Mary, Mother of Mercy
We know that from the height of the cross, Jesus turned His dying countenance to His Mother, His sole treasure on earth. "When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother! 'And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home" (Jn:26-27). In the person of John, Jesus had intended to embrace the whole world. St. Bernadine of Sienna said that in those precious moments, Mary became our Mother as well. While Jesus was praying on the cross, Mary was praying beneath it, with the holy women and John. Jesus' Heart was pierced with a lance; Mary's heart was pierced as if by a sword. Luke 2:35 An advance glimpse of Calvary given by Simeon,
We read of Mary's Motherhood with regard to the Church in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In paragraph #964, we read that "Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ's virginal conception up to His death. It is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion: Thus, the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of His suffering, joining herself with His sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to His disciple with these words: 'Woman, behold your Son.'"
And in paragraph #967, "By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to His Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a 'preeminent and ... wholly unique member of the Church;' indeed, she is the `Exemplary realization' of the Church." In paragraphs #968-969 we read, "Her role in relation to the Church and all of humanity goes still further. In a wholly singular way she cooperated by obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason, she is a mother to us in the order of grace. This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she totally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation... . Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix."
Our Blessed Virgin told St. Bridget that no matter how many sins a man has committed, if he comes to her with a desire to change his life, she welcomes him. She is more interested in the sincerity of his desire than in the hatefulness of his sins. She is always ready to soothe and heal the gaping wounds of his soul. That is why her name is "Mother of Mercy." She said that she is always ready to soothe and heal the gaping wounds of one's soul. Just as any good mother would want to soothe her child, so Mary wants to soothe the gaping wounds of our souls. We all know the tenderness and love we feel for our children. Can we imagine our Blessed Mother's tenderness for each one of us? She looks upon each one of us as her own special child. And as her own Son was crucified, we then became her only sons and daughters. What a treasure to have a mother so full of love and grace, ready to give us all that we need, and to draw us closer to her Son! She told St. Faustina that, "I am Mother of you all, thanks to the unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to Me is that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God ... . Be courageous, do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the Passion of My Son, and in this way you will he victorious" (Diary, 449).
Pope John Paul II tells us in his encyclical letter, Rich in Mercy, "No one has experienced, to the same degree as the Mother of the crucified One, the mystery of the cross. No one has received into his heart, as much as Mary did, that mystery, that truly divine dimension of the redemption effected or Calvary by means of the death of the Son, together with the sacrifice of her maternal heart, together with her definitive, `fiat'. Mary then, is the one who has the deepest knowledge of the mystery of God's mercy. She knows its price, she knows how great it is. In this sense, we call her the Mother of Mercy: our Lady of Mercy, or Mother of Divine Mercy. By her maternal charity, she takes care of the brethren of her Son who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties until they are led into their blessed home." (Mercy of God, #9 para 3)
Mary is always trying to point the way to her Son, always leading her children to her Son. In her deep humility and meekness of heart, listen to her words in her canticle from Luke 1:46-50:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,
for He regarded the low estate of His handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; for
He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
and He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity forever."
His Holiness John Paul 11 continues in the encyclical that, "We have every right to believe that our generation too was included in the words of the Mother of God when she glorified that mercy shared in 'from generation to generation' by those who allow themselves to be guided by the fear of God. The words of Mary's Magnificat have a prophetic content that concerns not only the past of Israel but also the whole future of the People of God on earth. In fact, all of us now living on earth are the generation that is aware of the approach of the third millennium and that profoundly feels the change that is occurring in history. (Mercy of God, #10, Para 1)
The Holy Father writes in Redemptoris Mater that, "For every Christian, for every human being, Mary is the one who first believed. And precisely with her faith as Spouse and Mother, she wishes to act upon all those who entrust themselves to her as her children. The more her children persevere and progress in this attitude, the nearer Mary leads them to the unsearchable riches of Christ." Father Richard Foley writes in his hook, Mary and the Eucharist, that "Many of these unsearchable riches of Christ are found in the sacraments of our Church, especially in the Eucharist. Indeed, in the Eucharist they are literally embodied there for beneath the Eucharist's sacramental veil is the living fruit of Mary's womb. And our faith in His presence then is, in turn, the fruit of Mary's shining faith which in the fast place sets the drama of redemption on course."
