"...we must not tire of learning from Mary..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The title of this thread quotes Pope Francis’ message to the 19th Public Session of the Pontifical Academies held Nov. 20 in Rome. It was organized this year by the International Marian Pontifical Academy on the theme: “Mary, Icon of God’s Infinite Beauty. The Marialis Cultus, and the Marian-Mariological Teaching of Blessed Paul VI.

Pope Francis spoke of Pope Paul VI’s great devotion to Mary and then referred to his own devotion to Mary:

…On the day after the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization, in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I also entrusted the Church’s journey to the maternal and solicitous intercession of Mary, reminding all believers that, “there is a Marian style in the Church’s evangelizing activity. Because, every time we look at Mary we again believe in the revolutionary force of tenderness and affection. In her we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong, who do not need to mistreat others to feel important. This dynamic of justice and tenderness, of contemplation and of going out to others, is what makes her an ecclesial model for evangelization” (n. 288).

Therefore, we must not tire of learning from Mary, of admiring and contemplating her beauty, of allowing ourselves to be guided by her who always leads us to the original source and the fullness of the authentic, infinite beauty of God, revealed to us in Christ, Son of the Father and Son of Mary…( full text is HERE)

By God’s Grace may we never tire of obeying Jesus’ words: “Behold your Mother”. May we learn from her, especially during the Advent Season to long for His Coming.

 

[DoGodsBidding]

Amen.

 

[fred_conty]

Pope Francis stressed the tenderness of Mary.

This is the very point of why Mary is approached so easily. It isn’t because she was holy and bore Jesus.

It isn’t because she is humble or full of faith. But…tender…approachable…caring. A good mother has this quality…tenderness…openness.

And Jesus looked down and said, “Behold your mother”. He gave to us … tenderness.

Mary most tender, pray for all your children.

 

[FaustinaJulia]

Now, more then any other time of my entire life, I realize how true these words are.
Ave Maria

 

[MariaChristi]

Amen.

Dear DoGod’sBidding,

Thanks for your “Amen”

 

[MariaChristi]

Now, more then any other time of my entire life, I realize how true these words are.
Ave Maria

Dear FaustinaJulia,

As dear little St. Therese of Lisieux so wisely said, “Everything is Grace”. I too realize with every Grace God gives me each moment of every day that Mary teaches us what she taught the servants at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you”. We need to listen to Jesus speaking to us through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. The Pope’s words are so important:

…we must not tire of learning from Mary, of admiring and contemplating her beauty, of allowing ourselves to be guided by her who always leads us to the original source and the fullness of the authentic, infinite beauty of God, revealed to us in Christ, Son of the Father and Son of Mary…

Not only must we not tire of admiring and contemplating her beauty but also we must not tire of allowing ourselves to be guided by her who always leads us to the original source and the fullness of the authentic, infinite beauty of God, revealed to us in Christ, Son of the Father and Son of Mary

Advent which begins this Sunday can be a very special time for us to draw closer to Jesus living in Mary. May we not squander God’s Grace, but give ourselves as Mary did – completely to Him!

 

[MariaChristi]

Pope Francis stressed the tenderness of Mary.

This is the very point of why Mary is approached so easily. It isn’t because she was holy and bore Jesus.

It isn’t because she is humble or full of faith. But…tender…approachable…caring. A good mother has this quality…tenderness…openness.

And Jesus looked down and said, “Behold your mother”. He gave to us … tenderness.

Mary most tender, pray for all your children.

Dear fred,

Pope Emeritus (Benedict XVI) wrote in the book, Mary, The Church at the Source:

…In her, God’s maternal affliction is open to view. In her we can behold it and touch it. She is the “compassio” (suffering with) of God, displayed in a human being who has let herself be drawn wholly into God’s mystery. It is because human life is at all times suffering that the image of the suffering Mother…is of such importance for Christianity. The Pieta completes the picture of the Cross because Mary is the accepted Cross, the Cross, communicating itself in love, the cross that now allows us to experience in her compassion, the compassion of of God… (pp. 78 - 79)

One of my favorite icons is Our Lady of Tenderness, in which Mary is holding her Son as an infant but her eyes are not on Him but looking out to us. In beholding our Mother we see God’s Tenderness looking at us. She is filled with His Grace, filled with His Life as we are all called to be. We are all called to holiness – to be holy as He is Holy – to be tender and compassionate as He is. Human tenderness alone can be led astray and become mere sentimentality or worse misguided and false. Some mothers “spoil” their children with a false love that can be self-love disguised. It is because of Mary’s union with God, and His Holiness that she is truly tender and filled with His True Love for us.

Thanks for your reply, Fred, and for your love of our holy and tender Mother Mary