"The Marian Profile"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I went back to the University of Dayton's website, to look again at the article "Mary - A Living Catechism", since it is long with so much to ponder. This especially caught my eye:

...The Marian Profile

The question may be raised as to whether the presentation of Mary in the CCC corresponds to and reflects the underlying theological principles used in the construction of the text. The catechism is built around three theological realities: mystery, economy and sacrament. The mystery of the Trinity reveals itself as presence of inexhaustible love. We call this revelation: economy to signify the active character of this presence as manifested, for example, in Jesus Christ. The active loving presence of God has a permanent character and is of sacramental nature. It is concretized in the Church – sacrament of Jesus Christ – and its other sacraments. If mystery is reflected foremost in the Spirit as pure expression of love, then the economy of salvation is embodied in Jesus Christ and its sacramentality in the Church and its works. Mary, as virgin and mother, in some ways reflects these theological realities of mystery, economy and sacrament:

(1) As masterpiece of the Holy Spirit, she is the human reality which makes God's presence possible without resisting or demeaning it. Her name is transparence, her vocation holiness. She is the faithful conductor of God's mystery, and inaugurates human vocation as a vocation to the Beatitudes. Sinless, predestined, immaculate: these various descriptions of Mary's identity point to the work of the Holy Spirit within her.

(2) Mary's holiness is not self-contained. It has functional or practical significance. She is involved in the progressive realization of God's plan. She becomes an active part and agent of the trinitarian economy through her virginal maternity. Mother of the Incarnation through her Fiat, she is drawn by her Son into a unique cooperation in his salvific work as mother, disciple and associate. This role culminates in her permanent vocation as the woman or mother of the total Christ.

(3) In the sacramental order of salvation Mary's prominent role is that of being a model of the Church. As mentioned previously, the sacramental order reflects the continuous and active loving presence of God in this world. The Church assumes this role, but it is in Mary that she finds her most perfect realization. The CCC is full of references in this regard: Mary is not only in generic and practical ways the Mother of the Church. She is model of prayer, sign of eschatological hope, seat of the Church's wisdom, sign of transparence unto Jesus, supreme model of faith, and, of course, supreme accomplishment of our participation in Christ. Without being a super-sacrament of the Church, Mary is nonetheless a benchmark or litmus test of the true sacramentality of the Church. In conclusion, the CCC allows us to contemplate Mary not only in bits and pieces, determined by functional or utilitarian criteria, but also as compact and comprehensive figure whose identity, role and model character are fashioned and made explicit, thanks to the theological foundations of mystery, economy and sacramentality. (Underlining is mine)

Comments?

Full article is found HERE

 

[chimo]

I have no problem with the words about Mary as she can be a great advocate and support for us and for the Church. However I see a problem that some people will misunderstand these words such as our Protestant brethren who have little knowledge of Mary’s role for and in the Church. I believe however that our catechisms should also stress more her own connection with Her Son and that Jesus to be seen as more involve within the redemption work of men and women. Mary’s role is important but it only has meaning when she is with her Son. The Orthodox Church portrays this role and connection more vividly in her teachings on Mary. The Orthodox Church stresses more she is always connected with her Son and is never apart from Him. However this may be this relationship that exists between mother and son can be often misunderstood. I often teach that Mary is the greatest reflection of Her Son. Her reflection is much like the reflection which shines out from the full moon. Her Son is very much like our Sun in the sky that gives out its light to give us life. The full moon does not reflect its own light but reflects what the Sun gives to it. In the same manner our Holy Mother is the best reflection of that light which issues from her Son. If you will notice the moon always shows its same face towards the earth. In the same manner this is how Mary acts towards the Church. Her gaze is constantly toward the earth and to the Church. This is how I teach about Mary, the greatest co-worker our Lord Jesus would ever have to be at His side in helping Him to achieve the redemption of mankind. The Son and Mother work together much like the Sun and the Moon.

