John Paul II's Marian Treasury

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$16.95 BOOKS & MEDIA

Mariology

The image used for the front coverof this book is taken from a photo-graph of the “Totus Tuus” iconlocated in Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican. John Paul II com-missioned this image after theassassination attempt on his life, in gratitude for the Madonna’sprotection and assistance duringhis recovery.

The warmth of Pope JohnPaul’s devotion to Mary shinesforth in this treasury of inspi-ration and prayer. Arranged bythemes, this volume startsfrom the key element ofMary’s faith and helps readerssavor the richness of thePope’s Marian thought, leadingthem into the arms of thismost loving Mother.

Since 1976, Marianne LorraineTrouvé, FSP, has been a member of theDaughters of St. Paul. She has anM.A. in theology with a concentrationin Marian studies from the Universityof Dayton. Since 1994, she has servedon the editorial staff of Pauline Books& Media. Recently she has edited abook on the Marian devotion ofBlessed James Alberione, Founder ofthe Pauline Family, entitled MaryLeads Us to Jesus. When not writing orediting, Sr. Lorraine enjoys growingtomatoes in the convent garden.

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Mary,

Virgin and

Mother


MM ary was called to believe in avirginal motherhood.... Mary

was asked to assent to a truth neverexpressed before. She accepted it with asimple yet daring heart. With thequestion: “How can this be?” sheexpressed her faith in the divine power tomake virginity compatible with herexceptional and unique motherhood. T

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John Paul II: A Marian Treasury


AA sserting Mary’s virginity mustbe done in such a way that one

does not appear in any way, directly orindirectly, to lessen the value and dignityof marriage, willed by God. T

Mary, Virgin and Mother

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TT he words, “Behold, I am thehandmaid of the Lord,” express

the fact that from the outset she acceptedand understood her own motherhood asa total gift of self, a gift of her person tothe service of the saving plans of theMost High. And to the very end shelived her entire maternal sharing in thelife of Jesus Christ, her Son, in a waythat matched her vocation to virginity. T

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WW hen theological reflectionbecomes a moment of

doxology and latria, the mystery ofMary’s virginity is disclosed, allowingone to catch a glimpse of other aspectsand other depths. For example...onediscerns a particularly importantrelationship between the beginning andthe end of Christ’s earthly life, that is,between his virginal conception and hisresurrection from the dead, two truthswhich are closely connected with faith inJesus’ divinity. T


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MM ary maintained her virginal“I have no husband” and at

the same time became a Mother.Virginity and motherhood co-exist inher: they do not mutually exclude eachother or place limits on each other.Indeed, the person of the Mother of Godhelps everyone—especially women—tosee how these two dimensions, these twopaths in the vocation of women aspersons, explain and complete eachother. T

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WWhen Mary responds to thewords of the heavenly

messenger with her “fiat,” she who is “full of grace” feels the need to expressher personal relationship to the gift thathas been revealed to her, saying: “Behold, Iam the handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38). T


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WW e can say that the mystery ofthe redemption took shape

beneath the heart of the Virgin ofNazareth when she pronounced her“fiat.” From then on, under the specialinfluence of the Holy Spirit, this heart,the heart of both a virgin and a mother,has always followed the work of her Sonand has gone out to all those whomChrist has embraced and continues toembrace with inexhaustible love. For thatreason her heart must also have theinexhaustibility of a mother. T

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II n [Mary] and through her,[merciful] love continues to be

revealed in the history of the Church and of humanity. This revelation isespecially fruitful, because in the Motherof God, it is based upon the unique tactof her maternal heart, on her particularsensitivity, on her particular fitness toreach all those who most easily acceptthe merciful love of a mother. This isone of the great life-giving mysteries ofChristianity, a mystery intimatelyconnected with the mystery of theIncarnation. T


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“Q“Q ueen of Heaven, rejoice!”Words that express the

maternal joy of the Church, who exultstogether with the Mother of her Lordwith the same joy, the joy of life, that isrevealed in the resurrection and that lastsforever in God. There is a deep linkbetween the image of the Mother whogives birth to the child and that of theGood Shepherd who lays down his lifefor his sheep. Those who give life in lovereceive it anew. T

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MM ary...is the one who has thedeepest knowledge of the

mystery of God’s mercy. She knows itsprice, she knows how great it is. In thissense, we call her the Mother of Mercy,our Lady of Mercy, or Mother of DivineMercy; in each one of these titles there isa deep theological meaning, for theyexpress the special preparation of hersoul, of her whole personality. T


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MM ary’s will to preserve hervirginity is surprising in

a context where this ideal was notwidespread. Her decision was the fruit of a special grace of the Holy Spirit, whoopened her heart to the desire to offerherself totally, body and soul, to God,thus bringing about in the loftiest andhumanly inconceivable way Israel’svocation to a spousal relationship withGod, to belonging totally and exclusivelyto him as the People of God. T

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TT he angel, who proposed that shebecome a mother, is reminded by

Mary of her intention to remain a virgin.Believing that the announcement couldbe fulfilled, she questions the divinemessenger only about the manner of itsaccomplishment, in order better to fulfillGod’s will, to which she intends tosubmit with total readiness. “She soughtthe manner; she did not doubt God’somnipotence,” Saint Augustine remarks.Mary is asked to assent to a truth neverexpressed before. She accepts it with asimple yet daring heart. T


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GG od treated Mary as a free andresponsible person and did not

bring about the Incarnation of his Sonuntil after he had obtained her consent. T

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TT he event at Nazareth highlights a form of union with the living

God which can only belong to the “woman,”Mary: the union between mother and son.The Virgin of Nazareth truly becomesthe Mother of God. T


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II n a highly significant way, the mostancient prayer to Mary (“We fly to

your protection...”) contains theinvocation: “Theotokos, Mother of God.”This title did not originally come fromthe reflection of theologians but from anintuition of faith of the Christian people.Those who acknowledge Jesus as Godaddress Mary as the Mother of God andhope to obtain her powerful aid in thetrials of life. T

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John Paul II's Marian Treasury