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

... Grant that the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, poured out upon your Church, may descend in power on all peoples, whom Christ the high priest, claims as the reward of the sacrifice he offered on the cross in the presence of his sorrowing mother. (... ut Paraclitus Spiritus in Ecclesia tua superabundans, in universas gentes affluenter redundet; quem, sacrificio crucis, compatiente Matre, Christus, summus sacerdos, promeruit. (83)

... we pray you, Lord, that the Spirit Paraclete superabounding in your Church may be generously poured out upon all nations (that Spirit) whom, by the sacrifice of the cross, with (his) Mother co-suffering, Christ the High Priest gained. (84)

Lord our God, you placed at the side of your suffering Son his mother to suffer with him, so that the human race, deceived by the wiles of the devil, might become a new and resplendent creation. (Deus, qui ad humanam substantiam diabolica fraude deceptam mirabiliter reparandam Filio tuo patienti compatientem Matrem sociasti, ...) (85)

God, who associated the co-suffering Mother with your suffering Son for the wondrous repairing of the human substance, deceived by devilish deceits,… (86)

Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men... flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it (Lumen Gentium 60). No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold co-operation which is but a sharing in this one source (Lumen Gentium 62). (88)

Undoubtedly the name and attributes of the absolute Mediator belong to no other than Christ; for being one Person and yet both Man and God He restored the human race to the favor of the Heavenly Father. "One Mediator of God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself a redemption for all" (I Tim. 2:5-6).

And yet, as the Angelic Doctor teaches: "There is no reason why certain others should not be called in a certain way mediators between God and man, that is to say in so far as they cooperate by predisposing and ministering in the union of man with God" (ST III, q. 26, a. 1). Such are the angels and saints, the prophets and priests of both Testaments, but especially has the Blessed Virgin a claim to the glory of this title. For no single individual can even be imagined who has ever contributed or ever will contribute so much toward reconciling man with God. To mankind heading for eternal ruin, she offered a Savior when she received the announcement of the mystery brought to this earth by the Angel, and in giving her consent gave it "in the name of the whole human race" (ST III, q. 30, a. 1). She is from whom Jesus is born; she is therefore truly His Mother and for this reason a worthy and acceptable "Mediatrix to the Mediator." (89)

We consider that there can be no surer and more efficacious means to this end (to render our labors and our cares more effective) than by obtaining through devotion and piety the favor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the guardian of our peace and the minister to us of heavenly grace, who is placed on the highest summit of power and glory in heaven, in order that she may bestow the help of her patronage on men who through so many labors and dangers are striving to reach that eternal city. (Hanc ad rem nihil validius potiusque iudicamus, quam religione et pietate demereri magnam Dei Parentem Mariam Virginem, quæ pacis nostræ apud Deum sequestra et cælestium administra gratiarum, in celsissimo potestatis est gloriæque fastigio in cælis collocata, ut hominibus ad sempiternam illam civitatem per tot labores et pericula contendentibus patrocinii sui subsidium impertiat.) (92)

We have a confident hope that God will at length let Himself be moved and have pity upon the state of His Church, and give ear to the prayers coming to Him through her whom He has chosen to be the dispenser of all heavenly graces. (... in spem certam adducimur, fore et aliquando propitietur Deus, Ecclesiæque suæ miseratus vicem, audiat tandem preces obsecrantium per Eam, quam ipse cælestium gratiarum voluit esse administram.) (94)

If in all this series of mysteries, Venerable Brethren, are developed the counsels of God in regard to us—"counsels of wisdom and of tenderness"—not less apparent is the greatness of the benefits for which we are debtors to the Virgin Mother. No one can meditate upon this without feeling a new awakening in his heart of confidence that he will certainly obtain through Mary the fullness of the mercies of God. (Hæc omnia, Venerabiles Fratres, in quibus consilium Dei proditur, consilium sapientiæ, consilium pietatis, simulque permagna in nos merita Virginis Matris elucent, neminem quidem possunt non iucunde afficere, certa spe iniecta divinæ clementiæ et miserationis administra Maria consequendæ.) (95)

It is impossible to measure the power and scope of her offices since the day she was taken up to that height of heavenly glory in the company of her Son, to which the dignity and luster of her merits entitle her. From her heavenly abode, she began, by God's decree, to watch over the Church, to assist and befriend us as our Mother; so that she who was so intimately associated with the mystery of human salvation is just as closely associated with the distribution of the graces which from all time will flow from the Redemption. (Ad hæc vero dici vix potest quantum amplitudinis virtutisque tunc accesserit, cum ad fastigium cælestis gloriæ, quod dignitatem eius claritatemque meritorum decebat, est apud Filium assumpta. Nam, inde, divino consilio, sic illa coepit advigilare Ecclesiæ, sic nobis adesse favere mater, ut quæ sacramenti humanæ redemptionis patrandi administra fuerat eademque gratiæ ex illo in omne tempus derivandæ esse pariter administra, permissa ei pæne immensa potestate. (96)

We are thus, it will be seen, very far from declaring the Mother of God to be the authoress of supernatural grace. Grace comes from God alone. But since she surpassed all in holiness and union with Christ, and has been associated with Christ in the work of Redemption, she, as the expression is, merits de congruo what Christ merits de condigno, and is the principal minister in the distribution of grace.... With these principles laid down and returning to our subject, will it not appear to all that it is right and proper to affirm that Mary, whom Jesus made His constant companion from the house of Nazareth to the place of Calvary, knew, as no other knew, the secrets of his heart, distributes as by a mother's right the treasures of His merits, and is the surest help to the knowledge and love of Christ? (Patet itaque abesse profecto plurimum ut nos Deiparæ supernaturalis gratiæ efficiendæ vim tribuamus, quæ Dei unius est. Ea tamen, quoniam universis sanctitate præstat coniunctioneque cum Christo, atque a Christo ascita in humanæ salutis opus, "de congruo," ut aiunt, promeret nobis quæ Christus "de condigno" promeruit, estque princeps largiendarum gratiarum ministra. ... His positis, ut ad propositum redeamus, cui Nos non iure recteque affirmasse videbimur, Mariam, quæ a Nazarethena domo ad Calvariæ locum assiduam se Iesu comitem dedit, eiusque arcana cordis ut nemo alius novit, ac thesauros promeritorum eius materno veluti iure administrat, maximo certissimoque esse adiumento ad Christi notitiam atque amorem?) (98)