Mary’s Longing (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 7 of 10)
Oct 20th, 2014 | By Beth Turner | Category: Blog Posts, Catholic Life and DevotionThis is the seventh in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary Wife’s Journey.
Mary’s Longing
“That the one selfsame profession of faith may unite the minds of Christian nations in peace and harmony, that the one and only bond of perfect charity may gather their hearts within its embrace-such is our prayerful hope! And may Mary, by her powerful help, bring this ardently desired gift into our possession! And remembering that her only begotten Son prayed so earnestly to His heavenly Father for the closest union among the nations whom He has called by the one Baptism to the one inheritance of salvation bought for an infinite price, will she not, for that reason, see to it that all in His marvelous light will strive as with one mind for unity? And will it not be her wish to employ her goodness and providence to console the Spouse of Christ, the Church, through her long-sustained efforts in this enterprise, as well as to bring to full perfection the boon of unity among the members of the Christian family, which is the illustrious fruit of her motherhood?” (Adiutricem 16)
Mary’s role in bringing about unity for the Christian family can be guessed at by the natural experience of all parents of bickering children. A mother cherishes the days when her children play happily together. She grieves when her children yell at each other, hit each other, harbor resentment towards each other. Parents do all they can to provide conditions of peace in their homes so their children may accomplish together what they cannot accomplish on their own. Likewise, Mary longs for her Christian children to be of one mind and at peace with one another. When we pray the Rosary for such an intention, she is inclined, as a mother, to come to our assistance.
Part 6 of this series is available here.
Mary brings unity to the Christian family? I hadn’t noticed.
Presbyterian – it’s true that consideration of the Marian dogmas (immaculate conception, assumption, intercession of the saints, etc.) can sometimes divide us. But the point of the post was to draw us deeper into reflection upon Mary’s experience as she watches the events of our salvation unfold. Contemplation of Mary’s experience – much in the same way that anyone might contemplate what it would have been like to be one of the disciples at the last supper, or what it would have been like to deny Christ like Peter did – can, indeed, be unifying. And so all Christians can reflect fruitfully upon Mary as mother: mother of Jesus, and mother of all his brothers and sisters on earth.