The Communion of Mary
Part 1, Chapter 3
Part 1, Chapter 3
Mary was baptized in order to be admitted to
participation in the most holy Eucharist.
participation in the most holy Eucharist.
|
If we look for the Son of God’s purpose in the institution of Baptism, we will find that the principal end was to make us worthy and capable of bearing the effects of grace and the divine communications. Jesus Christ did not therefore institute baptism to erase only original sin, but to give us the right to august privileges.
That’s why, although the Virgin Mary is immaculate in her conception, and baptism did not have to erase the stain of original sin in her, she is not dispensed from the reception of this sacrament, being capable of enjoying the other privileges with which it enriches souls. |
St. Maria in Traspontina (Rome)
|
God could not create man for a higher end, than to unite him to Himself in Heaven through the vision of His divine essence, which is the communion of the blessed in Paradise. Jesus Christ could not destine the Christian to an end more heavenly than to form him and admit him to the communion of His body, His soul and His divinity in the most holy Eucharist.
To be admitted to the table of the Lord, however, it was necessary for man to have the right, power and dignity for it. As man, he did not have the right to it, he is too poor; nor the power, he is too weak; nor the dignity, he is too vile. Jesus Christ, whose heart has enough love in order to admit him to His table, will find in His wisdom the means to give him the right to it.
He institutes the sacrament of Baptism for this end, in which He performs with regard to man three loving functions: of father, in engendering him a child of God, which gives him the right to be admitted to His table; of head in uniting him to Himself as His member, which gives him the power to participate in His banquet; finally of sovereign, in marking him with His divine seal, which gives him the august dignity necessary to be received in this angelic feast. It is therefore in virtue of these three privileges that the Christian approaches the table of Jesus Christ, as His son, as a member of His body, and finally, as bearing the imprint of His divine seal.
To be admitted to the table of the Lord, however, it was necessary for man to have the right, power and dignity for it. As man, he did not have the right to it, he is too poor; nor the power, he is too weak; nor the dignity, he is too vile. Jesus Christ, whose heart has enough love in order to admit him to His table, will find in His wisdom the means to give him the right to it.
He institutes the sacrament of Baptism for this end, in which He performs with regard to man three loving functions: of father, in engendering him a child of God, which gives him the right to be admitted to His table; of head in uniting him to Himself as His member, which gives him the power to participate in His banquet; finally of sovereign, in marking him with His divine seal, which gives him the august dignity necessary to be received in this angelic feast. It is therefore in virtue of these three privileges that the Christian approaches the table of Jesus Christ, as His son, as a member of His body, and finally, as bearing the imprint of His divine seal.
In the counsels of God, Mary is destined to the most sublime functions of heaven and earth: as virgin to give birth to Jesus Christ and nourish Him with her milk; as a Christian in order to take Communion and receive the body of her own Son.
To give birth to Jesus Christ and to be raised to the astonishing dignity of Mother of God, it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to give her the graces and dispositions for it. So, the Virgin Mary, as the daughter of Anne and Joachim, had no right to the communion of her Son, which is an extension of the Incarnation; she ought, then, to be baptized in order to receive the right, power and dignity to it.
Mary, according to the sentiment of the most learned the Fathers of the Church, received Baptism, not to be purified from the stain of original sin, (she was born immaculate), but for other privileges attached to this sacrament. One of the most ancient Fathers of the Church, St. Evodius, who succeeded St. Peter in the chair of Antioch, gives assurance in an epistle, entitled: Light, that of all women Jesus Christ baptized only Mary His Mother; and of men, only the apostle St. Peter. St. Peter baptized St. Andrew, St. John and St. James, and these three baptized the other apostles.
Mary, as Mother of God, having nothing above her other than her Son; and St. Peter, as Vicar of Jesus Christ, recognizing no other superior than the same Jesus Christ, it was from the dignity of the maternity of Mary, and of the supreme pontificate of St. Peter, that the one and the other were only baptized by the hands of Jesus Christ. He has therefore exercised, by the Baptism that He conferred on Mary His Mother, three loving functions, father, head and sovereign.
Jesus Christ has therefore given more to Mary through Baptism than He received from her through the Incarnation; she only gave Him a created being which made Him a mortal man, while through Baptism He confers on her a supernatural being of grace, which made her His daughter.
