Mary and Her Mediation: Part II
Mary, Mediator of Grace in Christ and the Holy Spirit
When examining patristic literature and, in general, Marian piety, we observe that Mary is not typically considered in herself, but always in relation to men and to God. The concrete experience of the Virgin’s nearness in the difficulties of men and the effectiveness of her intervention gave rise to the doctrine of Mary’s mediation. The narrative of the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12), where Mary intercedes with her Son to perform the first sign of turning water into wine, has been for the Church an evangelical affirmation of the effectiveness of Mary’s intercession. As early as the third century, we find ‘To Your Protection’ (Sub tuum praesidium), where the Christian community in Egypt, facing the danger of persecution, asks to be freed from it. The Church Fathers interpret this experience by attributing to Mary the title of Mediator, as is the case with Romanus the Melode (6th century), who puts these words in Mary’s mouth:“I have come into the world to reverse the reign of suffering. I, the one full of grace […] Then, put a stop to tears: accept me as your mediator before him who was born of me, for the author of joy is God himself, eternally begotten. Do not be any more irritated. Remove all turmoil: I am going to him, full of grace.”In the same context, we find German of Constantinople (d. 733) stating that Mary “was mediator above all through her supernatural birth and now through her maternal assistance,” and Andrew of Crete (d. 740) presents the Virgin as a mediator between the divinity of God and the humanity of the flesh, as well as between the law and grace.During the Middle Ages, a new literary genre emerges, the *Miracula*, which were collections of Marian miracles. In the Lusitanian context, we find the *Cantigas de Santa Maria* (Songs of Saint Mary) of King Afonso X, the Wise (1221-1284), still in the Galician-Portuguese language. These songs had a profound influence on the experience of Mary’s presence, conveying her powerful intercession. The title of *mediatrix* appears in the famous *Legenda Theophili*, which tells the story of a vicar who makes a pact with the devil for honors and wealth, signing a contract (chirograph) ceding his soul. Mary appears to him and reproaches his behavior. Teófilo prays to the Virgin in confident trust for salvation. Three days later, Mary returns, restoring the chirograph taken from Satan’s possession, which the penitent sinner burns in the presence of the people. This narrative clearly shows that medieval writers view Mary as a mediator. It is therefore no surprise that Saint Bernard refers to the announcement of the angel when Mary: “being already filled with the Holy Spirit… became, for our sake, a full giver (nobis superplena e supereffluens) so that all of us might receive from such abundance.” Saint Bernard then introduces *mediatio apud Christum* (mediation alongside Christ), which sparked numerous observations from the Lutheran reform.In modern times, the doctrine of Mary as mediator is discussed at the Second Vatican Council, leading to extensive and heated debates. This underscores the need to balance and clarify the Catholic doctrine on this point without employing an abstract and inappropriate methodology. The Council does not accept the expression ‘mediator of all graces’ attributed to Mary, as it creates a misunderstanding with Christ’s sole mediation and because it enters into a theological discussion with incompatible positions. In this sense, the rule of prudence and the use of terms expressing the same reality, such as *multiple intercession* and *maternal charity*, are appropriate. The Church can thus invoke Mary with titles such as advocate, helper, aid, and mediator (Mediatrix), as in *Lumen Gentium* (Light of the Peoples).62), for the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude, but rather evokes in creatures a varied, participatory cooperation with the unique source. It is in this sense that we legitimately recognize, with unanimity in the Catholic world, while full of God’s gifts, Mary as Our Lady of Grace.
From Grace to Grace
The central event of the Bible is grace, understood as divine benevolence and free gift that permeates the Testaments, culminating in the Gospel of Grace. The revelation of divine love for creatures so that they may participate in the trinitarian life is the highest gift God bestows on his creatures. It is love that God brings to creatures, and it is infused into the faithful, overflowing to submerge all creation.
Unfortunately, history has not always understood the Gospel correctly, and time and again, grace has been objectified, quantified instead of qualified. Such is the case with the Bernardine image of Christ as head, through whom grace flows to the faithful via Mary, which is no longer appropriate in the light of modern mariological development and terminological consciousness. This image, in all sincerity of faith, sought to express theosis, the dialectical event, the vital relationship of humanization between Creator and creature.
Grace as a Dialectical Event
When we contemplate the breadth of Sacred Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, we see that it is not a text that speaks specifically about God, but rather presents the dialogue over millennia between God and man, from Adam to Mary and to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem. In this context, when we speak of *Grace*, we refer to an event linked to the Incarnation of the Word in Mary, where God becomes one with us in the fullness of time, bestowing upon us grace upon grace (John 1:16). Thus, *Grace* is a space of dialogue between God and man, encompassing the free gift of love that God offers, and the human response in kind. It is the Gospel of *Grace*. Therefore, *Grace* cannot destroy the nature of man, as it would negate free will, but rather it awakens the person and guides them along the path. God initiates creation, but it is not a gift that obstructs man’s freedom. The gratuity of *Grace* does not permit a detachment from the world, as mistakenly understood in the past. *Grace* being a relationship involves the person who receives it, transforming it into a true gift, as it is a personal encounter between God, in the salvific event of Christ as the Word of the Father, and man, who in turn returns the gift coherently (*parable of the talents*). We are not referring to moments but to a long educational process in which man is restored to his original truth through the Incarnation of the Word, until God is all in all (*theósis*) (1 Corinthians 15:28).To delve deeper into the topic of Mary’s mediation, read Pope Saint John Paul II’s encyclical *Redemptoris Mater*, which explores Mary’s maternal mediation in the mystery of Christ and the Church.For further study, explore Mariology, Marian Theology, Marian Apparitions, and the Postgraduate Program in Mariology.Graduate Studies in Mariology
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This article arises from the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Postgraduate Mariology program takes you to the same sources, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary issues.
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