“The contemplation of Christ has a remarkable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. (Pope Saint John Paul II).
Following the Protestant Reformation – when first Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic Church and the authority of the Pope and then King Henry VIII of England did the same – there was a political vacuum in the Western world.
For centuries prior to this time, the Catholic Church was the only recognised religion in the West and Europe and as such the values and beliefs and practises of Catholicism became entrenched in the Western culture at that time.
And perhaps the most profound of these beliefs and practices was the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, during the Protestant Reformation one of the first beliefs that was discarded – following the decision to move away from the authority of the Pope – was that the Blessed Virgin was immaculate, Full of Grace and Free from Sin. As such the Blessed Virgin was not venerated as the Queen of Heaven, but rather seen as just another of the great Saints…
And that had a profound impact on the culture and politics of the day. You see, for centuries people had relied on the Blessed Virgin as their mother and now – following that Reformation – the Blessed Virgin was no longer attributed the Role of Mother of the Church… And people were effectively motherless… During that period of transition, the politics of the day, adapted and portrayed Queen Elizabeth I of England as the “Virgin” Queen. In fact, it was unlikely that the Queen was a virgin, as historical accounts discuss her various lovers, but her public persona was designed around her purity as that was portrayed as almost a replacement of the Blessed Virgin in people’s hearts so that they would be able to rely on the intercession of a mother…
But that false exterior of the Queen of England was insufficient to replace the TRUE perfection of the Queen of Heaven…
“While Jesus was still speaking, his mother and his brethren stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?’ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.’” (Matthew 12:46-50).
Because there she was – the Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. And instead of staying at home or in comfort, thinking to herself that she had heard it all before – having raised God Himself from childhood – I have heard it all before… Instead, she followed and listened, and leaned in trying to get closer – she who God would do anything to please…
And there is such great beauty in imagining the thirsting of the Blessed Virgin for the Word of God…
As Pope Saint John Paul II said, “The contemplation of Christ has a remarkable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. It was in her womb that Christ was formed, receiving from her a human resemblance which points to an even greater spiritual closeness. No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary.”
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.