The Pinnacle

The Pinnacle

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         I define the word “pinnacle” as the top part of anything that you can imagine.  Imagine a church steeple.  The top of that steeple is the pinnacle of that steeple.

         Now, let us think of the prayer known as the Hail Mary.  The beginning of the prayer recalls the words of the Angel Gabriel as He says, “Hail, Full of Grace”.  WE then say, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.”  We then proclaim, “Blessed art thou among women, and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”  Let us stop at this point.  Jesus is the pinnacle of the Hail Mary.  He deserves of all our worship along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Mary kept her words spoken to Gabriel when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”  Yes, She is the Mother of God, and the Queen of Angels and all Mankind, but she humbles herself to the status of handmaid or servant of Her Son, Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.  This is why we praise Mary and not worship Mary.

         We continue with her prayer, “Holy Mary, dear Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.  In this one statement she becomes our maidservant praying for all human and serving our needs, as any mother would do.  She is fulfilling her Son’s order from the cross where Jesus gave his mother to Saint John who accepted her on behalf of all humans.  Mary is truly worthy of all our praises.  Think about her service to Jesus from his incarnation through His birth, childhood, early adulthood, His preaching of the Good News, His scourging, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of His cross and His crucifixion.

         Mary was with Jesus through it all.  When they removed Jesus from the cross and placed Him in her arms, what grief must have flooded her soul?  She may have thought about the first time that She held Jesus as a baby.  She witnessed his burial.  Though the bible does not teach this, I am sure that Jesus appeared to Mary after He rose from the dead.  After Jesus ascended to the Father, she stayed with the apostles before the arrival of the Holy Spirit.  Mary already received the Holy Spirit nine months before the birth of Jesus.

         Remember all the apparitions after she was assumed into heaven, body and soul.  Some of the apparitions were at Fatima, Lourdes, Knock, and others.  She is truly worthy of all our praises and thanksgiving.

         Now in our times of trial on earth (see previous article on this subject), we also go to Mary for her protection and motherly care.  In his Salutations to Mary, Saint John Eudes says it best when he changes the last half of the Hail Mary to “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and bless us, now and at death in the name of Jesus, Thy Divine Son.  Amen.”  We should also go to Saint Joseph for protection.  He played a large part in the early childhood of Jesus, that is, the flight to and from Egypt.  He also taught Jesus the carpentry trade.  Mary and Joseph intercede for us with the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

         Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Praise be to God.  See you in Paradise.