Divine Mercy: The Heart of the Gospel

Mary: Mediatrix of Mercy 165 Mary: Mediatrix of Mercy In his 1987 Marian encyclical, Redemptoris Mater , Pope John Paul II used a new title for the Blessed Virgin Mary,which, unfortunately, has been fundamentally ignored. Our Holy Father stated that our Blessed Virgin Mary “also has the specifically maternal role o f Mediatrix o f Mercy at Our Lord Jesus’ coming.” In this single title is contained the two greatest spiritual movements initiated by Heaven for the twentieth century: the Triumph o f the Immaculate Heart o f Mary and the Triumph of Divine Mercy. Can we not see in this title both the reference to the critical intercession o f the Mother o f God in our own times, and at the same time a profound com­ plementarity with the messages o f Blessed Faustina and Divine Mercy? I would like to discuss this title, “Mediatrix of Mercy,” under two aspects: firstly, its theological foundations, and secondly, its prophetic context. In regard to its theological foundations, how can we call Our Lady the “Mediatrix o f Mercy” ? On what basis can we call her “Mediatrix” if, seemingly, Scripture speaks o f only one Mediator? With regal'd to this title’s prophetic dimension, in what manner does the Mother o f Jesus and Our Mother exercise this title and role for human­ ity in our present historical moment? Does it fit in with the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart in the year we find ourselves, this last year o f the twentieth century? What special cry and what special source and instru­ ment o f grace is it for us at this critical moment for the Church and for the world today? Let us first examine the theological foundations for the title Mediatrix o f Mercy. It is important to establish from the beginning that Mary’s role as Mediatrix is a result o f unique participation in the acqui­ sition o f the graces o f Calvary, for which she received from the Church the title “Co-redemptrix.” It is the Church that has given Our Lady this title, and our present Holy Father, following the precedent o f previous acts o f the papal magisterium, has referred to this role of Our Lady on at least six documented occasions as the “Co-redemptrix.” The prefix “co,” o f course, never means “equal,” but always means “with,” from the Latin root “cum.” The title means “the woman with the Redeemer, “not equal to the Redeemer .” Our Lady is Mediatrix because she first participates in the acquisition