Mary as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate in the Contemporary Roman Liturgy

A. Associate of Christ the Redeemer

The concept of Mary as intimately associated with the life, suffering and death of Christ has deep roots in the Christian tradition. Hence describing her as associate or companion of the Redeemer (socia Redemptoris) (29) has become a standard way of recognizing her active role in the Redemption. The first explicit use of this terminology with regard to Mary occurs in the writings of Ambrose Autpert (+784), but he uses the verbal form sociata to express the idea. "As present knowledge goes, it is Ekbert of Schönau (+1184) who first uses the noun socia of Mary." (30) As we have already indicated, Pope Pius XII had a particular preference for the term socia Christi in referring to Mary's secondary and subordinate, but nonetheless real, collaboration in the Redemption. For instance, in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus of 1 November 1950 he described Our Lady as "the noble associate of the divine Redeemer" (generosa Divini Redemptoris social) (31) and again in his Encyclical Letter Ad Cæli Reginam of 11 October 1954 he referred to her as the "Mother of the Christ God and... His associate in the work of redemption" (Christi Dei mater, socia in divini Redemptoris opera). (32) The term, "generous associate" (generosa socia), is used of Mary in the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium #61 and in John Paul's Marian Encyclical Redemptoris Mater #38. (33)

Not surprisingly, we find the very same terminology utilized in the liturgy. (34) In the Preface of the Mass of Mary, the New Eve (Sancta Maria, Mulier Nova) the celebrant addresses the Father saying:

Likewise in the Mass of Holy Mary, Handmaid of the Lord (Sancta Maria, Ancilla Domini) the opening prayer begins:

The Mass of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Mediatrix of Grace (Beata Maria Virgo, Mater et Mediatrix Gratiæ), is particularly expressive of Mary's association with the Redeemer. Hence the Opening Prayer addresses God in this way:

Her role is further delineated in the Preface of that same Mass:

In the Preface of the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Good Counsel (Beata Maria Virgo, Mater Boni Consilii) the theme is sounded again:

Finally, let us take note of the praise-filled testimony of the Preface of the Mass of Our Lady of Ransom (Beata Maria Virgo de Mercede), a feast proper to the Mercedarian Order and celebrated on 24 September. (39)

B. The New Eve

St. Justin Martyr (+165), St. Irenaeus (+ after 193) and Tertullian (+ after 220) all signaled the parallelism and contrast between Mary and Eve. This teaching which had developed over the centuries (41) was highlighted in the Marian chapter of Lumen Gentium thus:

The English-speaking reader might expect that the Mass formulary of Mary, the New Eve (43) would capitalize on the Mary/Eve theme, only to be dismayed at not finding it so directly underscored. The primary reason for this is that the translators chose not to render the Latin title of this Mass (Sancta Maria, Mulier Nova) literally as "Holy Mary, the New Woman." While the introduction to this formulary does in fact speak of Mary as the "New Eve," it develops even more the idea of the "new woman." (44)

The explicit theme of Mary as the New Eve, however, is not ignored in the Collection. (45) It is sounded already in the Preface of the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chosen Daughter of Israel (Beata Maria Virgo, Electa Israel Progenies), the first of the Marian Masses of the Advent season:

It will be noted that the Latin text does not mention Eve, but does speak of the sin of "the mother."

The motif of Mary as the New Eve is beautifully developed in the Prefaces of the two Lenten Masses of Mary at the Foot of the Cross (Beata Maria Virgo iuxta Crucem Domini). In the first we have this lapidary statement:

In the second we have the happy fusion of the theme of socia (rendered this time in English as partner) with that of the "New Eve":

The description of Mary as a "partner in the passion of the New Adam" seems quite deliberately evocative of the text of Genesis in which the Lord God creates for Adam a "helper fit for him" (2:18, 20).

Likewise the scriptural association of Eve as crediting the word of the serpent rather than accepting the word of God (Gen. 3:1-6) and thus with the barring of the gates of Paradise (Gen. 3:24) is appropriately played upon in the Preface of the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gate of Heaven (Beata Maria Virgo, Ianua Cæli):

Finally the New Adam theme which resounds in Romans 5:12-17 is complemented by the New Eve theme developed in an alternative Advent Preface for use from 17 to 24 December which is provided in the second edition (1983) of the Roman Missal approved by the Italian Episcopal Conference.

C. Totally Devoted to the Person and Work of Her Son

We have already quoted a passage from Lumen Gentium #56, but let us return to that illuminating paragraph again as it describes Mary's fundamental orientation:

With these carefully chosen words the Council Fathers articulate the Catholic belief that Mary's role in the life of Christ was not simply fulfilled by her giving birth to him and nurturing him, but that she devoted herself totally to his person and work, thus actively participating in the mystery of the redemption.

Many of the Mass formularies in the Collection illustrate how deeply this consciousness of Mary's whole-hearted devotion has penetrated the prayer-life of the Church. This is very clearly underscored in the Preface of the Mass of Holy Mary, Handmaid of the Lord (Sancta Maria, Ancilla Domini) in which we can detect the very language of the Council Fathers.

This conviction about Mary's total dedication to Christ and his saving work is expressed in a variety of ways. In the Preface of the Mass of the Mother of Good Counsel (Beata Maria Virgo, Mater Boni Consilii) the priest states that

while in that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Teacher in the Spirit (Beata Maria Virgo, Mater et Magistra Spiritalis) she is described as "sharing intimately in the mystery of Christ" (Quæ mysterio Christi tui intime sociata). (54) Again, the Preface of Our Lady of Ransom (Beata Maria Virgo de Mercede) addresses the Father as having

while that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick (Beata Maria Virgo, Salus Infirmorum) says that

Another facet of the mystery of Mary's total dedication to and identification with the person and work of her Son is to speak of her "sacrifice of self" or "self-offering" which thus rendered her available to serve him and so participate in the work of our redemption. Hence, in the Mass of Our Lady of Nazareth (Sancta Maria De Nazareth) the celebrant prays in the name of all the faithful in the Prayer over the Gifts

Likewise, in the Prayer over the Gifts in the second Mass of Mary, Image and Mother of the Church (Beata Maria Virgo, Imago et Mater Ecclesiæ, II) Our Lady is presented as