Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces

1.0.Mary’s Election
The Blessed Virgin Mary is a woman of grace! She was chosen by God’s gratuitous grace from the foundation of the world (cf. Gen 3:15). God gave her the highest honour of our race by choosing her to be the Mother of Jesus, and bestowing on her the fullness of grace. Thus, whatever honour we give to Mary, It is the Almighty who has done these great things, and holy is His name (Lk1:49). However, Mary’s personal sanctity comes in her free acceptance and continuous response to the grace, together with the consequences therein.

2.0. The One Mediator
Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and man (cf. 1 Tim 2:5). To Him alone belongs the grace of mediation as our only Redeemer. The eternal grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is applied to each individual in every generation, according to ones proper disposition and need at that time. Unworthy though we are, the merciful God continues to make this grace available to us through different channels or sub-mediation. This is where Mary and the saints come in. Their mediation is subordinated to that of Jesus Christ. Their mediation is not in contra-distinction to that of Jesus Christ, but the one and only mediation of Jesus Christ elongated or made more readily available and accessible to us through the merits of Mary and the Saints. We have one Mediator, Jesus Christ, but Mary, by God’s election, shares in this grace as our Mediatrix! In other words, she wins for us the grace of Jesus’ mediation through her own merits.

3.0. Mediatrix of All Graces
The Blessed Virgin Mary qualifies as Mediatrix by her participation in the work of our redemption. She shared in the agony of her Son on the Cross. Her mediatrix role shines out in the wedding at Cana in Galilee (Jn 2:1-11). The Church honours her under this title as a doctrine not dogma (Vatican II: Lumen Gentium 61-62). This title extols Mary’s universal Motherhood as the new Eve, through whom we are restored to favour with God in Christ Jesus. Secondly, Mediatrix of all Graces implies that all benefits and helps of salvation can reach us through Mary. She can stand before God as our Mother to win for us all graces we may need. As Mediatrix, Mary is a distributor of grace! Mary’s role is not to short-change nor reduce the position of Jesus as our one and eternal Mediator. Her role is participatory, it extols Christ as our Mediator.

4.0.Conclusion
This brief reflection is not exhaustive. You can get more information from books and catholic websites. As you go through your First Saturday reflection, let this write up be just the beginning...I am constrained by time to elaborate more. Bear with me.
Therefore, my Friends, always run to Mary when you are in need of grace! Do not rely solely on your intellectual or emotive power to respond to situations in your life. You are equally God’s elect; a woman of grace! Congratulations! Continue to give your free response and cooperation to this grace.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
May 1, 2018-05-01
(St Joseph the Worker).
Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine,
UgwogoNike, Enugu.

MARY THE ATTENTIVE MOTHER

1.0.Prelude
The Modern Society seems to be suffering from attention deficiency. Silence and attentiveness have never been this scarce. We see it everywhere; from a government that is deef to the plight of its citizenry, to couples who don't listen to each other. Often times we see this disconnect between parents and their children, teachers and their students. Attention deficiency has ruined many relationships. In our plight, we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary for this grace—to develop our inherent capacity for silence and attentiveness.

We must recognize that attentiveness is an inside job! It is an art; an inner disposition. The art of attentiveness is acquired. Thus, it grows by practice to become a habit. The process of nurturing this habit is called “silence.”

2.0.Mary's open Ear
The Icon our Mother of Perpetual Help depicts Mary in a contemplative mood. In the Icon, Mary's left ear is attentively  open. The Icon speaks of Mary as the Attentive Mother. Her attentiveness is of two fold: to God and to man.

Mary listened and believed in God. “Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). She was attentive to the message of the Angel, and asked for clarification, “But how can this come about this I have no knowledge of man?” (Lk 1:34). Attentiveness is enfleshed in action. Mary's response to the message of the Angel proves her to truely and ideally an attentive Mother. She was consistent in her response up to the foot of the Cross...

Mary listened to the directives of Joseph, and walked harmoniously with him to accomplish God's will. At the wedding in Cana, she was attentive to the needs of the new couple. And she responded adequately to get the empty jars refilled. Thus, Mary's open ears are inclined to God and to us her other Children.

3.0.The Attentive Mother
Attentiveness draws us to adequate response like the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indifference and inaction are signs of attention deficiency! Attentiveness to God,  therefore,  summons us to adequate response to both God and our fellow human beings. Silence germinates attentiveness, and attentiveness gives birth to availability.

Mary is our model—our Attentive Mother. She gave God her undivided attention. And her response is extolled in all generations (cf. Lk 1:48). This month, let us invoke her to win for us this grace to be attentive to God and those around us.

Fr. Jude Nwachukwu,  C.Ss.R
Enugu
July 5, 2018.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com