Mary Mediatrix of All Graces

[graciew]

Father David explained it some months ago.
He said that Christ Himself is all Graces…
And he explained further.
His post was November 17 in case anyone wants to read it. The thread was " Must we believe Mary is Mediatrix of all graces?" Or along those lines.
The answer is pretty clear or it was for me at least.

 

[Benadam]

1 Tim 2:5 there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

If you believe Jesus is God then there is a supreme mediator between God ( Jesus) and men.

Not through Jesus does the world receive salvation.

Through Mary the world receives Salvation.

Jesus IS Salvation.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Agathon, kristaok, and others who may have difficultieswith the title of Mary, Medatrix of All Graces:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

967 By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus)508 of the Church.

968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."509

969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation … Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."510

970 "Mary’s function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it."511 "No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source."512

The footnotes (508 -512) are all from Lumen Gentium - The Vatican II Constitution on the Church, Chapter 8 is specifically on Mary, and well worth reading.

 

[Rob2]

What does the Vatican say.?

The teaching of the 21st Ecumenical Council has already been referred to .

I quote in full from Lumen Genium the relevant words of that Council .

"This maternity of Mary in the order of grace began with the consent which she gave in faith at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, and lasts until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into the happiness of their true home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. This, however, is to be so understood that it neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator.

"For no creature could ever be counted as equal with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer. Just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by the ministers and by the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is really communicated in different ways to His creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.

“The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary. It knows it through unfailing experience of it and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that encouraged by this maternal help they may the more intimately adhere to the Mediator and Redeemer.”

 

[AugustTherese]

Anyone who is consecrated to Jesus through Mary and who prays the Holy Rosary daily and with devotion will understand and accept this title from all the graces they receive from her!

 

[rcwitness]

I believe anyone who shows acts of mercy on another mediates grace from above. Mary, as the willing and believing Mother of God, has a special place in Christian grace.

Jesus is the one mediator between God and all men, including Mary.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Jesus is the one mediator between God and all men, including Mary.

Are you saying you disagree with Lumen Gentium, then?

Or rather that you agree with it and see Mary as the mediator between men and Jesus (“to Jesus through Mary”) and see Jesus as the mediator between men and God?

 

[GLam1761]

I read in a book on Spiritual Warfare that the Woman
who gave birth to the Holy Seed(Christ AND the Church)
is the one attacked by the Dragon(satan) and SHE plays
a prominent role in crushing the head of the Serpent!!
See Rev. 12
P.S. WE who are disciples of Jesus Christ, the Son of
Mary and the Son of God are the Children of Mary, our
Model, Mother and Queen of the Church by the DIVINE
Edict of Christ on the Cross giving us His Mother thru
John the beloved Disciple.

 

[rcwitness]

rcwitness:

Jesus is the one mediator between God and all men, including Mary.

Are you saying you disagree with Lumen Gentium, then?

Or rather that you agree with it and see Mary as the mediator between men and Jesus (“to Jesus through Mary”) and see Jesus as the mediator between men and God?

I think the first part of my post conveys it well, no?

She has a special place in Christian grace. She was the chosen maiden to bear and give birth to the Messiah. In her pure cooperation with the grace given to her, His grace passed to us.

Whether or not she needed to cooperate with Him for His grace to be received by man is not Taught by the Church, if im not mistaken (if anything I believe its Taught that she did not need to). However, the fact that she did cooperate does mean that she participated in His grace to all men. This is her spiritual motherhood of all the faithful. Her carnal (biological) motherhood is of little significance without her spiritual assent to His will.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Your first post wasn’t entirely clear to me, but I don’t disagree with anything you said in your second.
Just trying to understand where you’re coming from.

 

[Genesis315]

I think the phrase “mediatrix of all graces” like the term “co-redemptrix” can unnecessarily lead to knee-jerk reactions against them, but I don’t think the underlying truths are controversial, especially the latter. Her unique cooperation in our redemption and salvation continues in Heaven, where by her intercession we receive the gifts of salvation. The Catechism teaches these truths, even if it doesn’t always use these terms of art.

618 The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the “one mediator between God and men”.452 But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, “the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery” is offered to all men.453 He calls his disciples to “take up [their] cross and follow [him]”,454 for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps."455 In fact Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries.456 This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering.457

964 Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. “This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death”;504 it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion:

Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: "Woman, behold your son."505

967 By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus)510 of the Church.

968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."511

969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."512

 

[Maximilian75]

And who, pray tell, brought the human race salvation through allowing Jesus Christ to be made man through her?

