WHAT DOES MARY MEAN TO YOU? POPE BENEDICT XVI REPLIES.
Priginal photo: Federico Boracci, La Madonna del gatto (screengrab). CSFH meme.
When Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, was asked in an interview what Mary means to him personally, the then cardinal replied:
“AN EXPRESSION OF THE CLOSENESS OF GOD. IT IS WITH HER INVOLVEMENT THAT THE INCARNATION BECOMES REALLY CONCRETE AND COMPREHENSIBLE. It is very moving that the Son of God has a human mother and that we are all entrusted to her care. The saying of Jesus on the Cross, when he gives Mary to John as his mother, far transcends that moment and reaches right down through history. WITH THIS HANDING OVER OF MARY, THE PRAYER TO MARY OPENS UP FOR EVERYONE A PARTICULAR ASPECT OF TRUST AND INTIMACY AND OUR RELATION TO GOD AS SUCH (Card. Joseph Ratzinger, “God and the World. A Conversation with Peter Sewald”).”
MARY’S CLOSENESS TO GOD LEADS HER TO BE CLOSE TO ALL OF US
“THE CLOSER A PERSON IS TO GOD, THE CLOSER HE IS TO PEOPLE. WE SEE THIS IN MARY. THE FACT THAT SHE IS TOTALLY WITH GOD IS THE REASON WHY SHE IS SO CLOSE TO HUMAN BEINGS. For this reason SHE CAN BE THE MOTHER OF EVERY CONSOLATION AND EVERY HELP, A MOTHER WHOM ANYONE CAN DARE TO ADDRESS IN ANY KIND OF NEED IN WEAKNESS AND IN SIN, for she has understanding for everything and is for everyone the open power of creative goodness (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, December 8, 2005).”
Dear friends, with these ideas, HOW COULD WE EVER DOUBT OF OUR LADY’S MATERNAL SOLICITUDE AND LOVE FOR US, BROUGHT ABOUT BY HER INSEPARABLE UNION WITH THE HOLY TRINITY? A MOTHER NEVER LEAVES HER CHILDREN UNATTENDED AND MARY IS THE BEST MOTHER WE COULD EVER HAVE BECAUSE SHE IS “FULL OF GRACE”, IMMACULATE, PERFECTLY IMMERSED AND IN LOVE WITH GOD, AND THUS VERY CLOSE TO ALL OF US, HER CHILDREN.
Let us THEN THANK HER FOR ALL SHE HAS DONE AND KEEPS ON DOING IN ORDER TO KEEP US CLOSE TO THE BLESSED TRINITY and NEVER SHOULD WE HESITATE TO CALL ON HER WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN DISTRESS, just like a little child immediately calls on his mother. “Sancta Maria, Stella maris — Holy Mary, Star of the sea, be our guide. Make this firm request, because there is no storm which can shipwreck the most Sweet Heart of Mary. When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm Refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down (St. Josemaria, “Forge,” n. 1055).”
IMMACULATE AND SWEET HEART OF MARY, OUR MOTHER, PREPARE THE WAY FOR US, AND HELP US ALWAYS PERSEVERINGLY WALK ALONG THE PATH WHICH LEADS US TOWARDS THE LOVING INTIMACY WITH GOD, HERE ON EARTH AND FINALLY IN HEAVEN!
