M
MariaChristi
Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
How many of us reflect on the great gift of our Baptism? Probably not many. Yet, when water was poured upon us and the words were utturred: “I baptize you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” we were truly reborn! We became more than children of our earthly parents; we became children of God, and we became with Jesus our Brother, children of Mary. What a miracle of God’s Grace!
This morning’s post in St. JPII’s encyclical’ thread “On the Holy Spirit” (see HERE) impressed upon me again how few of us perhaps realize the share in Divine Life we were given, when we received Sanctifying Grace at our Baptism.
Mary our Mother in her Immaculate Conception was freed from original sin from the first moment of her existence but we were given a “new birth” at Baptism. It is no wonder to me that Mary is both Mother and Model for the Church for it was through her that Jesus assumed a human nature and it is through her that He continues His Mission of bringing all God’s children home.
Overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, Mary conceived in her womb the Incarnate Word; The “Word was made Flesh” in her. St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote that the union of Mary and the Holy Spirit is so close that even the word “spouse” is too weak to express it.
Mary is the human person most closely resembling the Divine Person of her Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in her.
Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, pray with us and for us.
“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” – prayer of Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)
How many of us reflect on the great gift of our Baptism? Probably not many. Yet, when water was poured upon us and the words were utturred: “I baptize you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” we were truly reborn! We became more than children of our earthly parents; we became children of God, and we became with Jesus our Brother, children of Mary. What a miracle of God’s Grace!
This morning’s post in St. JPII’s encyclical’ thread “On the Holy Spirit” (see HERE) impressed upon me again how few of us perhaps realize the share in Divine Life we were given, when we received Sanctifying Grace at our Baptism.
Mary our Mother in her Immaculate Conception was freed from original sin from the first moment of her existence but we were given a “new birth” at Baptism. It is no wonder to me that Mary is both Mother and Model for the Church for it was through her that Jesus assumed a human nature and it is through her that He continues His Mission of bringing all God’s children home.
Overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, Mary conceived in her womb the Incarnate Word; The “Word was made Flesh” in her. St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote that the union of Mary and the Holy Spirit is so close that even the word “spouse” is too weak to express it.
Mary is the human person most closely resembling the Divine Person of her Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in her.
Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, pray with us and for us.
“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” – prayer of Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)