 

[WaitingForJesus]

---

I have no problem with the words about Mary as she can be a great advocate and support for us and for the Church. However I see a problem that some people will misunderstand these words such as our Protestant brethren who have little knowledge of Mary’s role for and in the Church. **I believe however that our catechisms should also stress more her own connection with Her Son and that Jesus to be seen as more involve within the redemption work of men and women. Mary’s role is important but it only has meaning when she is with her Son. The Orthodox Church portrays this role and connection more vividly in her teachings on Mary. The Orthodox Church stresses more she is always connected with her Son and is never apart from Him. **However this may be this relationship that exists between mother and son can be often misunderstood. I often teach that Mary is the greatest reflection of Her Son. Her reflection is much like the reflection which shines out from the full moon. Her Son is very much like our Sun in the sky that gives out its light to give us life. The full moon does not reflect its own light but reflects what the Sun gives to it. In the same manner our Holy Mother is the best reflection of that light which issues from her Son. If you will notice the moon always shows its same face towards the earth. In the same manner this is how Mary acts towards the Church. Her gaze is constantly toward the earth and to the Church. This is how I teach about Mary, the greatest co-worker our Lord Jesus would ever have to be at His side in helping Him to achieve the redemption of mankind. The Son and Mother work together much like the Sun and the Moon.

chimo, I think the Roman Catholic and Orthodox teachings may be closer than you think. I am a Protestant convert and have had many questions about Mary. In one instance, I went to my confessor in confusion about how she accomplishes things in the world. What he said is that Mary’s will is always united with our Lord’s. What she does is what he wants her to do. And because she is totally united to him, she always does his will perfectly. I think that is very much like what you are saying about her always being connected with him. He purpose and all she does flows entirely from him.

Also, I am fairly certain the sun/moon metaphor, was also used by St. Louis de Montfort in his writings. I will see if I can find the reference and will post if I do.

God bless you!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear WaitingForJesus and chimo,

Thank you both for your replies. I agree with you, WaitingForJesus, in your comment to chimo: “the Roman Catholic and Orthodox teachings on Mary are closer than you may think”.

The misunderstanding of many persons who disagree with any of the official teachings of the Catholic Church on Mary, have not read the fullness of what the Church teaches. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states clearly:

CCC 487 - - What the Catholic Faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.

The Church’s teachings are primarily Christological. Everything centers around Jesus. (To continue your analogy of Sun and moon, the Sun is the center of the solar system). Mariology developed in the Church when heresies about Christ arose, and in defending Christ and explaining the Truth of the Incarnation, Mary’s role became clearer. Confusion occurs, it seems to me, when persons do not seek the Truth. Jesus assured the disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring them into the complete Truth:

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church, through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.

It is sad to me when persons seek to discredit the Church without seeking the fullness of the Truth which the Catholic Church teaches, especially when it comes to Mary. Often people have their own opinions and seek rather to prove what they think rather than humbly seek God’s Truth. Unfortunately many Catholics do not always explain their faith well, and devotion to Mary may be misunderstood when people judge the entire Church by the example of someone who may have a false devotion. The Church, nevertheless must continue to speak the Truth which the Holy Spirit gives, without fear of being misunderstood. Our task as sons and daughters of God’s Mother, given to us from His Cross, is to learn the Truth in order to defend her, as God would have us do.

One final word for any who think the Catholic Church “makes too much of Mary” (as if God is offended by our praising His Mother), the saints bear eloquent testimony to their of love of God which inspires their love for His Mother. WaitingForJesus mentioned St. Louis de Montfort, a great defender of Our Lady. To assure people Mary is not divine nor to be “worshiped as God is worshiped” he wrote these strong words in his treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

…14. With the whole Church I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the hands of God is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an atom, or rather is simply nothing, since he alone can say, “I am he who is”. Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things he has only to will them.

1. However, I declare that, considering things as they are, because God has decided to begin and accomplish his greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since he created her, we can safely believe that he will not change his plan in the time to come, for he is God and therefore does not change in his thoughts or his way of acting.

1. God the Father gave his only Son to the world only through Mary…