Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Mary’s Yes

In Mary’s Yes to the birth of God’s Son from her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary places her body, her whole self, at God’s disposal to do with as he pleases. Her Yes puts her will in perfect conformity with the will of the Son. Her Yes makes possible the Incarnation of Jesus. If God is to have entry into our world and be borne there, Mary’s Yes, this conformity of our will with God’s will, must be repeated again and again. On the Cross, this conformity of wills finds its definitive expression... On the Cross, this readiness is put to the proof and precisely the darkness in which Mary stands engulfed reflects the fullness of the identity of her will with that of Jesus. Faith is a community formed by the Cross, and it is only on the Cross that it achieves its full perfection.

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Dresdener Katholikentreffen, July 10, 1987, Deutsche Tagespost, September 19, 1987

1 comment:

Michael Maedoc said...

I like the terminology he uses, Mary "places her whole self, at God's disposal." What does this mean, can we tie it in with JP II's theology of the body. This morning I was meditating on the reflections of St. frances de Sales, he asks that we entreat ourelves to Christ's inspiration. Could this be key to saying yes? When we give ourselves to Christ, we place ourselves in His presence and act upon his inspiration and thus his will.