Biblical Proof for Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces?

[JeshurunPetrus]

Hi, everybody, I hope this is the correct place for this. Anyway, I’ve been a Catholic for a couple months and what motivated me to become Catholic was St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary” which gave me a great appreciation to Mariology and I also read St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s “The Glories of Mary” which increased my devotion to our blessed Mother.

While I was reading “The Glories of Mary” I thought of a Biblical “proof”, or at least evidence that would support the Catholic understanding, of Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces. Bare with me.

1. The Presentation scene in Luke shows us that our blessed Mother will have her soul be pierced through the actions of her Son which would indicate a life-long commitment to each other. (Also, the Annunciation can is also very applicable as well).

Luke 2:33-35

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against

(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),
that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”

1. The Parable of the Talents in Matthew and Luke reveal that what one has given and completed to fruition as God intended shall see their everlasting rewards be rewarded as they were tasked (10 talents, 10 cities; 5 talents, 5 cities).
2. This sums it up. The Blessed Virgin’s real task for God was the rearing of her Son, Jesus Christ so that He could fulfill His mission, the salvation of humanity which was (obviously) successful. So basically, her lifelong commitment to our Lord which culminated at Calvary where her soul was pierced would then be likewise be rewarded. As she helped bring about the infinite graces of God so personally (taking God Himself into her womb in obedience to God) she would likewise personally be able to specially help continue to distribute these graces as part of a special privilege after her death.

—This obviously isn’t the most in-depth essay into our Lady’s role in Heaven but this is just what came to me while I was “The Glories of Mary”. Thoughts?

 

[sirach2v4]

Any assertion about Mary as the mediatrix of all graces is a theological statement. The gist of Mary’s role as mediatrix assumes that she has a role NOW that she had in Biblical times.

So, inasmuch as she bore the Savior, the graces that flow from Him have come through the Virgin Mary. As she interceded for the marriage couple at Cana, so she intercedes for us spiritually. As Christ gave her to John from the cross as his mother, so Christ gave her to us as our Mother.

It’s hard to understand the doctrine, first, because scripture does not use the wording about it that we’d like to see, or, second, to understand how it works, especially in view of the other assertion that Christ is our ONLY mediator. It seems to weaken the Biblical concept that Christ is our only mediator between God and man. But, its proponents immediately object that it does not weaken that teaching. See? That’s how theology works.

 

[JeshurunPetrus]

Any assertion about Mary as the mediatrix of all graces is a theological statement. The gist of Mary’s role as mediatrix assumes that she has a role NOW that she had in Biblical times.

So, inasmuch as she bore the Savior, the graces that flow from Him have come through the Virgin Mary. As she interceded for the marriage couple at Cana, so she intercedes for us spiritually. As Christ gave her to John from the cross as his mother, so Christ gave her to us as our Mother.

It’s hard to understand the doctrine, first, because scripture does not use the wording about it that we’d like to see, or, second, to understand how it works, especially in view of the other assertion that Christ is our ONLY mediator. It seems to weaken the Biblical concept that Christ is our only mediator between God and man. But, its proponents immediately object that it does not weaken that teaching. See? That’s how theology works.

Yes, I already understand the theology behind the Blessed Virgin as Mediatrix of All Graces, friend.

I was looking for Biblical proof for it as I had shared as a possibility.

 

[Jerurussia]

The translation is Christ is our unique, not sole, Mediator. Even translating Christ as our “sole” Mediator with the Father, “Mediatrix of All Grace” does reflexively refer to the Virgin Mary as Christ-bearer. “Mediatrix of All Grace” is one of Mary’s three titles compounded into “the Final Dogma” of condemned seer, Ida Peerdman along with Co-Redemptrix, and Advocate. Ida’s role was stripped away and the Vatican dunned by pop theologians to accept this compound confusion, dismissed by Rome as just that–confusing, not to mention divisive.

