Mary, Mother of Mercy

 “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy … ” For centuries people have invoked Mary under this title, and now, in modem times, Pope John Paul II has presented it to us again to emphasize the unique role Mary plays in God’s eternal plan of mercy. In his encyclical letter Rich in Mercy, he devotes an entire section to Mary, the “Mother of Mercy.” She is the one, he explains, who has the deepest understanding of God’s mercy, the one who, more than anyone else, deserved and received mercy. Called in a spe­cial way to share her Son’s mission to reveal His love, she continues to proclaim His mercy “from generation to generation” (9).

For Saint Faustina, Mary was a constant source of God’s mercy, as mother, guardian, teacher, and intercessor. From Mary she received a special gift of purity, strength in suffering, and countless lessons on the spiritual life. “Mary is my Instructress,” she writes, “who is ever teaching me how to live for God (620) ‘” The more I imitate the Mother of God, the more deeply I get to know God  (843) … before every Holy Communion, I earnestly ask the Mother of God to help me prepare my soul for the coming of her Son (114) … She has taught me how to love God interiorly and also how to carry out His will in all things (40) ‘” 0 Mary, my Mother, I place everything in your hands (79) … You are joy, because through you God descended to earth and into my heart” (40).