Theological Foundations new file

151 Marian Character sea of grace, she distributes graces. Christ is the source of grace and Mary is its vessel. The Holy Spirit pours graces flowing from Christ’s wounds into this vessel, so that we might draw from it abundantly. Therefore, whoever wants to receive graces from God, should turn to Mary, so that he might receive them through her hands. The entire Church was entrusted to her. We should not be afraid that we might be accused of exaggeration because it is her Divine Motherhood that gives her the privilege to dispense graces. There are three things which God could not have made more perfect: Christ’s humanity, the happiness of the blessed ones, and, yes, the dignity of Mary’s motherhood which enti- tles her to mediate in the distribution of graces. 35 The fact that these graces are distributed through her mediation is of great importance to one’s spiritual formation — through her we can ask for and receive so much. Mary surpasses all creation by her personal holiness and her exultation. She is great not only because she was chosen by God, but also because she earned this greatness by cooperating with God’s grace. She was elevated above all people and angels and she stands closest to God’s throne both because of God’s grace and because of her coopera- tion with it: she cooperated in the process of redemption and in attain- ing her own holiness. She responded to the miracle of grace with her personal effort. 36 She demonstrated by her entire life to what heights a man, who is faithful to God’s plan and cooperates with God, can rise. The matter of man’s cooperation with God is of great importance in spiritual formation. Such an approach to this matter allows Father Matulaitis-Matulewicz to elaborate on it with great conviction. 3. Mary in the Life of the Congregation Father Papczynski founded the Congregation of Marian Fathers out of love for Mary Immaculate and in order to spread her honor. It was already at the time when the idea of establishing a new religious order began to take shape in Father Papczynski’s mind that he offered, leaving nothing to himself, his heart, soul, intellect, memory, will, feelings,