There are over three hundred beautiful titles attributable to the Virgin Mary. Her message at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917 was: “God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” Would heeding this approved private revelation and joining the Archconfraternity of the Most Holy & Immaculate Heart of Mary, established in 1836 in Paris, France, be possible instead of revisiting this contentious “Final Dogma” territory? The Archconfraternity of the Most Holy & Immaculate Heart asks for one “Hail, Mary” daily for sinners, the Holy Father and the Church. Free to join. To register just send names via American first class postage in an envelope clearly notated “FIRST CLASS” to:

Notre-Dame des Victoires/Our Lady of Victories
6 Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires
75002 Paris, FRANCE

 

[AussieTrish]

God is the source of all life and grace.
Salvation comes from Jesus, inspirations from the Holy Spirit.
Mary is the human mother of Jesus. Holy, yes, without sin, yes, but a human.
She can intercede for us, certainly.
God is the true focus and source of grace and salvation.

 

[AmbroseSJ]

Yes, I already understand the theology behind the Blessed Virgin as Mediatrix of All Graces, friend.

I was looking for Biblical proof for it as I had shared as a possibility.

Or as you said in your first post, Biblical evidence. (Forget the word proof.)

The Virgin Mary as the Mediatrix of all grace does not interfere with Jesus Christ being our mediator, for the simple reason that the mediator can use whatever method HE chooses to dispense His dearly bought and precious grace.

Just as Jesus had his disciples dispense the loaves and fishes to the 5000 and the 4000, no one ever thinks this somehow diminishes the miracle attributed to Jesus alone. Just as the servants filled the vessels with water at the wedding feast of Cana, no one thinks this diminishes the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine.

 

[godisgood77]

The short answer is that there is no biblical evidence for this title or role for Mary.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

I doubt there is biblical evidence. But want to follow the thread to see where it goes.

I would be curious if the Blessed Mother, a human being, is the “Mediatrix of ALL Graces”, how did she accomplish this for the graces imparted to the Patriarchs and other Old Testament figures prior to her existence? I have yet to receive a satisfying answer for this question.

The Church professes that Mary is Mediatrix. The “of all graces” is what alarms me. One little word can sure change the meaning. Sort of like “faith saves” versus “faith alone saves”.

 

[Abu]

Christ’s Church is the final arbiter of Truth, not everything is taught in the Sacred Scriptures.

Vatican II in Lumen Gentium, 62 (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) taught that Mary is the Mediatrix of All Graces by the footnote which gave the teaching of Leo XIII, St Pius X, and Pius XII, all of whom so taught as Fr Most affirms.

The three titles Mediatrix, Coredemptrix, and Advocate are all used by the Magisterium, an indisputable sign of approval of this doctrine. Prior to Vatican II, the four Marian dogmas (her divine Maternity, Perpetual Virginity, Immaculate Conception and Assumption) do not of themselves betoken any conspicuously ecclesial or “social” role of Mary. But during the Council we witnessed a “subtle shift” when Pope Paul proclaimed Mary as “Mother of the Church.” His words received a unique standing ovation. Then the Council annunciated in its own name Mary as “Mediatrix” - again, a title that by definition is more than strictly personal to her.

The MOST Theological Collection: Our Father’s Plan: God’s Arrangements and Our Response
"Chapter 10: Infinitely Beyond Infinity"
‘Some have noted that the Council simply said “Mediatrix”, and did not add “of all graces.” Yet the Council did teach that truth, in two ways. First, it added a footnote referring us to teachings of Leo XIII, St. Pius X, and Pius XII, who did teach she was Mediatrix of all graces.23 Second, in section 25 of the same Constitution on the Church, it insisted that all such papal teachings, even those that are not defined, require even our internal belief, and not just external compliance. The Council would (and could) not have so done if this was merely the expression of personal opinions by these Popes. The Council teaches that she was eternally united with Jesus in the decree for the Incarnation, and thus from eternity before time began and through all eternity (59). Thereby it reaffirmed – not that it was necessary – all the teachings of such great Marian Popes as St. Pius X and Pius XII. Actually, there are twelve papal texts speaking of Mary as Mediatrix of all graces. [See *Our Father’s Plan, 1988, Trinity Communications, p 92-93]
Note:
23 The reason the Council did not itself add the words “of all graces” was concern for Protestant observers. Father Balic, a chief drafter of the Marian chapter 8, tells us: “The protestants [observers at the Council] were waiting to see if there would be mention of Mary as Mediatrix or not. In case of an affirmative answer, the dialogue would be closed.”-C. Balic, “El Capitulo VIII de la Constitucion ‘Lumen gentium’ comparado con el Primer Esquema de La B. Virgen Madre de la Iglesia” in *Estudios Marianos *27 (1966), p. 174.’
catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=232&ChapNum=12

