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FATHER PABLO T. GADENZ
For this reason, he explains, the angel at the Annunciation showed her reverence, saying “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.”18
MATER DEI: THE HIGHEST OF GOD’S CREATURES
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chastity (Lk 1:34: “Since I know not man”).23 Other virtues could easily be added, for example, Mary’s faith (Lk 1:38: “Be it done to me according to your word,” and Lk 1:45: “Blessed is she who believed”), and her charity in visiting Elizabeth and at the wedding at Cana.
sometimes raised by theologians, “Was even Mary’s initial grace greater than that of the above the angels, but also Mary at the Annunciation and thus Mary in the initial grace given to her (i.e., at her Immaculate Conception). Commenting on the Annunciation Ineffabilis Deus, When the Fathers and writers of the Church meditated on the fact that the most Blessed Virgin was, in the name and by order of God himself, proclaimed full of grace (cf. Lk 1:28) by the Angel Gabriel when he announced her most sublime dignity of Mother of God, they thought that this singular and solemn salutation, never heard before, showed that the Mother of God is the seat of all divine graces and is adorned with all gifts of the Holy Spirit. […] Hence, it is the clear and unanimous opinion of the Fathers that the most glorious Virgin […] was resplendent with such an abundance of heavenly gifts, with such a fullness of grace and with such innocence, that she is an unspeakable miracle of God—indeed, the crown of all miracles and truly the Mother of God; that she approaches as near to God himself as is possible for a created being; and that she is above all men and angels in glory.19 A contemporary theologian, commenting on this question in light of Pius IX’s teaching, states that “Mary’s initial grace was given her to prepare her to become the Mother of
Mary’s holiness is thus manifested in her living out of the virtues. By imitating Mary, the model of all the virtues, Christians can strive toward the holiness to which they too are called. This is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council: But while in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin (cf. Eph 5:27). And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues.[…] Seeking after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her exalted type, and continually progresses in faith, hope and charity, seeking and doing the will of God in all things.24 The high level of Mary’s holiness should therefore inspire all of us to strive for the heights of holiness, by imitating her virtues. Here it is helpful to recall that the Second Vatican Council also taught the universal call to holiness, a teaching strongly emphasized by Blessed John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, issued at the beginning of the third millennium: First of all, I have no hesitation in saying that all pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness. […] It is necessary therefore to rediscover the the Church Lumen Gentium, dedicated to the “universal call to holiness.”
of a person to be God’s mother; therefore Mary’s initial grace exceeds the grace of any angel or saint.”20 Of course, Mary’s initial fullness of grace does not mean that she did not grow in grace throughout her life, as indeed she did, “for she was a wayfarer and
ecclesiology with a kind of spiritual veneer, but to make the call to holiness an intrinsic and essential aspect of their teaching on the Church. [...] This as
the possibility of a continuous increase in grace exists. We can say that Mary’s initial
turn becomes a task, which must shape the whole of Christian life: “This is the
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Holy Mary and the Call to Holiness: Imitating Mary’s Virtues One other comment from Aquinas merits further consideration. In discussing Mary’s fullness of grace over and above the grace of other saints, he says that “[s]he practiced the works of all the virtues, while other saints were conspicuous in certain particular virtues. […] But the Blessed Virgin is an example of all virtues.”22 By way of example, he then mentions how she is a model of humility (Lk 1:38: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord,” and Lk 1:48: “For he has regarded the humility of his handmaid”) and of
only certain Christians: “All the Christian faithful, of whatever state or rank, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity” [Lumen Gentium, 40]. […] [I]t would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity. To ask catechumens: “Do you wish to receive Baptism?” means at the same time to ask them: “Do you wish to become holy?” It means to set before them the radical nature of the Sermon on the Mount: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). As the Council itself explained, this ideal of perfection must
INSTITUTE FOR CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY
IM M AC ULATE C O N C EP TIO N S EM IN ARY S C H O O L O F TH EO LO G Y