"Redemptoris Mater" by St. John Paul II

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday I began re-reading the Encyclical by Pope St. John Paul II, “Redemptoris Mater” (On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church) signed Mar. 25, 1987. It seemed an appropriate time – going through Holy Week toward Easter – to ponder this beautiful document again. Here are the opening paragraphs:

1. The Mother of the Redeemer has a precise place in the plan of salvation, for “when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Gal. 4:4-6)

With these words of the Apostle Paul, which the Second Vatican Council takes up at the beginning of its treatment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I too wish to begin my reflection on the role of Mary in the mystery of Christ and on her active and exemplary presence in the life of the Church. For they are words which celebrate together the love of the Father, the mission of the Son, the gift of the Spirit, the role of the woman from whom the Redeemer was born, and our own divine filiation, in the mystery of the “fullness of time.”

This “fullness” indicates the moment fixed from all eternity when the Father sent his Son “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16). It denotes the blessed moment when the Word that “was with God…became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:1, 14), and made himself our brother. It marks the moment when the Holy Spirit, who had already infused the fullness of grace into Mary of Nazareth, formed in her virginal womb the human nature of Christ. This “fullness” marks the moment when, with the entrance of the eternal into time, time itself is redeemed, and being filled with the mystery of Christ becomes definitively “salvation time.” Finally, this “fullness” designates the hidden beginning of the Church’s journey. In the liturgy the Church salutes Mary of Nazareth as the Church’s own beginning,3 for in the event of the Immaculate Conception the Church sees projected, and anticipated in her most noble member, the saving grace of Easter. And above all, in the Incarnation she encounters Christ and Mary indissolubly joined: he who is the Church’s Lord and Head and she who, uttering the first fiat of the New Covenant, prefigures the Church’s condition as spouse and mother.

The first sentence of this encyclical is important:

1. The Mother of the Redeemer has a precise place in the plan of salvation, for "when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

God could have sent the Redeemer in any way He chose, but “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman…” That woman, Mary, has a “precise place” in the plan of salvation. St. JPII begins his reflection on Mary with words from the Vatican Council and then adds, “I too wish to begin my reflection on the role of Mary in the mystery of Christ and on her active and exemplary presence in the life of the Church.” It is important to ponder Mary’s precise place in the plan of salvation; St. JPII reminds us:

In the liturgy the Church salutes Mary of Nazareth as the Church’s own beginning, for in the event of the Immaculate Conception the Church sees projected, and anticipated in her most noble member, the saving grace of Easter. And above all, in the Incarnation she encounters Christ and Mary indissolubly joined: he who is the Church’s Lord and Head and she who, uttering the first fiat of the New Covenant, prefigures the Church’s condition as spouse and mother.

There is much to ponder and this is a particularly good time. Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Jesus, I trust in You! Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, pray for us.

 

[Jeanne_S]

I love this encyclical as well and have re read it more than a few times.I just started the 33 Days to Morning Glory Retreat yesterday.John Paul Ii was drawn to his love of Our Mother Mary,through the inspirations of St.Louis De Monofort.

 

[MariaChristi]

I love this encyclical as well and have re read it more than a few times.I just started the 33 Days to Morning Glory Retreat yesterday.John Paul Ii was drawn to his love of Our Mother Mary,through the inspirations of St.Louis De Monofort.

Dear Jeanne S.,

Me too!!! Thanks so much for your reply. God willing, I plan to begin another 33 Day preparation tomorrow on Apr. 10, and renew my Total Consecration on May 13 - Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

This is the 100th Anniversary of Mary’s Apparitions to the three shepherd children at Fatima. I made St. Louis De Montfort’s 33 day preparation and renewed my Consecration on March 25 (posting several threads on CAF) but this time I want to make it privately and spend far less time on the computer – especially during this holy week.

Today I’m pondering the next few paragraphs from Redemptoris Mater:

1. Strengthened by the presence of Christ (cf. Mt. 28:20), the Church journeys through time towards the consummation of the ages and goes to meet the Lord who comes. But on this journey- and I wish to make this point straightaway-she proceeds along the path already trodden by the Virgin Mary, who “advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and loyally persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross.”

I take these very rich and evocative words from the Constitution Lumen Gentium, which in its concluding part offers a clear summary of the Church’s doctrine on the Mother of Christ, whom she venerates as her beloved Mother and as her model in faith hope and charity.

Shortly after the Council, my great predecessor Paul VI decided to speak further of the Blessed Virgin. In the Encyclical Epistle Christi Matri and subsequently in the Apostolic Exhortations Signum Magnum and Marialis Cultus he expounded the foundations and criteria of the special veneration which the Mother of Christ receives in the Church, as well as the various forms of Marian devotion- liturgical, popular and private-which respond to the spirit of faith.

It is good to remember that our life is a journey – and as St. JPII points out – this path has been trod by our Mother Mary. We can see her as our Model who “advanced in her pilgrimage of faith” so must we grow daily as she did, even in dark moments of trial. Mary “loyally persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross” so too must we, by His Grace, loyally persevere in union with her Son, unto the cross."

On this Palm Sunday, by God’s Grace, may we stand close to Mary, spiritually, as we listen to the Passion narrative at Mass today. Let us venerate with the entire Church, our Mother and Model in faith, hope and above all charity as she stood beneath His Cross with John.