 

[godisgood77]

Yes, I already understand the theology behind the Blessed Virgin as Mediatrix of All Graces, friend.

I was looking for Biblical proof for it as I had shared as a possibility.

I’m afraid there is no biblical proof for this idea.

 

[Rob_Arnzen]

The short answer is that there is no biblical evidence for this title or role for Mary.

I would agree.

Making this a dogmatic definition would be infelicitous on the best day.

.

 

[Genesis315]

I believe there is Biblical proof.

First, you need to start with the truth that Christ is the head of His body, the Church, and He communicates His grace to us through His Body. We always receive His grace through this mediation. As St. John says in the first chapter of his first epistle, to have fellowship/communion with Christ–and therefore receive those saving graces–we must have fellowship with those who already have fellowship with Him. This is ultimately what the dogma “no salvation outside the Church” means.

Mary, was the first person to be granted fellowship with Christ–the first member of the Body. She was first to receive those graces. Scripture calls Mary "full of grace’–she received every grace from her Son. Then, each additional member added to the Mystical Body, in fellowship with her and with Christ, shared in those graces.

For example, it was when Mary was present that St. John the Baptist received the graces he did in the womb of his mother. Even at Pentecost, when the Church received the Spirit and all the gifts and graces it would need to carry on its mission, Mary was present, because she first received all these gifts. They could not be received apart from fellowship with her.

This is why many Saints have said she is the “neck” of the Body of Christ. She first received all the graces from Christ that would then proliferate through the rest of His body.

 

[Rob_Arnzen]

I believe there is Biblical proof.

What you described is not Biblical proof but a connectitude of logical constructions to establish the proposition, ala the Assumption.

I accept the Assumption without any reservations at all, but the proclamation made speaking to Protestants and Orthodox exceedingly more difficult.

I can tell you from multiple experiences that if you lay out the arguments as you have made them to almost any Christian who is not Catholic and call it “Biblical proof”, your audience will depart post haste.

.

 

[Abu]

As the eminent Karl Keating attests:
“True, scriptural proofs for this are lacking. Theologians refer to a mystical interpretation of John 19:26 (‘Woman behold thy son, son behold thy mother’), an interpretation that sees John as the representative of the human race, Mary thus becoming the spiritual mother. They note the doctrine is reasonable because it is fitting.”

“Her status as Mediatrix of All graces exists in a double sense.
“First, she gave the world its Redeemer, the source of all graces, and in this sense she is the channel of all graces.
“Second, Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces because of her intercession for us in heaven. What this means is that no grace accrues to us without her intercession.”
Catholicism and Fundamentalism, Ignatius, 1988, p 278-279]

 

[godisgood77]

A few thoughts on the topic of Mary Mediatrix of All Graces…

I think it’s important to start by reminding everyone of the weight of the various Church teaching documents… in descending order of formal authority: apostolic/dogmatic constitution, encyclical letter, encyclical epistle, apostolic exhortation, apostolic letter, letter and message. Lumen Gentium is an Apostolic Constitution which carries the greatest weight and would hold a higher place than the Apostolic Letters and Encyclicals frequently referenced as mentioning the idea of Mediatrix of All Graces. Now it does not take and ex cathedra statement or a council to declare a magisterial teaching, but a council can clarify what may have been said previously and further develop doctrine - as in this case.

