Our Lady places her personal holiness at the service of the faithful as
an unfailing support for every Christian in the fight against sin
"Mother of the only begotten Son of God, Mary is Mother of the
community which constitutes Christ's mystical Body and guides its first
steps. In accepting this mission, she is committed to encouraging
ecclesial life with her maternal and exemplary presence", the Holy
Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 30 July, reflecting on
Mary as a pre-eminent member of the Church since her origins. Here is a
translation of his catechesis, which was the 57th in the series on the
Blessed Mother and was given in Italian.
1. Mary's exceptional role in the work of salvation invites us to
deepen the relationship that exists between her and the Church.
According to some people Mary cannot be considered a member of the
Church, since the privileges conferred on her, the Immaculate
Conception, her divine motherhood and her unique cooperation in the work
of salvation, place her in a condition of superiority with respect to
the community of believers.
The Second Vatican Council, however, does not hesitate to present
Mary as a member of the Church, nevertheless specifying that she is
"pre-eminent and ... wholly unique" (Lumen gentium, n.
53); Mary is the type of the Church, her model and mother. Differing
from all the other faithful, because of the exceptional gifts she
received from the Lord, the Blessed Virgin nonetheless belongs to the
Church and is fully entitled to be a member.
Mary lives in communion with her Son, present in the Eucharist
2. Conciliar teaching finds a significant basis in Sacred Scripture.
The Acts of the Apostles show Mary present from the beginning of the
primitive community (cf. Acts 1:14), while she shares with the disciples
and some women believers the prayerful expectation of the Holy Spirit,
who will descend on them.
After Pentecost, the Blessed Virgin continues to live in fraternal
communion with the community and takes part in the prayers, in listening
to the Apostles' teaching, and in the "breaking of bread",
that is, in the Eucharistic celebration (cf. Acts 2:42).
She who had lived in close union with Jesus in the house of Nazareth,
now lives in the Church in intimate communion with her Son, present in
the Eucharist.
3. Mother of the only begotten Son of God, Mary is Mother of the
community which constitutes Christ's mystical Body and guides its first
steps.
In accepting this mission, she is committed to encouraging ecclesial
life with her maternal and exemplary presence. This solidarity derives
from her belonging to the community of the redeemed. In fact, unlike her
Son, she had need of redemption since "being of the race of Adam,
she is at the same time also united to all those who are to be
saved" (Lumen gentium, n. 53). The privilege of the
Immaculate Conception preserved her from the stain of sin, because of
the Redeemer's special saving influence.
As "pre-eminent and as a wholly unique member of the
Church", Mary uses the gifts God has granted her to achieve fuller
solidarity with the brothers and sisters of her Son, now her children
too.
Mary shares with believers filial obedience and heartfelt gratitude
4. As a member of the Church, Mary places her personal holiness, the
fruit of God's grace and of her faithful collaboration, at the service
of her brothers and sisters. The Immaculate Virgin is an unfailing
support for all Christians in their fight against sin and a constant
encouragement to live as those redeemed by Christ, sanctified by the
Spirit, and children of the Father.
As a member of the first community, "Mary the Mother of
Jesus" (Acts 1:14) is respected and venerated by all. Each one
understands the pre-eminence of her who brought forth the Son of God,
the one universal Saviour. Furthermore, the virginal character of her
motherhood allows her to witness to the extraordinary contribution to
the Church's good offered by the one who, giving up human fruitfulness
through docility to the Holy Spirit, puts herself completely at the
service of God's kingdom.
Called to collaborate intimately in her Son's sacrifice and the gift
of the divine life to humanity, Mary continues her motherly work after
Pentecost. The mystery of love contained in the Cross inspires her
apostolic zeal and commits her, as a member of the Church, to spreading
the Good News.
The words of the crucified Christ on Golgotha: "Woman, behold,
your Son" (Jn 19:26), with which her role as the universal mother
of believers is recognized, unfold before her motherhood with new and
limitless horizons. The gift of the Holy Spirit, received at Pentecost
through the exercise of this mission, induces her to offer the help of
her motherly heart to all who are on their way towards the total
fulfilment of God's kingdom.
5. A pre-eminent member of the Church, Mary lives a unique
relationship with the divine persons of the Most Holy Trinity: with the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Council, in calling her
"Mother of the Son of God", and therefore "beloved
daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit" (Lumen
gentium, n. 53), recalls the primary effect of the Father's love
which is the divine motherhood.
Aware of the gift she has received, Mary shares with believers the
attitudes of filial obedience and heartfelt gratitude, encouraging each
one to recognize the signs of divine benevolence in his own life.
The Council uses the expression "temple" (sacrarium)
of the Holy Spirit, intending to emphasize the link of presence, love
and collaboration that exists between the Blessed Virgin and the Holy
Spirit. The Blessed Virgin, who is already invoked by Francis of Assisi
as the "Bride of the Holy Spirit" (Antiphon "Santa
Maria Vergine" in: Fonti Francescane, 281), by her example
encourages the other members of the Church to entrust themselves
generously to the mysterious action of the Paraclete, and to live with
him in constant communion of love.
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