MARY'S dignity as the Mother of God carries with it the divine guarantee of freedom from the common disgrace which the children of Eve are heir to.
Since the Son of God must not be associated even remotely with sin, Mary was completely preserved from all sin from the first moment of her existence. Thus Mary could give to her Son, a human nature beautiful and pure, untouched by sin.
Jesus Christ took His human body to heaven. This leads us to believe without hesitation that Christ would not let the source of His own body, which is the body of His Mother, to be subject to the natural consequences of sin.
“The flesh of Jesus is the flesh of Mary; I mean the flesh which Jesus has glorified in His resurrection, since that glorious flesh is and remains identically the same as that which He took from His Mother... Was it fitting to separate, as it were, this two-fold body of the Virgin: one living in heavenly glory, the other corrupting in the tomb? No! As long as there is no authoritative teacher openly opposed to me, I will believe that they are united.” Thus speaks the writer hidden under the name of St. Augustine (Pseudo-Augustinus).
Hence, we may sum up with Denis the Carthusian:
“Does it not belong to the goodness of the Lord to safeguard the honor of His Mother, Who came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it? As during her life He has honored His well-beloved mother and has adorned her with exceptional grace, so in death He has surrounded her with a unique honor... Would He Who honors so magnificently the bodies of other saints have left the body of His Mother in dishonor? When He Himself declares, `glorify those who glorify Me,' how will He not glorify in the most sublime way her who glorified Him to the utmost from her conception to her death? At least admit that He Who is liberal towards all and full of generosity does not show Himself parsimonious and guarded with His gifts towards His Mother!”
IV. Practical Application
Union with God.
Mother and Child are physically one. Mary and her Child are moreover, morally one. Mary's thoughts and desires are those of her Divine Son, Her heart beats in unison with His Heart.
Mary was “full of grace” when the angel announced to her that she would become the Mother of God. But her intimate union with the Son of God did not lessen her personal sanctity. On the contrary, she soared even higher in love and perfection.. Using her free will and cooperating with the grace of God she conformed to the spirit of her Son in all things. And she did this continually until the end of her life.
At the root of her sublime sanctity, we find her deep unshaken humility. “He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid” (Luke 1, 48). Mary's humility won for her the surpassing dignity of Mother of God. Humility was her constant disposition, “He that hath done great things in me” (Luke 1,). Without humility, we cannot have the least resemblance to Jesus and Mary.
V. Resolution
In order to be united with Jesus and Mary, I shall always remember that all that I am, and all that I have, and all that I can do, is from God and belongs to God.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer
Bestow on Thy servants, we beg Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that we, for whom the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of salvation, may be blessed with peace forevermore. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
