"Mary manifests herself as Mother of Mercy by being 'Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians.' The gradation of titles here is very beautiful. . . . Among creatures no one is higher than Mary, and yet no one is more approachable, more helpful, and more gentle."
-- Fr. Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
The great Marian pope St. John Paul II was mentored by Fr. Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange in writing his doctoral thesis. In these powerful pages, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange will likewise guide you on a journey to greater intimacy with our Lord, through Our Lady, leading you from mere affective devotion driven by the intellect to a deep fervor grounded in spiritual progress.
In part 1, "The Divine Maternity and the Plenitude of Grace," the Blessed Virgin Mary's dignity as God's greatest creature, surpassing all the angels, is rigorously defended from the vantage point of her divine maternity, encompassing Marian doctrines from the Immaculate Conception to the Assumption. Part 2, "Mary, Mother of All Men: Her Universal Mediation and Our Interior Life," describes Mother Mary's mediation for us with Christ and her sufferings as co-redemptrix.
With simplicity and richness, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange explains how, in each of her charitable acts, Mary was receptive to God's grace, from the daily kiss on the forehead of the child Jesus to her co-suffering in Christ's Passion. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange reveals the heart of the Blessed Mother's interior life and shows how it is a model for your own. In this volume, you will also find:
- Two preeminent truths about the Mother of Christ
- An intellectual basis for your devotion to Our Lady, according to St. Thomas Aquinas
- Three titles that tradition attributes to the Blessed Virgin (You will be surprised!)
- Penetrating reflections on key points in Mary's life in which she received great grace
- Meditations on the significance of the Rosary, Marian consecration, and other devotions
- A chapter on St. Joseph's exceptional mission and sanctity
Moreover, you will come to understand how Mary possesses "supplicant omnipotence" -- she gets what she asks for! -- and how she intercedes for all who ask for her protection on the road to Heaven. As you grow in docility as she did, you will grow in your willingness to offer your littlest acts for God's glory.
A reviewer wrote: "I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in knowing and loving the Mother of God more. Far from being a dry work of theology, this work will move your heart to praise God for the gifts He bestowed on His Mother and will make you seek to imitate her more closely."
