Mary-Mother of God
The basis of Mary's greatness is that she was chosen to be the mother of God and accepted.
We can see this in the scripture of where Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth.
Luke 1:43 "Whence is it the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
It is from his mother Mary that Jesus acquired the hypostatic union of divinity and humanity.
Because the relationship between mother and son is a personal relationship and Mary's Son is a divine person, Mary is truly the mother of God.
However, Jesus derived only his humanity and not his divinity from her.
In the beginning, it was greatly contested whether Mary really was the mother of God.
One side the Docetists maintained that Jesus had only an apparent body and only seemed to suffer and die.
The other side opposed this error by defending the reality of Jesus' humanity.
In the fifth century, Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, held that there were two persons in Christ.
Mary gave birth to the human person in whom the divine person dwelt.
Therefore, Mary was the christokos (Christ-bearer) but not theotokos (God-bearer or mother of God).
Cyril of Alexander was a vigorous opponent of Nestorius.
In the Council of Ephesus (431) condemned Nestorius view.
During this council, the eternal Son of the Father is Himself the one who was born of Mary, died and rose.
It was determined that Jesus was the one subject of the saving mystery; and Mary is the mother of God.
Mary-Mother of Men
Mary is the spiritual mother of the human race because by bearing Christ she gave divine life to the human race.
Then she cooperated with her divine Son in the redemption of mankind.
In the fifth century, Saint Peter Chrysologus spoke of Mary's motherhood of men.
Pope Saint Gregory the Great thought of Mary as the mother of the Church in the seventh century.
Even recent popes have recognized Mary as the spiritual mother of mankind.
Pius X and Pius XII regarded Mary as the mother of Christ's mystical body.
Paul VI declared Mary to be "the mother of the Church, that is, of the entire Christian people, both faithful and pastors.
Vatican II called Mary the mother of men in the order of grace.
Mary and the Church
1 Timothy 2:5-6: "for there is but one God and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself - a redemption for all."
However Mary's function as mother of men helps demonstrate the power of the mediation of Jesus.
Mary's salutary influence originates in the disposition of God.
It flows from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it.
It does not hinder in any way the immediate union of the faithful with Christ but does foster it.
In the designs of true providence she was the gracious mother of the divine redeemer here on earth.
Above everything else she was the associate and humble handmaid of the Lord.
She conceived, brought forth, and nourished Christ.
She presented him to the Father in the temple, and shared her Son's sufferings as he died on the cross.
Thus in a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the savior in restoring supernatural life to souls.
For this reason she is the mother of the Church in the order of grace.
The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary, which it constantly experiences and recommends to the heartfelt attention of the faithful.
By Mary's maternal help the faithful may more closely adhere to the Mediator and Redeemer.
Mary as Mediatrix
1 Timothy 2:5 states that Christ is the one mediator between God and men.
By his atoning life, death and resurrection Christ reconciled God and men.
Mary is a mediatrix because she had a role in the atonement of her Son by consenting to his incarnation, caring for him, and sharing his sufferings on Calvary.
Also Mary obtains for us by her prayers the fruits of reconciliation which she acquired in subordination to her Son.
Several recent Popes have explicitly applied the title mediatrix to Mary.
Therefore, the entire body of the faithful pours forth urgent supplications to the Mother of God.
Since she is exalted above all the angels and saints, she can intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints that all people may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity..
May is the month we set aside in honor of our Blessed Mother.
As May comes to an end let us remember, the rest of the year what Mary endured with and through her Son for us and for our redemption
