INDEED, that is the question! And what a beautiful conclusion to the lesson. Thank you for sharing it.
It's a lot more dramatic and much simpler for us.
The impression I always got from our liturgy and general belief is that Mary is a near queen-like Deity, herself since she's the mother of Christ. And she's the ultimate, eternal lesson and expression of the Deity of all motherhood.
The meeting of humanity and God, always.
I don't agree with this. I have taught a series of Sunday school classes on Prayer several times and for an example of prayers of praise to God I always review the Magnificat - one of the great prayers in the bible. Mary shows us an awesome example of how to praise God. Also, Mary's last recorded words in the bible are the greatest advice one could ever receive: "Do whatever he (Jesus) says". Those are words to live your life by.
The author needs to study up on the definition of co-redemptrix.
http://www.voxpopuli.org/response_to_7_common_objections_part1.php
Thank you for this post. It is a good meditation piece.
The Magnificat
My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy
Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
Thanks, a dozen thanks, these are very good thoughts, based on such excellent Scriptures, excellent Saints!
"The ‘great things' are no other than this: she became the Mother of God. In this reality so many gifts and such great goods are dispensed that no one can grasp them.
Hence come all the honor, all the beatitude that she receives, as well as the singular place she holds in all generations, because no one else has received a child from the heavenly Father, and a child such as this Child.
She herself cannot find a name worthy of his immense greatness, and can only let her love overflow, for these things are so great that we cannot express or measure them. So, with one word, by calling her "Mother of God," we understand all her honor; we cannot tell her or speak of her saying anything greater, even if we could speak as many languages as there are leaves and blades of grass, stars in the heavens and grains of sand in the sea. Therefore the heart must ponder on what signifies to be "Mother of God."
(Commentary on the Magnificat)