Lumen Gentium very purposefully stopped short of declaring Mary the Mediatrix of All Graces when it said “Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. These, however, are to be so understood that they neither take away from nor add to the dignity and efficacy of Christ the one Mediator.” The footnotes that are mentioned earlier in this thread point to minor papal statements and radio addresses which express a personal devotion of various Popes.

This is clear when you understand how the teaching was formed at the VII. During the daily interventions, Archbishop Corrado Mingo of Monorail, Italy argued at the Council that the title “Mediatrix” should be amplified to “Mediatrix of All Graces”, yet it was omitted from LG. Several other Council fathers made that argument as well, still it was not included. It’s a well documented fact that it was considered a compromise between disparate groups at the Council to include the title ‘Mediatrix’, let alone ‘of All Graces’. The fact that the topic was openly argued on the council floor is pretty compelling evidence that the doctrine is not fully formed, let alone universally agreed on by Church Fathers… far from it.

Also at the Council, Bishop Ancel, of Lyons, France said that title “Mediatrix” was given in LG, but at the same time it was given no endorsement, thus leaving the door open for further study as the topic is still heavily debated among theologians. "Perhaps the title ‘Mediatrix might be listed with the other titles, in order to avoid the impression that it is a privileged one’ he said.

To further reinforce the point that the doctrine was not fully formed in the Constitution…during the Council, Cardinal Alfrink of the Netherlands said “the title ‘Mediatrix’ should not be insisted upon, since it generates such great difficulties.” There was a clear divisions between the Council Fathers on whether or not to even include the title 'Mediatrix", let alone define it… And there is no mention of ‘Mediatrix of All Graces.’

Last point, the last formal action on this subject was in 1996, when, at the request of the Holy See, a commission was formed to determine whether or not a 5th Marian Dogma should be defined addressing the titles Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate. The commission unanimously decided not to define a fifth Marian dogma on those titles. You can read more about it here: ewtn.com/library/MARY/ormaria2.htm

So….A Dogmatic Constitution holds the Church’s highest teaching authority. Lumen Gentium did not declare Mary ‘Mediatrix of All Graces.’ and purposefully omitted it from the Constitution. The Church has yet to define a teaching on Mary a ‘Mediatrix’ and the last formal action on the subject ended with a decision not to pursue a definition.

Why would the Church allow this issue be openly debated on the Council floor at VII if it was part of the ordinary Magisterium?

What about the graces that flow naturally from the sacraments?? Are we saying that Mary is involved in distributing sacramental graces?

Why wouldn’t it be included in the Catechism that was issued in the 1980’s?? There is no reference to it. The Catechism was developed under PJPII, as much a marian Pope as we have had, no?

Why are there no magisterial documents that defines what the title means?

Ultimately, this piece of Marian devotion falls in to the category of personal devotion. The Church may one day declare Mary to be "Mediatrix of All Graces’, but it does not teach that today.

Pax in Agno,
Dan

 

[Abu]

godisgood77 #15
A Dogmatic Constitution holds the Church’s highest teaching authority. Lumen Gentium did not declare Mary ‘Mediatrix of All Graces.’ and purposefully omitted it from the Constitution. The Church has yet to define a teaching on Mary a ‘Mediatrix’ and the last formal action on the subject ended with a decision not to pursue a definition.

On the contrary as the testimony affirms:
The MOST Theological Collection: Our Father’s Plan: God’s Arrangements and Our Response
"Chapter 10: Infinitely Beyond Infinity"
‘Some have noted that the Council simply said “Mediatrix”, and did not add “of all graces.” Yet the Council did teach that truth, in two ways. First, it added a footnote referring us to teachings of Leo XIII, St. Pius X, and Pius XII, who did teach she was Mediatrix of all graces.23 Second, in section 25 of the same Constitution on the Church, it insisted that all such papal teachings, even those that are not defined, require even our internal belief, and not just external compliance. The Council would (and could) not have so done if this was merely the expression of personal opinions by these Popes. The Council teaches that she was eternally united with Jesus in the decree for the Incarnation, and thus from eternity before time began and through all eternity (59). Thereby it reaffirmed – not that it was necessary – all the teachings of such great Marian Popes as St. Pius X and Pius XII. Actually, there are twelve papal texts speaking of Mary as Mediatrix of all graces. [See *Our Father’s Plan, 1988, Trinity Communications, p 92-93]
Note:
23 The reason the Council did not itself add the words “of all graces” was concern for Protestant observers. Father Balic, a chief drafter of the Marian chapter 8, tells us: “The protestants [observers at the Council] were waiting to see if there would be mention of Mary as Mediatrix or not. In case of an affirmative answer, the dialogue would be closed.”-C. Balic, “El Capitulo VIII de la Constitucion ‘Lumen gentium’ comparado con el Primer Esquema de La B. Virgen Madre de la Iglesia” in Estudios Marianos 27 (1966), p. 174.
catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=232&ChapNum=12