Given what Vatican II calls the indissoluble bond uniting Mary and her Son, it follows that as Mother of the Eucharistic Jesus, she now remains as closely united with the sacramental sacrifice as with its prototype at Golgotha. In other words the Virgin is present at every Mass with its High Priest and victim, renewing her maternal compassion and exercising her universal intercession. This explains why the mother of the faithful so earnestly desires that we attend Mass frequently and fervently. For thereby we become united in the most sanctifying way possible with Him through the ministry of His ordained priests, makes present before us and for our sakes, in Pope Leo the XHI's phrase, "the memorial of His measureless love for mankind."
Saint Faustina wrote on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, "From early morning, 1 felt the nearness of the Blessed Mother. During Holy Mass, I saw her, so lovely and so beautiful that I have no words to express even a small part of this beauty. She was all in white, with a blue sash around her waist, Her cloak was also blue, and there was a crown on her head. Marvelous light streamed forth from her whole figure. 'I am the Queen of heaven and earth, but especially the Mother of your Congregation.' She pressed me to her heart and said, 'I feel constant compassion for you.' I felt the force of her Immaculate Heart which was communicated to my soul. Now I understand why I have been preparing for this feast for two months and have been looking forward to it with such yearning" (Diary, 805).
As we yearn for heaven and our heavenly Father, let us put our hand into Mary's hand. She will lead us and guide us to her Son and home to our Father in heaven.
"0 Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to Thee."
Our Lady of Guadalupe
The mission statement of the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy calls us to pray and work for an end to abortion, and to help others to become sensitive to the gift and beauty of all life. We want groups to do small acts of mercy with a focus on the "lepers" of today — the rejected, the lonely, the disabled, the elderly, and the dying. Regarding abortion, St. Faustina wrote, "I wanted very much to make a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament today, but God's will was otherwise. At eight o'clock I was seized with such violent pains that I had to go to bed at once. I was convulsed with pain for three hours; that is, until eleven o'clock at night. No medicine had any effect on me, and whatever I swallowed I threw up. At times, the pains caused me to lose consciousness. Jesus had me realize that in this way I took part in His Agony in the Garden, and that He himself allowed these sufferings in order to allow reparation to God for the souls murdered in the wombs..." (Diary, 1276).
In 1531 the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, appeared on four occasions to a poor Indian named Juan Diego. On his cactus fiber cloak, or tilma, she left a miraculous image of herself. Through the image, she evangelized the Indians about God and the necessity of ending human sacrifice. Amazingly, over the next seven years, all human sacrifice ended in Mexico and millions converted to Christianity! Just as then, her intercession is needed now to end the human sacrifice of abortion, and the mentality of the culture of death.
Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego with a message for the local bishop that a chapel be built to honor God. Twice Juan went to the bishop and was rejected. Our Lady told Juan to go a third time and said, "...Come here tomorrow so that you may take the bishop the sign that he has asked for. Go now, I will be waiting for you tomorrow."
Because his uncle was sick and dying, Juan did not do as he was asked. On December 12th, he took a different path from the one where he originally saw Our Lady, hoping that she would not delay his trip to the village for a priest. Nonetheless, She appeared to Juan on this new path, and told him that his uncle was already well and that he was to climb to the top of Tepeyac Hill and gather flowers in his tilma. He climbed to the usually barren top and found beautiful roses which he gathered and took to the bishop. When he reached the bishop, he opened the tilma and the roses fell to the ground, revealing the life-sized miraculous image of Our Lady.
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe reveals Her clothed with the sun and atop a crescent-shaped moon, symbolizing her greatness – more than the sun or the moon gods worshiped by the Aztecs at that time. She is wearing a turquoise blue mantle symbolic of royalty, and a rose-colored gown, symbolic of Divine Love. Her head is tilted down as a position of humility, symbolic of her being a servant of God. The black band around her waist and the four-leaf flower on her gown are symbolic of her being with Child. The small finger on her hand is separated from the others, indicating to the Indians that they must believe in the One True God and the Trinity.
The fabric of the tilma usually lasts only fifteen to twenty years. The miraculous tilma was unprotected and exposed for over a century, and is still radiant and beautiful — over 450 years after the miracle!
As Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy, we promote the beauty of life from conception to natural death, knowing Our Lady is guarding us and feeling reassured in the words she spoke to Juan Diego: "Am I not here, I, who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the folds of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?"
The Blessed Mother is the Mother of Mercy and Mother of the Merciful Savior. As Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist, Mary is also Mother of the Eucharist. She leads us to Him and gives us an example of pure humility, obedience, ardent love of God and complete trust in his will.
