Co-mediatrix

[JB_Brother_4446]

I don’t follow… Are you saying Jesus had multiple mothers and there are multiple Queens of Heaven? Can you really not picture Mary as having any higher position in the Body of Christ than others?

Again I ask, who else in the Body of Christ is more worthy of holding this position? Look at the Old Testament examples of the queenship and position of the mother of kings. What creature has a higher place than Mary, the mother of God?

He had multiple mediators if you check your Bible. And He did say anyone who did the will of His Father was his brother, sister, or mother,

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

Jesus is a Davidic King. Mary is the queen.

You forgot the part when Bathsheba asked Solomon that Adonijah should be allowed to have his father’s concubine and then Solomon raged and Adonijah was killed.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

You forgot the part when Bathsheba asked Solomon that Adonijah should be allowed to have his father’s concubine and then Solomon raged and Adonijah was killed.

I didn’t forget it, but find it a great example. Solomon, Bathsheba, and Adonijah are all stained by sin. Adonijah was asking for something against the Kings will, and Bathsheba directly related his request to Solomon

Jesus and Mary are perfect, full of grace, and free of all stain of sin. How much more prefect then must their Kingship and Queenship be than that of Solomon and Bathsheba?

When we give Mary our imperfect requests, she prepares them so that they are pleasing to the King and His will. She knows His will and can untie the knots and kinks in our requests so that they align with His will. She then presents our request to the King and he does not refuse because it conforms to his will.

How often are our prayers answered in an unexpected way we never imagined? It may not have been how we wanted it, but rather how the King wanted it

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

When we give Mary our imperfect requests, she prepares them so that they are pleasing to the King and His will. She knows His will and can untie the knots and kinks in our requests so that they align with His will. She then presents our request to the King and he does not refuse because it conforms to his will.

She doesn’t do that.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

He had multiple mediators if you check your Bible. And He did say anyone who did the will of His Father was his brother, sister, or mother,

So you don’t acknowledge that Mary, perfect and sinless, holds an elevated status above them?

Your bible reference about what Jesus said of those who do the will of the Father (Luke 11:27-28?) is not to lower the status of Mary, but to show that it is not her maternal role, but the perfect ascent to the will of the Father that matters.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

She doesn’t do that.

Mary is ever pure and sinless. Her prayers are perfect and the most effective of all as she always conforms to God’s will.

When us sinners pray, our efforts can be hindered by lack of faith:

James 1:6-8

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man,
8 unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.

If we have unconfessed sins:

Psalms 66:18

18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,the Lord would not have listened.

Isaiah 59:1-2

1Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2but your iniquities have made a separationbetween you and your God,and your sins have hidden his face from youso that he does not hear.

1 John 3:21-22

21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

If we are being selfish:

James 4:3

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Proverbs 21:13

13 He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard.

When we ask Mary to intercede on our behalf, the request is not coming from our impure and imperfect hearts, but from her pure and immaculate heart. She mercifully takes our unworthy requests and personally presents them on our behalf.

This doesn’t mean that we can pray for a Ferrari and have one appear or pray to kill our annoying neighbor and have him drop dead. Our petitions must still be honorable and in line with God’s will.

Mary’s perfect purity and consistent conformity interceded on behalf of our impure and inconsistent conformity. Our hindered prayers that are bound up in our sinfulness are unbound when we turn them over to Mary and she presents them as pure intentions on our behalf.

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

Mary is ever pure and sinless. Her prayers are perfect and the most effective of all as she always conforms to God’s will.

When us sinners pray, our efforts can be hindered by lack of faith:

If we have unconfessed sins:

If we are being selfish:

When we ask Mary to intercede on our behalf, the request is not coming from our impure and imperfect hearts, but from her pure and immaculate heart. She mercifully takes our unworthy requests and personally presents them on our behalf.

This doesn’t mean that we can pray for a Ferrari and have one appear or pray to kill our annoying neighbor and have him drop dead. Our petitions must still be honorable and in line with God’s will.

