Mary and the Holy Spirit

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We know from the Scripture that Mary was in prayer with the Apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit, after Jesus ascended into heaven:

When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts of the Apostles 1:13-14)

It is also good to remember Jesus had expressly told them before He ascended to wait in Jerusalem:

And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49

Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit at the Incarnation but as always, Mary was obedient to every Word from Jesus. She waited in prayer with the disciples after the Ascension for the promised Holy Spirit. She received with the disciples an increase of power from the Holy Spirit for her own vocation as Mother of all those Jesus had given to her from His Cross in the person of John:

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son. Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (Jn 19: 26-27)

Today the Church begins the Novena in preparation for the Feast of Pentecost. Let us pray with Mary our Mother for an increase in the power of the Holy Spirit. We, like Mary, already have received the Holy Spirit. We received our share in God’s Life at Baptism and were strengthened in Confirmation. In Holy Eucharist, we receive the Risen Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine. Yet, each liturgical year, we seek to grow as Mary did, in holiness. As Mary grew in grace so the Church is called to grow in grace, especially as we learn ALL Truth by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Church continues to see in Mary: both her Mother and her Model. The Church needs to grow in holiness. May we all ponder the words of Jesus:

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. (Jn 16:12 - 13)

Let us prepare well, as Mary and the disciples did, by devoting ourselves with one accord to prayer, during these 9 days of waiting before Pentecost. We each have a unique call (vocation) to follow Jesus: as lay person or clergy – as physical mothers and fathers or spiritual mothers and fathers – or in some persons both physical and spiritual mothers and fathers. Children also are called and we can be grateful for the recent canonizations of two children, St. Jacinta and St. Francisco, brother and sister shepherds at Fatima. Novena in preparation for Pentecost can be found: HERE. Novena begins Today! (Friday, May 26)

 

[friardchips]

Hi Maria-Christi.

I enjoyed your post. I tend to remark more on things I disagree with rather than things I agree with, so just to say, that I do enjoy and agree with all of your threads and most of the sentiments written in them, by those you cite and the words you yourself inspire us with!

However, I believe that Our Lady was always full of grace and therefore most holy. It is a difficult subject because we are talking about the meaning of what grace is. What does grace mean? You see, during her life, she didn’t necessarily have to grow in grace or holiness, but rather, she came to understand her holiness that she might live out the grace she was born with, in a way that she was born to live her life, as opposed to those who have to receive Baptism, and have to grow in grace and holiness. I do think Our lady came to grow into the Wisdom already given, regarding specifically, her Son’s mission. I believe this to be true and back it up with use of the context of the title ‘Protective Veil’.

 

[MariaChristi]

Hi Maria-Christi.

I enjoyed your post. I tend to remark more on things I disagree with rather than things I agree with, so just to say, that I do enjoy and agree with all of your threads and most of the sentiments written in them, by those you cite and the words you yourself inspire us with!

However, I believe that Our Lady was always full of grace and therefore most holy. It is a difficult subject because we are talking about the meaning of what grace is. What does grace mean? You see, during her life, she didn’t necessarily have to grow in grace or holiness, but rather, she came to understand her holiness that she might live out the grace she was born with, in a way that she was born to live her life, as opposed to those who have to receive Baptism, and have to grow in grace and holiness. I do think Our lady came to grow into the Wisdom already given, regarding specifically, her Son’s mission. I believe this to be true and back it up with use of the context of the title ‘Protective Veil’.

Dear friardchips,

Thanks for your reply. It is good to clarify.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great source for seeking answers. Paragraphs 1916 through 2019 give a thorough explanation of Grace. Paragraphs 490 -493 explain Mary’s Immacultate Conception.

490 To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as “full of grace”. In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God’s grace.

491 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

492 The “splendour of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception” comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son”. The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love”.

493 The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God “the All-Holy” (Panagia), and celebrate her as “free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature”. By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.

I’ve underlined sentences which can help us to see how Mary free from any stain of sin, remained dependent on grace. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, OP states: "She is, indeed, much below God and Christ because she is a creature, but much above all men by the grace of her Divine maternity, “which makes her attain the very frontiers of the Divinity,” and by the plenitude of grace received at the moment of her Immaculate Conception, a plentitude which did not cease to grow until her death. ( from THE THREE AGES OF THE INTERIOR LIFE, VOL. 1)

Mary grew in wisdom as did Jesus in His Human Nature, but Mary also grew in her faith. Mary daily chose to do God’s Will througout her life on earth, even without understanding. Luke testifies that neither Mary nor Joseph understood Jesus’ answer to them when they found Him in the temple. Without God’s Grace, Mary as a human person, could do nothing. I hope I’m clarifying. I really don’t want to debate here.