To give birth to Jesus Christ and to be raised to the astonishing dignity of Mother of God, it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to give her the graces and dispositions for it. So, the Virgin Mary, as the daughter of Anne and Joachim, had no right to the communion of her Son, which is an extension of the Incarnation; she ought, then, to be baptized in order to receive the right, power and dignity to it.
Mary, according to the sentiment of the most learned the Fathers of the Church, received Baptism, not to be purified from the stain of original sin, (she was born immaculate), but for other privileges attached to this sacrament. One of the most ancient Fathers of the Church, St. Evodius, who succeeded St. Peter in the chair of Antioch, gives assurance in an epistle, entitled: Light, that of all women Jesus Christ baptized only Mary His Mother; and of men, only the apostle St. Peter. St. Peter baptized St. Andrew, St. John and St. James, and these three baptized the other apostles.
Mary, as Mother of God, having nothing above her other than her Son; and St. Peter, as Vicar of Jesus Christ, recognizing no other superior than the same Jesus Christ, it was from the dignity of the maternity of Mary, and of the supreme pontificate of St. Peter, that the one and the other were only baptized by the hands of Jesus Christ. He has therefore exercised, by the Baptism that He conferred on Mary His Mother, three loving functions, father, head and sovereign.
Jesus Christ has therefore given more to Mary through Baptism than He received from her through the Incarnation; she only gave Him a created being which made Him a mortal man, while through Baptism He confers on her a supernatural being of grace, which made her His daughter.
Jesus Christ has then different qualities according to His different connections with Mary. He is her Son, as taking from her His human being, which made her His mother; but He becomes her Father, according to the spirit, by the grace that He gives her, which made her His daughter. It is this quality which gives her a new right to be admitted to the communion of her own Son.
Mary being the first of the faithful and the noblest part of the Church, and Jesus Christ being the head of it, she must be united to Him, and it is faith which makes this union. But faith being a virtue infused in the soul which does not see itself, only manifests its presence by the effects which are fitting to it, or by an exterior declaration which reveals it.
The Virgin Mary, therefore, for the glory of her Son, the edification of the faithful and their instruction, had to receive holy Baptism, which is a declaration of faith, say the Fathers, through which she is united to her Head by a new bond.
It is the theology received by the whole Church that baptism imprints in the soul a character and a seal which, separating us from the common of men, conforms us to Jesus Christ, and God then by His grace receives us and admits us as His children. I believe that the purpose of the Son of God, in this impression and infusion of His grace, is to make us enter into a perfect likeness with Him, and make us by this divine form what He is by nature.
The greatness of the children of God by grace is that their adoption has as exemplar the divine and eternal generation of the Word in heaven. As the heavenly Father marked with His seal Jesus Christ, who is called by St. Paul the figure of His substance, and made Him His Son in communicating His essence to Him; so, Jesus Christ, in Baptism, communicating to us what He is, marks us with His seal, and by His grace constitutes us and admits us as His children, and makes us another like Him.
Mary being the first of the faithful and the noblest part of the Church, and Jesus Christ being the head of it, she must be united to Him, and it is faith which makes this union. But faith being a virtue infused in the soul which does not see itself, only manifests its presence by the effects which are fitting to it, or by an exterior declaration which reveals it.
The Virgin Mary, therefore, for the glory of her Son, the edification of the faithful and their instruction, had to receive holy Baptism, which is a declaration of faith, say the Fathers, through which she is united to her Head by a new bond.
It is the theology received by the whole Church that baptism imprints in the soul a character and a seal which, separating us from the common of men, conforms us to Jesus Christ, and God then by His grace receives us and admits us as His children. I believe that the purpose of the Son of God, in this impression and infusion of His grace, is to make us enter into a perfect likeness with Him, and make us by this divine form what He is by nature.
The greatness of the children of God by grace is that their adoption has as exemplar the divine and eternal generation of the Word in heaven. As the heavenly Father marked with His seal Jesus Christ, who is called by St. Paul the figure of His substance, and made Him His Son in communicating His essence to Him; so, Jesus Christ, in Baptism, communicating to us what He is, marks us with His seal, and by His grace constitutes us and admits us as His children, and makes us another like Him.
