Mary our Mother

From the Address of Pope Saint Paul VI, at the conclusion of the third session of the Second Vatican Council

(November 21, 1964: AAS 56 [1964], 1015-1016)

Mary, Mother of the Church

“Taking into consideration the close ties by which Mary and the Church are bound together, to the glory of the Blessed Virgin and for our consolation, We declare Mary Most Holy to be Mother of the Church, that is, of the whole Christian people, faithful and Pastors alike, who invoke her as their most loving Mother; and We establish that by this sweetest of names the whole Christian people should henceforth give still greater honor to the Mother of God and offer her their supplications.

Venerable Brothers, this concerns a title by no means new to Christian piety; indeed the Christian faithful and the universal Church choose to invoke Mary principally by the name of Mother. In truth, this name belongs to the genuine nature of devotion to Mary, since it rests firmly on that very dignity with which Mary is endowed as the Mother of the Incarnate Word of God.

Just as the Divine Motherhood is the basis both for Mary's unique relationship with Christ and for her presence in the work of human salvation accomplished by Christ Jesus, so likewise, it is principally from the Divine Motherhood that the relationships which exist between Mary and the Church flow. Mary is indeed the Mother of Christ who, at the moment he assumed human nature in her virginal womb, joined to himself, as Head, his Mystical Body, which is the Church. Mary, therefore, as Mother of Christ, must also be regarded as Mother of all the faithful and Pastors alike, that is to say, of the Church.

Herein lies the reason why we, though unworthy and weak, yet in a spirit of trust and with ardent filial love, raise our eyes to her. She who once gave us Jesus, the fount of heavenly grace, cannot fail to offer her maternal help to the Church, especially at this time in which the Spouse of Christ strives with greater zeal to fulfill her salvific mission.

These closest of bonds between our heavenly Mother and the human race urge Us, moreover, to foster and further strengthen this confidence. Even though she has been enriched with superabundant and wondrous gifts from God so as to be made worthy to be Mother of the Incarnate Word, nevertheless, Mary is very near to us. Like us, she is a child of Adam and so too our sister on account of our common human nature; she was preserved from the stain of original sin by reason of the future merits of Christ, but she added to these gifts received from on high the example of her own perfect faith and so merited the proclamation in the Gospel: ‘Blessed are you who have believed.’

In this mortal life she embodied the perfect form of a disciple of Christ, she was the mirror of all virtues, and in her manner of life exemplified fully those beatitudes proclaimed by Christ Jesus. Consequently, the universal Church, while she lives out the many facets of her life and in her active zeal, draws from the Virgin Mother of God the peerless example of how to imitate Christ perfectly.”

Mary as Mother

What merits does Mary have to be mother of all Christians? What authority? For what reason should she love wretched sinners, who murder her son in front of her; for all who sin participated in crucifying Christ

First let us take from the words of St. Pius VI. “Mary is indeed the Mother of Christ who, at the moment He assumed human nature in her virginal womb, joined to himself, as Head, his Mystical Body, which is the Church. Mary, therefore, as Mother of Christ, must also be regarded as Mother of all the faithful and Pastors alike, that is to say, of the Church.” Mary gave birth to, and was mother of, the head of the church. Are we to suppose that a mother would only love the head of a child, and not its body? If we really are Christ’s body, and Christ is our head, then God is our Father and Mary is our mother; the first by adoption through Christ, the later by a profound mystery of love that lifts all things heavenward. We learn in John’s gospel, that at the very scene of our crimes Jesus gave us his mother when John says, “When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” and from that hour, the disciples took her to his own home.” And how beautiful a mother we have, for what kind of heart could not only forgive those who murdered their child, but adopt those murders, love them, and care for them with a mother’s care. There is a twofold mystery here in addition to the church receiving its mother.