Further:
Pope Benedict Invokes “Mediatrix of All Graces” at End of his Pontificate
In a Latin letter dated January 10, 2013, in which the Pope designates Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski (President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care) as his representative for the February 11 2013 World Day of the Sick Celebration, Benedict XVI invokes Mary as the “Mediatrix of all graces” (Mediatricis omnium gratiarum). In doing so, the Holy Father continues a consistent line of explicit papal teaching of this Marian doctrine which goes back for over two centuries.

It is significant that Pope Benedict’s reference to Mary as the Mediatrix of all graces would be released on the very day that he would shock the world with his historic resignation announcement. Although it was the Holy Father’s first use of the Mediatrix of all graces term, it was not his first time to teach the Mediatrix of all graces doctrine.

On May 11, 2007 at the canonization of the Brazilian Franciscan, Fr. Antonio de Sant’ana Galvao, O.F.M., Pope Benedict used a formulation regarding the “necessary” role of Mary’s mediating of all graces that reminds one great Marian authors such as St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, or St. Maximilian Kolbe: ]“There is no fruit of grace in the history of salvation that does not have as its necessary instrument the mediation of Our Lady.” The Pontiff reiterates this Marian doctrine when he continues: “Let us give thanks to God the Father, to God the Son, to God the Holy Spirit from whom, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we receive all the blessings from heaven.” (Benedict XVI, Homily of Canonization, May 11, 2007, n. 5).

 

[Rob_Arnzen]

… The reason the Council did not itself add the words “of all graces” was concern for Protestant observers. …

That’s speculation. The only fact of relevance is that the Council did not.

The Pontiffs are free, as are any Catholics, to engage in personal devotions and theological speculations. That does not constitute “teach(ing) the Mediatrix of all graces doctrine”.

Defining this in a dogmatic proclamation would be infelicitous, and exceed even the complexity of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption in catechetical requirements to be understood by a Catholic of average intelligence. I see no useful purpose served, therefore, in doing so.

.

 

[dmar198]

What you described is not Biblical proof but a connectitude of logical constructions to establish the proposition, ala the Assumption.

In the field of logic, that is what a proof is. It also fits the definition of an argument. In logic, if you propose a set of statements intended to support a conclusion, and if you do not make any logical mistakes or include false premises, then your argument is necessarily true and constitutes a proof. If the poster whom you quoted did not commit any logical mistakes or include any false premises, then his conclusion is proven. And if you claim that he has made logical mistakes or included false premises in his post, then I answer that his argument can be defended from these charges or modified in minor ways so that a successful proof results.

I can tell you from multiple experiences that if you lay out the arguments as you have made them to almost any Christian who is not Catholic and call it “Biblical proof”, your audience will depart post haste.

That has no bearing on whether it is a proof or not. If it is a true proof, and I think it can be defended as such or slightly modified to be a true proof, then it is true whether or not anybody likes it.

Now, that doesn’t mean it will convince anybody. You can have all the truth in the world and you will do no more good than a banging gong if you don’t present your case with tact. But I think that a tactful presentation can be made of his case, and I also base this on experience. If you cite Biblical passages for each premise, and defend your interpretations against objections, you can make a convincing Biblical case for virtually any Catholic teaching, and I think the poster you cited gives us a useful example of that with his post, though I think it could be improved by citing the Bible.