Raised infinitely above all creatures by the eminence of her divine maternity, the Blessed Virgin was not due to be inferior to them in privileges. Eldest daughter of the Savior according to grace, she had to have this likeness with Him; it would have been a defect in her if she had been deprived of this seal and character which is common to all the faithful. Jesus Christ loved Mary his Mother very much to want there to be such a dissimilarity between Him and her.
As in heaven, by His eternal generation, the Father, in engendering Him as His Son, imprints on Him the character of His divinity which makes Him the most perfect image of Himself; so in time, by the Baptism which Jesus Christ confers on Mary, and which makes her His daughter, He marks her with His seal which makes her His most perfect image among the faithful.
If, therefore, Mary, by the dignity of her maternity, was entitled to the communion of the flesh of her Son, she also had it anew through Baptism. Thus, she had a twofold right to the Eucharistic banquet, both as Mother of Jesus Christ according to nature, and as His daughter according to grace. (1)
As in heaven, by His eternal generation, the Father, in engendering Him as His Son, imprints on Him the character of His divinity which makes Him the most perfect image of Himself; so in time, by the Baptism which Jesus Christ confers on Mary, and which makes her His daughter, He marks her with His seal which makes her His most perfect image among the faithful.
If, therefore, Mary, by the dignity of her maternity, was entitled to the communion of the flesh of her Son, she also had it anew through Baptism. Thus, she had a twofold right to the Eucharistic banquet, both as Mother of Jesus Christ according to nature, and as His daughter according to grace. (1)
(1) In connection to the Baptism of the Most Blessed Virgin, here is what we read in the Mystical City of God of Mary of Agreda (Book 5, Ch. 29):
“The Son of God having instituted the sacrament of Baptism, Mary prayed Jesus, her Son, to be willing to administer it to her as well. In order to celebrate it with the solemnity worthy of such a Son and such a Mother, an innumerable multitude of angels came down from Heaven in visible form by the divine will. And in their presence Jesus Christ baptized His most pure Mother. Then the voice of the eternal Father was heard, who said: “Here is My beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased.” The incarnate Word added: “Here is My Mother whom I chose and whom I love tenderly; she will accompany Me in all My works”; then the Holy Spirit cried out: “Here is My Spouse, and My chosen one among a thousand.” This august Princess felt at the same time effects so divine, and her soul received so many favors and so many lights, that it is impossible to express it. She was raised higher in grace; the beauty of her most holy soul had a new brilliance, and all her excellences were enhanced. She received the heavenly splendor of the character which is one of the effects of this sacrament, which marks the children of Jesus Christ in His Church. In addition to the advantages that the sacrament of Baptism communicates by itself, except the remission of sin which she never contracted, she merited very high degrees of graces by the humility with which she received this sacrament, which was established for the purification of souls.”
“The Son of God having instituted the sacrament of Baptism, Mary prayed Jesus, her Son, to be willing to administer it to her as well. In order to celebrate it with the solemnity worthy of such a Son and such a Mother, an innumerable multitude of angels came down from Heaven in visible form by the divine will. And in their presence Jesus Christ baptized His most pure Mother. Then the voice of the eternal Father was heard, who said: “Here is My beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased.” The incarnate Word added: “Here is My Mother whom I chose and whom I love tenderly; she will accompany Me in all My works”; then the Holy Spirit cried out: “Here is My Spouse, and My chosen one among a thousand.” This august Princess felt at the same time effects so divine, and her soul received so many favors and so many lights, that it is impossible to express it. She was raised higher in grace; the beauty of her most holy soul had a new brilliance, and all her excellences were enhanced. She received the heavenly splendor of the character which is one of the effects of this sacrament, which marks the children of Jesus Christ in His Church. In addition to the advantages that the sacrament of Baptism communicates by itself, except the remission of sin which she never contracted, she merited very high degrees of graces by the humility with which she received this sacrament, which was established for the purification of souls.”
+ + +
Free Bonus Giveaway
And if you want a free ebook specifically on how to live ‘in Mary’ (the one part St. Louis explained the least), and to be notified when new Marian articles and books are published, please click the button below and join our group. You can unsubscribe after you get the free ebook, but I hope you’ll remain part of our Marian group. It’s up to you.
Copyright © 2011-2025 Casimir Valla All rights reserved.