The first is in the choosing of the word ‘Woman’. Did not Jesus call God the father “Abba”, which is most closely resemble to Papa. Then why would he not call his mother with the same degree of familial love? Because this is John who soars like an Eagle on the heights of contemplation, and as is noted by Thomas Aquinas, has written his gospel to refute heresies. It is my opinion that, John uses the word “woman” because in Mary is the fulfillment of God’s prophecy in Genesis, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman”. Thus, when Jesus titled his mother as “woman” He is declaring her as the new Eve, the new mother of all the living. And as the new Eve, Marry would not take from the tree of life in disobedience and pride, but would undo Eve’s sin by humbly and obediently giving up the fruit of her womb, which was life itself, to be nailed on a tree. What a poetic undoing of humanities fall.

The second mystery, reveals what our relationship should be with our new Eve, our new mother. We are to take her into the home of our heart. Mary is not to be a distant mother, a queen from a far, but she is to be a mother most dear to us. Let us reflect again on some of the words that Saint Pius the VI has for us to confirm our heavenly Queen Mother: “She who once gave us Jesus, the fount of heavenly grace, cannot fail to offer her maternal help to the Church”. And further more, “These closest of bonds between our heavenly Mother and the human race urge Us, moreover, to foster and further strengthen this confidence.”

But how did such a woman garner for herself such a place in the heavenly kingdom? “Who is my mother? And Who are my brothers… For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” I love this passage because it is very cheeky. Why did Jesus say this? Because as the God who is love, he yearns to spend an eternity with us; thus He shows us that path to eternal friendship. As the truth, He dispels the darkness of false notions. As the way, He reveals to us the path, or means, of how we are to be a beloved child of God. When Jesus is speaking about these words, it seems He is primarily trying to reveal to us how to be real sons and daughters of the ever living God; but I would say, there is also a secondary teaching in these words.

I would say that Jesus is showing exactly how Mary became the mother of God in time. She received Gabriel’s message, the word of God, perfectly through obedience and faith; and in so doing bore them into this world. But you see, this is how I see Jesus is being cheeky. For the very moment that his mother is looking for him, he speaks what appears to a contradictory line.

If we look carefully at what He is saying, we realize he is absolutely speaking of Mary and showing us the way. “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Brothers and sisters it is possible for us to become Christ’s brothers and sisters, but it is impossible for any of us to become his mother. We know there can be only one Theotokos. So, if Christ is telling us the pathway to becoming his mother, he’s not trying to make us mothers of Himself, but he is revealing to us the divine economy of how Mary became his mother. This is a profound mystery, God has a genius humor that He reveals to us in His word. In what I perceive as divine humor, Jesus’ words which appear to be contradicting Mary’s position, actually affirm it, and shows us the pathway to becoming His family, pure genius.

So let us entrust ourselves to our divine mother without fear. For we do not have to fear honoring Mary more and more. Brothers and sisters are we not called her to imitate Christ? Do you think that Christ loved his mother less than you do today? Then why would you worry about increasing your love Jesus’ Mother Mary? Love like Christ loves, let your heart be inflamed by love until it looks like our Lord’s most sacred heart. I believe Saint Pius is VI to be affirming my words when he says, “Herein lies the reason why we, though unworthy and weak, yet in a spirit of trust and with ardent filial love, raise our eyes to her”

A final reflection, what is the path to salvation especially in this era where it seems the most intellectual of Christians are those who are the most poised to make it to heaven. If you want to know the path to sainthood, you have the words from our Lord in scripture, you also have the example of Mary, as well as example of Christ himself, as well as the example of all the saints. Mary’s path to heaven was perfectly living out her role as mother of God, and that is the reality of how simple sainthood is, too live in perfect relationship with God by simply saying “Yes” to His great invitations. Let us learn to imitate Christ by reflecting and calling upon our mother in heaven as Saint Pius the VI would say: “Consequently, the universal Church, while she lives out the many facets of her life and in her active zeal, draws from the Virgin Mother of God the peerless example of how to imitate Christ perfectly.”