Mary’s perfect purity and consistent conformity interceded on behalf of our impure and inconsistent conformity. Our hindered prayers that are bound up in our sinfulness are unbound when we turn them over to Mary and she presents them as pure intentions on our behalf.

We accomplish God’s will through our prayers when we say “Thy will be done.” It is not because anyone alters prayers for us.

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

So you don’t acknowledge that Mary, perfect and sinless, holds an elevated status above them?

Your bible reference about what Jesus said of those who do the will of the Father (Luke 11:27-28?) is not to lower the status of Mary, but to show that it is not her maternal role, but the perfect ascent to the will of the Father that matters.

What I don’t acknowledge is how Mary is the only neck when God uses so many necks. The Sacraments can be considered as a type of neck since that is how God transmits His grace to us.

 

[JM3]

What I don’t acknowledge is how Mary is the only neck when God uses so many necks. The Sacraments can be considered as a type of neck since that is how God transmits His grace to us.

ecommons.udayton.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1174&context=marian_studies

 

[AveOTheotokos]

What I don’t acknowledge is how Mary is the only neck when God uses so many necks. The Sacraments can be considered as a type of neck since that is how God transmits His grace to us.

We are the hands, arms, feet, legs, etc… in the Body of Christ, doing His work. Mary is the neck through which the body is joined to the head.

St Pius X explains Mary being the neck in Ad diem illum:

1. St. Pius X, Encyclical, Ad diem illum, Feb. 2, 1904, AAS 36, 1904. 453-54.

Hence that never dissociated manner of life and labors of the Mother and the Son… . there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother, not merely occupied in looking at the dreadful sight, but even rejoicing that ‘her only Son was being offered for the salvation of the human race; and so did she suffer, with Him, that if it had been possible, she would have much more gladly suffered herself all the torments that her Son underwent’ [St. Bonaventure I. Sent. d, 48, ad Litt. dub. 4]. Now from this common sharing of will and suffering between Christ and Mary, she ‘merited to become most worthily the Reparatrix of the lost world’ [Eadmer, De Excellentia Virginis Mariae, 9] and therefore Dispensatrix of all the gifts which Jesus gained for us by His Death and by His Blood… But Mary as St. Bernard fittingly remarks [De Aquaeductu 4] is the ‘channel’ or, even, the neck, through which the body is joined to the head, and likewise through which the head exerts its power and strength on the body. ‘For she is the neck of our Head, by which all spiritual gifts are communicated to His Mystical Body.’ [St. Bernardine of Siena, Quadrag. De Evangelio aeterno, Sermo X, a. 3. c. 3.]

Taken from:Church Teaching on Mary as Mediatrix of (All) Graces

I got to the above link from: Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces

Which was taken from: ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marymenu.htm

Notice the comment at the end of the first link:

COMMENT: Although Vatican II did not add the words “of all graces,” it added a note on the above passage, in which it refers us to the texts of Leo XIII, Adiutricem populi, St. Pius X, Ad diem illum, Pius XI, Miserentissimus Redemptor, and Pius XII, Radiomessage to Fatima. Leo XIII in that text spoke of her, as we saw above, as having “practically limitless power.” St. Pius X said she was the "dispensatrix of all the gifts, and is the “neck” connecting the Head of the Mystical Body to the Members. But all power flows through the neck. Pius XII said "Her kingdom is as vast as that of her Son and God, since nothing is excluded from her dominion.

And this link has a good overview of church teachings on Mary:
The Blessed Virgin Mary: Her Privileges and Relation to Christ and His Church

Mediatrix of All Graces

As we would expect, having shared at immense cost in earning all graces, she shares similarly in distributing all of them as Mediatrix of all graces. This truth too has been taught numerous times by a long series of Popes–every Pope from Leo XIII through John XXIII

 

[AveOTheotokos]

JB Brother, we have crossed paths several times on the forums and I don’t think I have ever taken the time to acknowledge how much I appreciate discussions with you. You are intelligent, have valid concerns, and your arguments always cause me to dig deeper into our rich faith.

