Trinity Sunday and Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Some time ago, I wrote an article entitled: “Trinity Sunday and Mary”. I’d like to share it with you today in preparation for this Sunday on which we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trintiy. It begins with these words:

The Feast of the Holy Trinity is an opportunity to ponder Mary living the great joy of Pentecost. Her relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit continued to grow after Pentecost – as did that of all the disciples. They had received “power from on high”, and Mary was to care for the young Church, as she had cared for Jesus!

The Indwelling of the Trinity had been infused into the soul of Mary from her Immaculate Conception, and Mary continued growing in her fullness of Grace. When the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and Jesus became flesh in her womb, what a wonder! How humbly and lovingly her “Yes” continued, and now she continues to “mother” Him in every soul who receives Him!

Your can finsh reading the article (which is not long) HERE. Comments are always welcomed.

 

[1neophyte]

It’s even better to ponder the Trinity on this feast.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

It’s even better to ponder the Trinity on this feast.

Second that. Not every celebration of the Godhead needs to be mediated through the lens of Mary, no matter how worthy a human she undoubtedly is.

 

[porthos11]

Second that. Not every celebration of the Godhead needs to be mediated through the lens of Mary, no matter how worthy a human she undoubtedly is.

Third that. The Trinity, as a core mystery of the faith, is something that will never be grasped sufficiently in this life, which means we can always ponder and reflect on the mystery itself. After all, one cannot love what what does not know. As said, not everything, especially something as core as this, needs to be Mary-ized.

If anything, Mary points us to God, not God pointing us to Mary. On Trinity Sunday, let’s reflect on the Trinity, the Godhead himself. Our Lady would ask no less of us.

 

[drforjc]

I think it is lovely. Unlike the other posters, I do not see an either/or dichotomy. One can easily contemplate the mystery itself, as well as looking at it in relation to Our Lady.

 

[MariaChristi]

It’s even better to ponder the Trinity on this feast.

Dear 1neophyte, and also Tarpeian Rock

Yes, you are free to ponder as you wish, and it is not my intention to begin any debate here. My purpose is simply to admire God’s Love in all He has done for us. Mary is a special gift as to us as a human person whom He has given to us as Mother and Model.

In the Catechism we read this:

971 “All generations will call me blessed”: “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is ***intrinsic ***to Christian worship.” The Church rightly honors “the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of ‘Mother of God,’ to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs… This very special devotion … differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration.” The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an “epitome of the whole Gospel,” express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.

The word “intrinsic” is underlined and in bold to stress the importance of Mary in the teaching of the Catholic Church. The Catechism has the word in italics but I think some people miss the word which means “essential”. Mary is not just an “extra” gift but God chose to send His Son through Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus also draws attention to His Mother by His Words, “Behold your Mother”. Mary’s union with the Trinity is important for us because we are called into union with God as well and she is the perfect human example of how God desires us to say “Yes” to His Plan for us.

 

[1neophyte]

Just so I’m clear, it is not your intention to start a debate, and yet you’re presenting your side of the debate?

 

[MariaChristi]

Third that. The Trinity, as a core mystery of the faith, is something that will never be grasped sufficiently in this life, which means we can always ponder and reflect on the mystery itself. After all, one cannot love what what does not know. As said, not everything, especially something as core as this, needs to be Mary-ized.

If anything, Mary points us to God, not God pointing us to Mary. On Trinity Sunday, let’s reflect on the Trinity, the Godhead himself. Our Lady would ask no less of us.

Dear porthos,

Of course the Trinity is a mystery that we can never fully grasp, and we do well to ponder God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with great thanksgiving for our Baptism when we were given a share in Divine Life and the Trinity began to indwell us. However, God so loved the world he sent His Son born of at woman and the Woman’s name is Mary. Mary is very Important to God. Jesus on the Cross told us “Behold your Mother”. You are right that Mary points to God in her humility and as our Model to put God First. St. Louis de Montfort wrote that Mary is the “echo” of God. We say "Mary and she says “God”. We see this clearly in her Magnificat.

