Pope Emeritus (Benedict XVI) and Mary

[MariaChristi]

On the day after his election, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the cardinals with a message of unity and fidelity. He pledged to “work without sparing energies for the reconstitution of a full and visible unity of all followers of Christ.” Looking to Christ, Benedict XVI renewed his “unconditional promise of fidelity. Him alone I intend to serve, dedicating myself totally to the service of his Church.” And then he added: “To support me in this promise, I invoke the maternal intercession of Most Holy Mary, in whose hands I place the present and the future of my person and the Church.”

Josef Ratzinger doesn’t say things lightly… the final sentence of the Pope’s first message to the cardinals had the ring of authenticity and more, of anxious eagerness. His words about Mary were–as condensed as may be–Peter’s profession of faith in the Marian character of the Church. The person of Peter puts himself, present and future, in the hands of Most Holy Mary. He did the same on behalf of the whole Church. This gesture of placing Pope and Church in the hands of Mary has the meaning of an act of entrustment, a wise and at the same time childlike gesture of both need and trust. The Pope recognizes the “encompassing motherliness” of Mary, an expression dear to his revered friend, Hans Urs von Balthasar. He highlights the noble role of Mary’s maternal intercession, and so points to her just, noble, and utterly dependent relation to Christ. …( excerpt from article by Fr. Johann G. Roten, S. M.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday, I began to re-read parts of, The Ratzinger Report and was blessed again to read some of the insights of our Pope Emeritus as he gave an extensive interview to the journalist, Messori, in the 1980’s. I was struck by this sentence, especially:

… “If the place occupied by Mary has been essential to the equilibrium of the Faith, today it is urgent, as in few other epochs of Church history, to rediscover that place.”…

I included his statement in my presentation notes for this Sunday continuing the series: “The Place of Mary in the World Today, especially for Catholics”. This morning I went online to find more and found the University of Dayton had an excellent article, which I copied for the opening quote on this thread – full article can be read HERE

The more I read of what Pope Emeritus, (Benedict XVI) has written, the more I am blessed by his insights and the more grateful I am to experience the Holy Spirit working in the Church. Through our prayerful listening to God in Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church may we all come closer to Jesus through Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Googler]

Thank you sister. I found the ‘full’ article quite interesting, esp. the following quotes:

To think of Christ and Mary as being in competition means ignoring the essential distinction between these two figures… That is not competition but a most profound intimacy.

In her presence we can be “completely unselfconscious,” like "little children, trustingly, in a way people often would not dare to do with Christ.

Most important, Mary is the fertile ground where the seed of the Word becomes fruit.

 

[MariaChristi]

…To think of Christ and Mary as being in competition means ignoring the essential distinction between these two figures… That is not competition but a most profound intimacy.

Thanks for your reply. The quote above reminded me very much of St. Louis De Montfort’s explanation in his treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

1. Here I turn to you for a moment, dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among them, do not recognise the necessary bond that unites you and your Blessed Mother. Lord, you are always with Mary and Mary is always with you. She can never be without you because then she would cease to be what she is. She is so completely transformed into you by grace that she no longer lives, she no longer exists, because you alone, dear Jesus, live and reign in her more perfectly than in all the angels and saints. If we only knew the glory and the love given to you by this wonderful creature, our feelings for you and for her would be far different from those we have now. So intimately is she united to you that it would be easier to separate light from the sun, and heat from the fire. I go further, it would even be easier to separate all the angels and saints from you than Mary; for she loves you ardently, and glorifies you more perfectly than all your other creatures put together.

1. In view of this, my dear Master, is it not astonishing and pitiful to see the ignorance and short-sightedness of men with regard to your holy Mother? I am not speaking so much of idolaters and pagans who do not know you and consequently have no knowledge of her. I am not even speaking of heretics and schismatics who have left you and your holy Church and therefore are not interested in your holy Mother. I am speaking of Catholics, and even of educated Catholics, who profess to teach the faith to others but do not know you or your Mother except speculatively, in a dry, cold and sterile way.

These people seldom speak of your Mother or devotion to her. They say they are afraid that devotion to her will be abused and that you will be offended by excessive honour paid to her. They protest loudly when they see or hear a devout servant of Mary speak frequently with feeling, conviction and vigour of devotion to her. When he speaks of devotion to her as a sure means of finding and loving you without fear or illusion, or when he says this devotion is a short road free from danger, or an immaculate way free from imperfection, or a wondrous secret of finding you, they put before him a thousand specious reasons to show him how wrong he is to speak so much of Mary. There are, they say, great abuses in this devotion which we should try to stamp out and we should refer people to you rather than exhort them to have devotion to your Mother, whom they already love adequately.