I love you brother, and want you to know that I pray for you and everyone on these forums on their journey of faith, and I humbly ask that you pray for me as well as a fellow member in the Body of Christ.

I don’t know why, but I felt an overwhelming urge to let you know :hug1:

 

[Philthy]

It is also faulty to compare God with Mary.

While I neither confirm not deny your claim above I regard it as irrelevant to the discussion and a non sequitur. It has nothing to do with my comments or the discussion in general.
I will add, however, that we are all made in the image and likeness of God and that Christ is the visible image of the invisible God and that the degree to which our lives imitate His is certainly a way of comparing ourselves to what Christ has revealed.

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

JB Brother, we have crossed paths several times on the forums and I don’t think I have ever taken the time to acknowledge how much I appreciate discussions with you. You are intelligent, have valid concerns, and your arguments always cause me to dig deeper into our rich faith.

I love you brother, and want you to know that I pray for you and everyone on these forums on their journey of faith, and I humbly ask that you pray for me as well as a fellow member in the Body of Christ.

I don’t know why, but I felt an overwhelming urge to let you know :hug1:

Seriously?

But I will pray for you. Pray for me as well. I need a lot of prayers.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

Seriously?

But I will pray for you. Pray for me as well. I need a lot of prayers.

Seriously

We are all here on a journey of faith, trying to understand events that happen thousands of years ago. We all need all the prayers and help we can get!

 

[AveOTheotokos]

What is the difference between doctrine and dogma?

Full Question
I have heard that the teaching on Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces is official Catholic doctrine but not a dogma of faith. I am not clear on the difference between doctrine and dogma. Can you clear it up for me?

Answer

In general, doctrine is all Church teaching in matters of faith and morals. Dogma is more narrowly defined as that part of doctrine which has been divinely revealed and which the Church has formally defined and declared to be believed as revealed.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains,

The Church’s magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these. (CCC 88)

Concerning the Church’s teaching that Mary is the Mediatrix of All Graces, while this doctrine has been divinely revealed, it has not yet been—although could be—elevated to dogma. In Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Dr. Ludwig Ott explains, “The doctrine of Mary’s Universal Mediation of Grace based on her co-operation in the Incarnation is so definitely manifest in the sources of the faith, that nothing stands in the way of a dogmatic definition” (215).

 

[AveOTheotokos]

Here are some more really good responses from the wonderful Catholic Answer’s staff:

Can you help me resolve my difficulties with Marian doctrines?

Full Question
I am having serious issues with Marian doctrines. I feel the titles the Church gives to her, such as co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and dispenser of all graces, really limit the power of Christ. I fear I am committing idolatry. Am I required to believe Mary is co-redeemer with Christ? Or can I simply not believe that doctrine at all because it isn’t dogma? I fear this issue will force me away from the Church for good.

Answer

It will help if you understand what the Church means by such doctrines and what it does not mean. First, the Church recognizes that Jesus in the ultimate sense is our only redeemer—plain and simple. Only God could make up for an offense against his divinity. When Jesus, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became man, he used the services of several human beings. he used prophets, the last of whom was his cousin, John the Baptist. He used St. Joseph as his foster father to protect him and to be a father to him in his formative years. Most of all, he used Mary as his mother who gave birth to him, nursed him, and nurtured him as a child. All of these people cooperated with him and his mission of salvation. He alone was the redeemer in the ultimate sense, but they cooperated with him in his work of redemption. In varying degrees they all could be called co-redeemers because of such cooperation. But because of her unique role and the degree of her cooperation, Mary is singled out. In all of humanity, God singled her out for a truly sublime role. Nursing Almighty God at her breast is beyond our ability to fully appreciate. Yet thousands of Christians since the Protestant reformation have completely ignored such sublimity.

