We suggest this intention : on this first Saturday, let us offer our prayers and sacrifices in order to atone for the blasphemies against the divine maternity of Our Lady by those who, at the same time, refuse to consider Her as their mother.
« I believe in God … and in God the Son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary …. » (the Apostles’ Creed)
« And the Word was made flesh … » (St John, 1, 14). In order to confirm the union of the human and divine nature in the person of Jesus Christ, against Nestorius’ heresy, fundamental element of our Faith, the Council of Ephesus (431) presided by Saint Cyrillus of Alexandria, called Our Lady « Theotokos », this is Mother of God. Therefore, the popular tradition honouring Our Lady as « mother of Jesus », the Son of God, encouraged Pope Celestin I to confirm the hypostatic union of the two natures (human and divine) of Jesus Christ. «How can She not be the Mother of God, She whose Son is God ? », said Saint John Damascène.
Our Lady entered the mystery of the Holy Trinity in a way that we, human beings, cannot understand. Through Her « fiat », She gave the Son of God the immaculate humanity which was Hers. By carrying the Word of God in her womb, She became the Mother of God. By combining, in Our Lady’s virginal womb, the human and divine nature of Christ, God enabled all human beings to share His own divinity.
At the foot of the cross, Our Lady, whose primary mission was to give Jesus to us, became our mother too. While dying on the cross, Our Lord established Mary, in the person of Saint John, as mother of all human beings. « Woman, this is your Son » (Saint John, 19, 26-27). We are at the centre of the mystery of the coredemption. The Church, mystical spouse of Jesus Christ, is also entrusted to Our Lady, her spiritual mother.
« This maternity is not only the source and foundation of all the exceptional sanctity of Mary and of her particular participitaiton in the salvation of the world. It also maintains a maternal link with the Church because She was chosen by the Most Holy Trinity as Mother of Christ … (Col. 1. 18)
On Maundy Thursday, before leaving His apostles, Jesus told them : « If you love Me, keep my commandments, and I shall ask my Father to give you the Paraclete (Advocate, Intercessor, Comforter) to be with you for ever. On that day, you will know that I am in my Father, and you in Me and I in you… (St John, 14, 15-21)
Our Lady and the apostles were praying while waiting for « their Advocate », who was going to be given to them fully on the day of Pentecost. By the presence of Our Lady when the Holy Spirit came upon each of the Apostles, God confirms the spiritual maternity of His mother. God wants His Mother to be honoured as Mediator of all graces, as Mother of Jesus Christ, God-made-Man, as Mother of the Church and of all human beings.
Our Lady, Mother of God, Mother of Christ, Mother of divine grace, Mother of our Creator, Mother of our Saviour, refuge of sinnners, Queen of apostles, relief of Christians, Queen of peace, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.