+J.M.J.+

by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan

There was—and remains—a strong link between Christ and His Chaste Mother. Jesus, the Son of God, is the Son of Mary. Although authentic disciples of the Master are extremely close to Him, their bond differs from that enjoyed by the Madonna with Jesus.

Let us explore that unique link between the Son and the Mother.

When Mary uttered her history-altering fiat, she gave permission for the Logos—the Eternal Word Who is the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity—to take her flesh and dwell in her virginal womb. The physical body of Jesus came from stainless Mary. Therefore, there is truth in the statement: Body of Christ, Body of Mary.

But even before the Annunciation, Mary was filled with the supernatural virtue of charity at the moment of her Immaculate Conception. Charity is the virtue that renders one most like God. Of course, Jesus was rooted in charity because He is God. That charity united Mary and Jesus.

The Heart of Christ was Our Blessed Mother’s source of strength. She fulfilled God’s mysterious plan for her life by accepting sanctifying grace—“God’s life”—that only comes from the Lord. Mary enjoys unsurpassed physical access to her Son in Heaven. She also has unparalleled spiritual access to Him because of her unceasing prayer directed towards Jesus.

Without exaggeration, we may assert: all that Mary accomplished was first inspired and completed in the Heart of Jesus.

Our Lady leads us to adore her Son. Our genuine veneration of the Madonna ends in sincere adoration of Jesus. In Mary in Our Life (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1954), Father William George Most, Ph.D., wrote that Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) declared in his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor (May 8, 1928) the importance of authentic devotion to the Most Sacred Heart. “True devotion to the Sacred Heart consists in two things, which can readily be reduced to one—consecration and reparation” (page 205). Consecration means that we “dedicate ourselves and all that we have to the Divine Heart of Jesus” (ibid.); by our love we return to the Creator the love that He bestowed on us. Following consecration is reparation, which is necessary “if that Uncreated Love (that is, God Himself) has been neglected by forgetfulness or violated by offenses” (page 206).

It is through the Ever-Virgin that consecration and reparation are made. Pope Pius XI penned: “May the most gracious Mother of God smile upon and favor these our prayers and undertakings, she, who since she brought forth Jesus the Redeemer for us, nourished Him, and offered Him as a Victim at the Cross, and is called the Reparatrix, in virtue of her intimate union with Christ, and an altogether singular grace of His” (page 207). His Holiness prayed: “Loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation. . . “ (page 208).

Father Most maintained: “Thus it is clear that our need of Mary will never end; she is the Mediatrix of All Graces; all (graces) descend to us through her. And the way for us to ascend to the Sacred Heart of Christ is through the Immaculate Heart of His Mother: ad Cor Jesu per Cor Mariae!” (page 211). To the Heart of Jesus through the Heart of Mary!

Father Most argued that since the two Hearts are so aligned, then they “should also be closely united as objects of our devotion” (ibid.). We adore the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we venerate the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We cannot help but to draw the conclusion that seems very obvious: the Pure Immaculate Heart constantly beats in unison with the Most Sacred Heart, given the similitude between Mary and Jesus.

Although we do not measure up to Our Lady’s outstanding holiness, may our hearts beat in union with the Two Hearts!

Contact

Mary's Field
http://www.catholic.org  , VA
Monsignor Charles M. Mangan - Official, 390 66616-1125

Email

fathermangan@catholic.org

Keywords

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; The Pure Immaculate Heart of Mary