As I just replied to the first two posters, you are certainly free to ponder as you wish but I think you are missing a great helper in Mary our Mother and Model. The Church honors Mary as the Unique Woman in His Plan, and considers its devotion to Mary as “intrinsic” to Christian worship. I quoted CCC 971 which uses this important word “intrinsic” meaning “essential” in my first reply, but let me quote just a bit more form the Catechism:

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) 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.”

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.”

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.” “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.”

I am not here to debate, as I’ve said you are free to ponder as you will, but I want to encourage Catholics in to be less influenced by those who want to pay less and less attention to Mary and forsake the Mother whom Jesus has given that we may learn from her how to know, love and praise the Trinity better than simply pondering by ouselves!

 

[1neophyte]

I am not here to debate,

Could have fooled me.

 

[MariaChristi]

I think it is lovely. Unlike the other posters, I do not see an either/or dichotomy. One can easily contemplate the mystery itself, as well as looking at it in relation to Our Lady.

Dear drforjc.

Thanks so much for your encouraging reply. So happy you can see the choice each person has.

Many Catholics seem to have lost a sense of the Church’s devotion to Mary and the teachings of the Church regarding Mary’s Place in God’s Plan. I’ve posted this quote from Pope St. John Paul II before, but wisdom from the saints is worth repeating:

…Where the Mother is, there too is the Son. When one moves away from the Mother, sooner or later he ends up keeping distant from the Son as well. It is no wonder that today, in various sectors of secularized society, we note a widespread crisis of faith in God, preceded by a drop in devotion to the Virgin Mother. (Address Oct. 30,1982)

Mary, Mother and Model of the Church pray for us.
Mary, Praise of the Trinity, pray for us.

 

[drforjc]

Dear drforjc.

Thanks so much for your encouraging reply. So happy you can see the choice each person has.

Many Catholics seem to have lost a sense of the Church’s devotion to Mary and the teachings of the Church regarding Mary’s Place in God’s Plan. I’ve posted this quote from Pope St. John Paul II before, but wisdom from the saints is worth repeating:

Mary, Mother and Model of the Church pray for us.
Mary, Praise of the Trinity, pray for us.

We Lay Carmelites are very devoted to Our Lady, in particular Mary as Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Meditating upon the action of the Trinity in Mary’s soul can help us to see how He might be active in our souls as well.

 

[MariaChristi]

We Lay Carmelites are very devoted to Our Lady, in particular Mary as Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Meditating upon the action of the Trinity in Mary’s soul can help us to see how He might be active in our souls as well.

Dear drforjc,

Thanks again for your reply here. Your sense of the article is exactly what I was hoping to convey. Mary’s vocation it seems to me was and is always to being Christ into the world. God Promised in Gen. 3:15 and fulfilled His Promise in the glorious gift of the Incarnation of His Son in Mary’s Womb, by the power of His Holy Spirit. As you wrote: “Meditating upon the action of the Trinity in Mary’s soul can help us to see how He might be active in our souls as well.”

I’m reminded of my favorite poem of St. John of the Cross:

The Wayfaring Virgin

The Wayfaring Virgin
Word in her womb
comes walking your way-
Haven’t you room for your Virgin and Mother?
Haven’t you room?
When Bethlehem’s coldness
bids her depart
O say to the virgin:
Come to my heart
with your heavenly burden
Come to my heart.

• St. John of the Cross

I usually think of this poem at Advent time, but every day is really a day to anticipate the Lord’s Coming. When He comes again, the Final Time, no one knows the day or the hour. While we have time, may we, by God’s grace use it well. May we ask our Mother Mary to help us each day to know, to love and to serve God as she did on this earth.

"O Jesus living in Mary, come and live in Thy servants. In the spirit of Thy holiness, in the fullness of Thy might, in the truth of Thy virtues, in the perfection of Thy ways, in the communion of Thy mysteries. Subdue every hostile power in Thy spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen " (Prayer of Fr. Olier)