The same woman in your profile picture: The Blessed Virgin Mary

 

[Wesley32186]

I am coming around to it. I have a handful of old Marian prayer books that are fond of prayers addressed in this particular form and as I pray them, I come to understand them a little more; not by my effort but by the Grace of the Lord

 

[Genesis315]

I think this doctrine is also tied to the doctrine of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ and how we receive the graces of salvation in communion with the Church. The saints often call Mary the “neck” of the body of Christ, which has Christ as Head.

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 because all those graces flow from the Head through the Body–the graces of the sacraments are ultimately dispensed through the ministry of clergy or even laity in the case of baptism. Mary, was the first person to be granted fellowship with Christ–the first member of the Body. She was first to receive all those graces–that’s why she is full of grace. Then, each additional member added to the Mystical Body, in fellowship with her and with Christ, shared in those graces.

It’s not a coincidence that it was when Mary approached that St. John the Baptist received the graces he did in the womb of his mother. Likewise, at Pentecost, when the Apostles received the Spirit and all the gifts and graces the Church would need to carry on its mission, they did so in union with Mary who was present and praying, because she first received all these gifts. They could not be received apart from fellowship with her. This is why the Church, through whom we receive every grace, calls her the “exemplary realization of the Church.” (cf. CCC 967)

Anyway, that’s just my understanding.

 

[AugustTherese]

I haven’t voted because I’m not sure. She’s definitely mediatrix of some graces, but what about the graces we get from the sacraments? Do those go through her to get to us as well? I haven’t learned much on this subject.

No Mary, no Jesus. No Jesus, no Sacraments.

 

[kristaok]

1 Tim 2:4 for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

I don’t see Mary’s name mentioned anywhere there…

 

[AveOTheotokos]

This thread from a couple years ago discusses this topic at length. Rather than try to repost all of the information I shared in that thread (it was a lengthy discussion), anyone interested can check out that discussion. My contributions begin at post 96 and are peppered throughout the rest of the discussion:

Co-mediatrix Apologetics

God is not limited BY Mary, but he chose to limit himself TO Mary through the incarnation, becoming fully man for our sake. In the greatest act of humility, God became a helpless infant completely reliant on his mother, entrusting the salvation of the world to not only her initial “yes” in her Fiat, but also on the continuous “yes” she proclaimed every day that she nurtured and protected our Lord. Mary brought Jesus, the culmination of God’s Graces, to us through her yes. She held, loved, ca…

 

[kristaok]

Mary’s name isn’t there… neither is the saints, only Jesus.

 

[CatholicTurk]

I’m just quoting the Bible, the Bible said Jesus is the only mediator…

Jesus Christ is still the one and only Savior of all humanity. Even the Blessed Virgin Mary herself was saved by His sacrifice on the Cross. No true Catholic denies it. However, for God there is no limit of time and space, so He applied His own saving grace and merit to her at the moment of her conception, as a result she was free of original sin (Immaculate Conception). But what makes her particularly special is the fact that God knew ahead of time that she would have said “yes” to His call in full obedience and would have stayed just as pure as Eve was before the Fall. Moreover, she was the only person that would have done this throughout time and history, that’s why God has hand-picked her, so to speak. Hence, we call her the New Eve, through whom we have received Jesus, God the Son, in the flesh. This flesh, especially when you consider that there was no biological father, is nothing but of Mary’s own flesh. (Remember Eve was created from Adam’s rib? It’s vice versa, except for “the power of the Holy Spirit overshadowing her”) Remember, she is the Ark of the New Covenant, she is the vessel that delivered us God in the flesh. She is naturally the Neck of the Body (church), if Jesus is the Head. Moreover, the Word lived among us, and He entrusted His mother to us from the cross. Therefore, it is only right and just to give her the appropriate honor and veneration in the Church, and also in our own lives. Furthermore, in a more literal way, If you study the royal position of a king’s mother in the hierarchy of ancient kingdoms (this actually even applies to Muslim Sultanates throughout history), you will see that the kings/sultans did not have wives as Queen. The only title for Queen was the mother of the king/sultan. I believe it still is the same in the Middle Eastern kingdoms now a days. For sensitive and politically intriguing issues people used to go to the Queen Mother for petitions and requests to be presented to the king/sultan, knowing that the king/sultan would be more lenient, willing to co-operate, and in some cases the Queen could even act in the name of her son the king/sultan, because the honor and the privilege had already been granted to her by her son the king/sultan. Therefore, it is only appropriate to think that the Son of God would have honored His one and only earthly mother, whom He had chosen from all eternity, and make her the Queen Mother, who by definition is entitled to whatever Her son holds, and so she could also dispense these graces, hence the Mediatrix of all graces.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

1 Tim 2:4 for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

I don’t see Mary’s name mentioned anywhere there…

More broken record posting of orphaned Bible verses. We do not rely solely on the Bible, you have posted this already earlier in the thread, and you have previously shown you reject the teachings of the Vatican on Mary. Are you even Catholic?