"Educaction in Marian Piety" - Pope Benedict XVI

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’ve mentioned this book before, Mary, The Church at the Source by Hans Urs von Balthasar and then Cardinal Ratzinger now Pope Emeritus ( Benedict XVI). Praying to the Holy Spirit for what He may want me to write in the Blessed Mother Forum, I picked up this book and began to re-read sections.

At the end of chapter 2, Pope Benedict wrote:

We can in conclusion, derive from the foregoing a threefold task for education in Marian piety:

a. It is necessary to maintain the distinctness of Marian devotion precisely by keeping its practice constantly and strictly bound to Christology. In this way, both will be brought to their proper form.

b. Marian piety must not withdraw into partial aspects of the Christian mystery, let alone reduce that mystery to be partial aspects of itself. It must be open to the whole breadth of the mystery and become itself a means to this breadth.

c. Marian piety will always stand within the tension between theological rationality and believing affectivity. This is part of its essence, and its task is not to allow either to atrophy. Affectivity must not lead it to forget the sober measure of ratio, nor must the sobriety of a reasonable faith allow it to suffocate the heart, which often sees more than naked reason. It was not for nothing that the Fathers understood Matthew 5:8 as the center of their theological epistemolgy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The organ for seeing God is the purified heart. It may just be the task of Marian piety to awaken the heart and purify it in faith. If the misery of contemporary man is his disintegration into mere bios and mere rationality, Marian piety could work against this “decomposition” and help man to rediscover unity in the center from the heart.

(Underlining and bold is mine for emphasis)

Our Mother Mary promised at Fatima that her Immaculate Heart would triumph. By the power of the Holy Spirit may we strive to be like Mary, asking God to mold our hearts as He molded her into the likeness of Christ. I hope you will prayerfully read and ponder the excerpt I’v quoted today. If you have questions, I’ll be happy to try and answer. This book was originally written in German with a 1997 copyright date. It was published by Ignatius Press in 2005. I have read and re-read it and encourage all to hear the truth which the Pope spoke then, which it seems to me has gone unheard by many.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us with the fire of your love – teach us the mind and heart of Christ as you taught Mary.
Mary, Mother of the Church pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You!