What is said of co-redemptrix is also true of mediatrix. Because these terms can be highly misleading, the Church has not infallibly proclaimed them. (See article: www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/ORMARIA2.HTM) Nevertheless, God is the one who singled Mary out for the unique role in salvation that she has. She did not seek out such distinction. It is important to remember the high praise Jesus lavished on St. John the Baptist. Yet his mission was not nearly as exalted as Mary’s. Jesus worked his first miracle at her request. All she needed to say was: “They have no wine.” He understood exactly what she wanted. He could have taken care of the matter on his own. But he chose to have his mother’s intercession be a part of the mix. The miracle wasn’t any less significant because of her part in it. On the contrary, she shows us how accessible he is to our needs. To truly appreciate Mary is to appreciate her Son all the more.

**Answered by: **Fr. Vincent Serpa O.P.

Isn’t calling Mary the mediatrix of all graces contrary to the doctrine that Jesus is the sole mediator between God and man?

**
Full Question**
I can accept most of the Church’s teaching on Mary, but I struggle with the Church calling Mary the mediatrix of all graces. This seems to be a violation of 1 Timothy 2:5–6, where Scripture states that Jesus, through his death on the cross, is the one mediator between God and man. Please explain.

**Answer
**
Mary’s title of mediatrix arises from her cooperation in the Incarnation and in the Redemption of mankind. Through her “yes” (Lk 1:38), she became the Theotokos (God-bearer), and, as the “New Eve,” she is “the Mother of all living.”

Irenaeus (A.D. 120–200) wrote, “As by a virgin the human race had been bound to death, by a virgin it is saved, the balance being preserved, a virgin’s disobedience by a virgin’s obedience” (Against Heresies, 3, 22, 19). Eve made the Fall possible, but Adam effected it; Mary made our Redemption possible (by consenting to bring the Savior into the world), but Jesus effected it.

God permitted the Redemption of mankind to depend on the free-will decision of a human being. Whether or not we would have a mediator was dependent on Mary’s “yes.” Had there been no “yes” from Mary, there would have been no mediator. Thus the graces that come through Jesus may be said to come to us, in a secondary way, via Mary—not as the origin of the graces, but as a conduit. The Catholic Church always has taught that Jesus Christ alone redeemed mankind (neither Mary nor any other creature had the power to do so), and ultimately only through him are salvation and grace obtained.

Even we are mediators, in a lesser sense. The word mediator means someone who is a go-between. In 1 Timothy 2:5, which refers to Jesus as the “one mediator,” the Greek word for “one” is heis, which means “first” or “primary” and does not denote something exclusive. In fact, we are all mediators when we pray for one another. As members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we all share in Christ’s role as mediator, but our efforts at being go-betweens “work” only because of what he has done.

Our mediating in no way diminishes the role of Christ as mediator; in fact, it glorifies the Father, because it is through Jesus that we can approach with confidence the throne of grace (Heb 4:14-16). How much more does Jesus give his mother Mary the privilege to be a participant in the distribution of grace!
**
Answered by:** Peggy Frye

 

[AveOTheotokos]

Making Peace with the Mediatrix

Church Teaching or Popular Piety?

If this is, indeed, Church teaching, it must be reconciled with Scripture, which says that “there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

Church documents and papal writings speak clearly. The Second Vatican Council states that “the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adiutrix, and Mediatrix” (Lumen Gentium 62). The Council refers to Pope St. Pius X, who said that Mary is the “dispensatrix of all the gifts and is the ‘neck’ connecting the head of the mystical body to the members. But all power flows through the neck” (Ad Diem Illum 13).

Other popes and prominent saints have taught the same. In Octobri Mense Adventante, Pope Leo XIII wrote:

"Nothing at all of that very great treasury of all grace that the Lord brought us—for "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" [John 1:17]—nothing is imparted to us except through Mary, since God so wills."

In Inter Sodalicia, Pope Benedict XV told us:

“Every kind of grace we receive from the treasury of the redemption is ministered as it were through the hands of the same sorrowful Virgin.”

Pope Pius XI concurred in Ingravescentibus Malis:

“We know that all things are imparted to us from God the greatest and best through the hands of the Mother of God.”

This is only a sampling of consistent papal teaching: The Church does teach that Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

The Akathist Hymn!

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

It’s our job as well.

 

[AveOTheotokos]

It’s our job as well.

Very true