The predestination of the Blessed Virgin as Mother of God was
associated with the incarnation of the divine word: in the designs of
divine Providence she was the gracious mother of the divine Redeemer here
on earth, and above all others and in a singular way the generous
associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth,
and nourished Christ, she presented him to the Father in the temple,
shared her Son’s sufferings as he died on the cross. Thus, in a wholly
singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning
charity in the work of the Savior in restoring supernatural life to
souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.
This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues
uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the
Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross,
until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she
did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession
continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation.[15] By her maternal
charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on
earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into
their blessed home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church
under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.[16]
This, however, is so understood that it neither takes away anything from
nor adds anything to the dignity and efficacy of Christ the one
Mediator.
No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and
Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways
both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is
radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique
mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a
manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.
The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary,
which it constantly experiences and recommends to the heartfelt attention
of the faithful, so that encouraged by this maternal help they may the
more closely adhere to the Mediator and Redeemer.
By reason of the gift and role of her divine motherhood, by which she
is united with her Son, the Redeemer, and with her unique graces and
functions, the Blessed Virgin is also intimately united to the Church. As
St. Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the
order of faith, charity, and perfect union with Christ. For in the
mystery of the Church, which is itself rightly called mother and virgin,
the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar
both of virgin and mother. Through her faith and obedience she gave
birth on earth to the very Son of the Father, not through the knowledge
of man but by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, in the manner of a
new Eve who placed her faith, not in the serpent of old but in God’s
messenger without wavering in doubt. The Son whom she brought forth is
he whom God placed as the first born among many brethren (Rom. 8:29),
that is, the faithful, in whose generation and formation she cooperates
with a mother’s love.
The Church indeed contemplating her hidden sanctity, imitating her
charity
and faithfully fulfilling the Father’s will, by receiving the
word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By preaching and baptism
she brings forth sons, who are conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of
God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in
its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse. Imitating
the mother of her Lord, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, she keeps
intact faith, firm hope and sincere charity.
But while in the most Blessed Virgin the Church has already reached
that perfection whereby she exists without spot or wrinkle (cf. Eph.
5:27), the faithful still strive to conquer sin and increase in holiness.
And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole
community of the elect as the model of virtues. Devoutly meditating on
her and contemplating her in the light of the Word made man, the Church
reverently penetrates more deeply into the great mystery of the
Incarnation and becomes more and more like her spouse. Having entered
deeply into the history of salvation, Mary, in a way, unites in her
person and re-echoes the most important doctrines of the faith: and when
she is the subject of preaching and worship she prompts the faithful to
come to her Son, to his sacrifice and to the love of the Father. Seeking
after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her lofty type,
and continually progresses in faith, hope and charity, seeking and doing
the will of God in all things. The Church, therefore, in her apostolic
work too, rightly looks to her who gave birth to Christ, who was thus
conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that through
the Church he could be born and increase in the hearts of the faithful.
In her life the Virgin has been a model of that motherly love with which
all who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of
mankind should be animated.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, especially my own! As a Catholic, I also have the Blessed Virgin Mary as my mother too. Happy Mother’s Day to her as well. On this Mother’s Day, I leave you with some excerpts from the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) on the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Today is the solemnity of the 