If they are sometimes heard speaking of devotion to your Mother, it is not for the purpose of promoting it or convincing people of it but only to destroy the abuses made of it. Yet all the while these persons are devoid of piety or genuine devotion to you, for they have no devotion to Mary. They consider the Rosary and the Scapular as devotions suitable only for simple women or ignorant people. After all, they say, we do not need them to be saved. If they come across one who loves our Lady, who says the rosary or shows any devotion towards her, they soon move him to a change of mind and heart. They advise him to say the seven penitential psalms instead of the Rosary, and to show devotion to Jesus instead of to Mary.

Dear Jesus, do these people possess your spirit? Do they please you by acting in this way? Would it please you if we were to make no effort to give pleasure to your Mother because we are afraid of offending you? Does devotion to your holy Mother hinder devotion to you? Does Mary keep for herself any honour we pay her? Is she a rival of yours? Is she a stranger having no kinship with you? Does pleasing her imply displeasing you? Does the gift of oneself to her constitute a deprivation for you? Is love for her a lessening of our love for you?.. 65… Keep me from their way of thinking and acting and let me share your feelings of gratitude, esteem, respect and love for your holy Mother. I can then love and glorify you all the more, because I will be imitating and following you more closely.

I wonder if Pope Emeritus and St. John Paul II discussed this? I suspect they did. Let us continue to pray to the Holy Spirit to kindle in us all the Fire of His Love.

 

[Googler]

Thank you sister for displaying this wonderful prayer of Saint Louis.
There are those who would really appreciate reading this and those who will not be convinced no matter. Why is it that they want to be buried with a Rosary wrapped around their hand but not recite it before they die?

“Those who belong to Mary should do all they can to win the hearts of others to her.
And Mary will enlighten those hearts, enkindle them with the love of her Maternal Heart, and inflame them with the fire of charity that burns in the Divine Heart of Jesus.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“Let us endeavor, like so many elect souls, to follow this blessed Mother, to walk always close to Her, not following any other path that leads to life, except the one trod by our Mother.”
~Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Benedict XVI said of Pope John Paul II
“All of us were aware of his great love for the Mother of God. To give everything to Mary meant being, with her, totally for the Lord. Just as Mary did not live for herself but for him, so also he learned from her — and from being with her, a complete and rapid devotion to Christ.”

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you sister for displaying this wonderful prayer of Saint Louis.
There are those who would really appreciate reading this and those who will not be convinced no matter. Why is it that they want to be buried with a Rosary wrapped around their hand but not recite it before they die?

“Those who belong to Mary should do all they can to win the hearts of others to her.
And Mary will enlighten those hearts, enkindle them with the love of her Maternal Heart, and inflame them with the fire of charity that burns in the Divine Heart of Jesus.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“Let us endeavor, like so many elect souls, to follow this blessed Mother, to walk always close to Her, not following any other path that leads to life, except the one trod by our Mother.”
~Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Benedict XVI said of Pope John Paul II
“All of us were aware of his great love for the Mother of God. To give everything to Mary meant being, with her, totally for the Lord. Just as Mary did not live for herself but for him, so also he learned from her — and from being with her, a complete and rapid devotion to Christ.”

Dear brother,

Thanks for your reply, and the quotes from the Saints Maxilmillian Kolbe and Pio and from Pope Emeritus’ words on St. John Paul II. All three quotes were very encouraging to me, and I’m sure to others as well.

As to why people may want to be buried with a Rosary wrapped around their hands, but do not pray the Rosary before they die – it may be to them more a “superstition” or a “lucky charm” than a real devotion to Mary. Again to quote from the classic treatise of St. Louis de Montfort on *True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary *: Authentic devotion to Mary is “interior, trustful, holy, constant and disinterested.”

It is not in the “externals” - for the Rosary is an interior prayer and not merely an external set of beads. It is a prayer in the heart and mind which meditates on the Mysteries of Mary’s Life with Jesus. All our devotions to Mary need to have proper attention and devotion.

Authentic devotion is trustful, knowing how every soul needs to depend on God as Mary did. Trusting in her intercession leads a soul to seek greater union with God in Whom is all holiness. Devotion that is true is constant throughout life - in good times and in hard times – and not just when we feel like it. Finally true devotion is not self-interested, but interested in loving God with Mary.

By God’s Grace may we seek daily to be truly devoted to Mary as were all the saints.