 

[Abu]

Rob_Arnzen #17
The Pontiffs are free, as are any Catholics, to engage in personal devotions and theological speculations. That does not constitute “teach(ing) the Mediatrix of all graces doctrine”.

Clearly, we see in Pope Benedict XV’s statement the doctrines of the Coredemptrix and Mediatrix: Mary “redeemed the human race together with Christ” and “administers” those graces which flow from the redemption. Benedict XV further endorsed the term “Mediatrix” through the prescript of the Congregation of Rites that approved a Mass and Office of Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces.

**In Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer), on the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church, Pope John Paul II points out that this mediation of Mary Immaculate “is intimately linked with her motherhood,” and he notes with the Second Vatican Council that “the Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary,” in her being invoked by the Church as “a sharing in the one unique source that is the mediation of Christ himself” **(RM 38).

The Holy Father in his General Audience on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011: “Redemption is offered to all human beings ‘in abundance’. And precisely because it is Christological, Alphonsian piety is also exquisitely Marian. Deeply devoted to Mary** he illustrates her role in the history of salvation: an associate in the Redemption and Mediatrix of grace, Mother, Advocate and Queen.**”
See: vatican.va/holy_father/be…110330_en.html

The Mother of the Savior
EXTRACTS FROM THE BOOK OF THE ABOVE TITLE BY
Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O. P., Nihil Obstat and Imprimi Potest 1941 and 1948
TAN BOOKS
“In the encyclical Ad Diem Illum, Pius X stated that Mary is the all-powerful mediatrix of the world before her Son: ‘Totius terrarum orbis potentissima apud Unigenitum Filium suum mediatrix et conciliatrix.’ The title of mediatrix has been consecrated by the institution of the Feast of Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces, on January 21St, 1921.”
catholictradition.org/Mary/mother-savior15c.htm

Frank Sheed:
“As Christ represents humanity in the Redemptive Act, she represents humanity in the co-redemptive act. His suffering was the essential thing, and hers valuable only by derivation. His was the Passion, hers the Com-Passion. He was the Redeemer but the Church loves to call her Co-Redemptrix.” (Theology And Sanity, p 233-235).

“Pope St. Pius X, like his predecessor, brings out the parallel, that since she had shared in earning grace, she similarly shared in dispensing it. But we notice that he states most plainly that she is Dispensatrix not just of some, but of all graces.”
catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=198&ChapNum=4

‘In order to prevent an interpretation of Marian mediation as “mere” intercession, many Council Fathers proposed the Marian title of “Dispensatrix of all graces,” already fully accepted by the Magisterium and perfectly in conformity to common Catholic doctrine. The Doctrinal Commission replied that the Council text did not intend to deny this doctrine (93). Therefore, the Second Vatican Council does not at all repudiate the doctrine of Mary Mediatrix of all graces (94), a doctrine also clearly taught in the papal documents expressly cited by the Council text.
Notes:
(93) Cf. Roschini G., Maria Santissima nella storia della salvezza, vol. II, op. cit., p. 202.
(94) Besides the Protestants and Jansenists, included among those who deny this doctrine are a few modern ecumenists and all modernist ecumenists. Critical opposition is widespread: even some of the writings of Abbot Laurentin are infected by this criticism (cf. R. Laurentin, La Vergine Maria. Mariologia postconciliare, Rome: Edizione Paoline, 1973, pp. 302-304).’
See: Mary Mediatrix of All Graces, Part II by Fr. Alessandro M. Apollonio F.I. • February 11, 2012
fifthmariandogma.com/co-redemptrix-fifth-marian-dogma/mary-mediatrix-of-all-graces-part-ii/

No “speculations”. Thus it is a doctrine not a dogma.

 

[Rob_Arnzen]

In the field of logic, that is what a proof is. It also fits the definition of an argument. In logic, if you propose a set of statements intended to support a conclusion, and if you do not make any logical mistakes or include false premises, then your argument is necessarily true and constitutes a proof.

The search was for a Biblical proof, not a proof.

.