Mary, Mother of the Body of Christ/the Church

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In obedience to the fourth commandment, it is essential that we know Mary and Her relationship with us. You cannot love what you do not know, and if She truly is our Mother we must love Her. As Cardinal Newman postulated, “Knowledge must ever precede the exercise of the affections.”1

Mary was united so well to Her Son, She assumed His mission. She encouraged Him to perform His first public miracle at the wedding at Cana. She acted as the mediator between the wedding servants and Jesus. She encouraged the servants in the way of God’s will.2 Likewise, She remained with Her Son even in the height of His sufferings and death.3 The body of Christ was formed from Her cells, thus is/was the necessity of Her being immaculately conceived, free from all sin. It is mysterious that the sins of our fathers remain with us from conception, which is known as original sin.4 By being the Immaculate Conception and having a perpetual lack of sin, She did not pass original sin to Her Son. Having been preserved from sin, She does not bring death upon Herself.5 By Her sinlessness, She is/was also completely adherent to the Father’s will.6 Therefore, She serves as a true guide and role model to the Church, by following perfectly in the life of grace.

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, follows from the earliest times in the Church, hailing Her as the “Mother of God”. However, this devotion is not to be confused with the adoration given to the Most Holy Trinity. As the Body of Christ was formed and born from Her immaculate womb, likewise was the Church, being the Body of Christ. This mystery of the Incarnation, is emblematic of the beginning of the Church, for both took place in the presence of Mary and by Her following the mission of the Son and Holy Spirit.7

FN:

1 John Henry Newman, An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1985), p. 82.

2 The New American Bible, Revised Edition (Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011), at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, www.usccb.org, John 2:1-12.

3 Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 964.

4 CCC, 404.

5 NABRE, Romans 5:12.

6 CCC, 967.

7 CCC, 965; NABRE, Acts 2.; Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Chruch "Lumen gentium" (21 November 1964), §69.

Thanks for reading, Praying for you! Love you.

I am a Theology major attending Holy Apostles College and Seminary. I am a Knight of Columbus and a Newman Ambassador for Pius XII Newman Center.

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