"All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship." The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times, the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs.... This very special devotion ... differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration." The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary. CCC 971
Today's reading from the Catechism is on the devotion given to the Blessed Mother Mary by Catholics. Really, by all Apostolic Christians in varying degrees. This may seem alien to some non-Catholics, but Marian devotion goes back to the early days of the Church. As Theotokos the veneration given to her directs us towards her Son, Jesus Christ. As a layman, I find my ability to adequately explain this to be wanting, but nevertheless, it is true. I cannot help but think of Christ when I think of Mary. She is His mother, worthy of veneration but in no way above or equal to Him. If we love the Son, how could we not also love His mother? The Catechism Compendium summarizes the devotion we give to the Blessed Virgin:
It is a singular kind of devotion which differs essentially from the cult of adoration given only to the Most Holy Trinity. This special veneration directed to Mary finds particular expression in the liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and in Marian prayers such as the holy Rosary which is a compendium of the whole Gospel. (#198)
Catholics understand and believe that Mary is nothing without Christ, just as we all are. She was granted a singular blessing to carry in her womb God Almighty, and for this "all generations will call [her] blessed" (Lk 1:48). As much as I love my own dear mother, I cannot help but love the Theotokos even more. She stood by Christ in all things in this life, raising Him from infancy and even being there at the cross when Simeon's agonizing prophecy of "a sword will pierce [her] own soul also" (Lk 2:34-35) came true. Mary remains steadfast and "supports the salvific work of Christ" even today. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:
Mary is a sign of the Church's journey toward heaven and its future perfection in heaven... Devotion to Mary does not replace worship of God but enhances it by deepening love for Christ through recognizing Mary's role. Mary's "yes" to God exemplifies the Church's call to be fully conformed to Christ and transformed by his love... Mary's role as Mother of God and Mother of the Church is a source of hope and inspiration for the faithful. (p. 30)
Sanctae Mariae Coronavi by Giacomo di Mino's Gothic version. c. 1340–1350
No comments:
Post a Comment