Mary's life was full of contradictions. She carried the Son of God in her womb and had many joys, but also many sorrows. Reflecting on her sorrows, we recall the prophecy of Simeon (Lk 2:34-35); the flight into Egypt (Matt 2:13-14); the loss of Jesus in the temple (Lk 2:43-45); the meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross; the Crucifixion (Jn 19:25-27); the taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross; and the burial of Jesus. Each of these must have pierced her heart like a sharp sword and inflicted pain that only a loving mother could understand.
When speaking to Saint Faustina on suffering and humility, Our Blessed Lady told her, "Know, my daughter, that although I was raised to the dignity of the Mother of God, seven swords of pain pierced my heart. Don't do anything to defend yourself; bear everything with humility; God himself will defend you" (Diary, 786). On another occasion, Our Lady told her, "I know how much you suffer, but do not be afraid. I share with you your suffering, and I shall always do so" (Diary, 25).
The Queen of Peace exuded humility, encouraging St. Faustina to learn and practice humility. "My daughter, strive after silence and humility, so that Jesus, who dwells in your heart continuously, may be able to rest. Adore Him in your heart; do not go out from your inmost being" (Diary, 785). Later she wrote, "When I was left alone with the Blessed Virgin, she instructed me concerning the interior life. She said, 'The soul's true greatness is in loving God and in humbling oneself in His presence, completely forgetting oneself and believing oneself to be nothing; because the Lord is great, but He is well-pleased only with the humble; He always opposes the proud' (Diary, 1711).
Our Blessed Lady encouraged St. Faustina to develop a deeply spiritual life in union with Jesus, encouraging her to do only His will. "After Holy Communion, the Mother of God gave me to experience the anxious concern she had in her heart because of the Son of God. But this anxiety was permeated with such fragrance of abandonment to the will of God that I should call it rather a delight than an anxiety. I understood how my soul ought to accept the will of God in all things. It is a pity I cannot write this the way I experienced it. My soul was plunged in deep recollection all day long. Nothing could tear me away from this recollection, neither duties, nor the business I had with lay people" (Diary, 1437). On another occasion Mary told her, " 'I am mother to you all, thanks to the unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to me is that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God.' She gave me to understand that 1 had faithfully fulfilled the will of God and had thus found favor in His eyes. 'Be courageous. Do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the Passion of my Son, and in this way you will be victorious' (Diary, 449).
As Mother of the Eucharist, Mary calls on us to pray for our priests, the ones chosen to bring her Son to the faithful in the Eucharist. "I saw the Mother of God clothed in a white gown, girt about with a golden cincture; and there were tiny stars, also of gold, over the whole garment, and chevron-shaped sleeves lined with gold. Her cloak was sky-blue, lightly thrown over her shoulders. A transparent veil was delicately drawn over her head, while her flowing hair was set off beautifully by a golden crown which terminated in little crosses. Oh her left arm, she held the Child Jesus. A Blessed Mother of this type 1 had not yet seen. Then she looked at me kindly and said 'I am the Mother of God of Priests.' At that she lowered Jesus from her arm to the ground, raised her right hand heavenward and said: '0 God, bless Poland, bless priests' (Diary, 1585).
Mary wants us to think of her as our mother, our Heavenly Mother. "I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the mother of Mercy and your mother" (Diary, 330). Thus Mary is the one to whom we can turn in any circumstance, trusting in her maternal compassion and powerful intercession. And when we struggle with the stresses of life in situations requiring humility, obedience, trust and an ardent love of God, let us ponder the attitude of Mary, the woman of faith so that we can follow her example of trustful surrender to the Lord: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to Your word" (Lk 1:38). Then, just as the merciful Savior became incarnate in her, so the mercy of God can become flesh in our lives as well.
My Merciful Mother
O Most Beautiful One
Mother of Mercy and Love Itself
Let your radiant purity embrace and protect me this day.
Let your virginal mantle of obedience and holiness guide me
And let me walk hand in hand with you
and your loving Son.
Keep my thoughts pure, my words kind and
my heart full of trust in God.
Mother of Love, let me treat others today with kindness and
mercy
Let me be a light on a mountain top guiding others
to your Immaculate Heart,
and through you ... to the Sacred and Merciful Heart of Jesus.
Amen.
Abortion
2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.72 (1703, 357) Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.73 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.74
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.75God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.76
2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. “A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,”77 “by the very commission of the offense,”78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society. (1463)
Euthanasia
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible. (1503) 2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected. (1007)
2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable. Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.