere His heavenly Mother.
Sacred
Places
Churches, Chapels and Shrines
often have a unique Marian focus. The National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C., and the Shrines in Guadalupe (Mexico), Lourdes
(France) and Fatima (Portugal)
deserve particular mention. In our
Diocese we are blessed to have many parish churches named for Mary as well as
the House of Mary Shrine in Yankton and the Fatima Family Shrine in Alexandria.
Making a pilgrimage to a holy site dedicated to Our Lady is an ancient and
venerable custom that is especially valuable for young adults
and children.
Exterior
Signs
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of
Mount Carmel, the Green Scapular and the Miraculous Medal are perhaps the most
popular external signs of devotion to Mary. These sacramentals are richly
endowed by the Church
with indulgences; each has been
highly recommended by both Saints and Popes. Wearing these with sincerity
demonstrates a genuine love and veneration of the Madonna. The devout practice
of displaying and adorning
with flowers statues and pictures
of the Ever-Virgin in our churches (according to authoritative liturgical
norms) and our houses is laudable and to be encouraged. The tradition of a new
bride during her Nuptial Mass placing flowers by an image
of Mary and consecrating herself to the Blessed Virgin is exemplary, as is the
consecration to Mary of a newly baptized baby. The wearing of blue to honor
Mary is another excellent exterior sign of devotion.
Interior
Signs
The education of our intellects
and the formation of our wills in the spirit of Mary is testimony to our
affection for her. The aforementioned Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort
propagated the devotion known as “To Jesus Through Mary” (Ad Iesum Per Mariam). This practice is really a way
of life in which a disciple of Jesus entrusts himself to and imitates Our
Blessed Mother, who is the sure path to her Son.
(Text adapted
from God’s
Echo,
Queenship Publishing Company, 2002.)
The Blessed
Virgin Mary is the Mother of God and our Mother, too. We
are called to
venerate her as her own Son did and does now in Heaven.
PRAYER TO OUR
BLESSED MOTHER
SUB TUUM PRAESIDIUM
(The oldest known prayer in honor
of Mary, dating back to the second or third century)
We fly to thy
patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our prayers in our necessities,
but ever deliver us, O holy and glorious Virgin.
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