Mary: Mediatrix

The concept of the Mediation of Mary, or put differently, Mary as Mediatrix has never been a stumbling block to me.  In fact, I have often marveled at why a seeming technicality has created such a large rift between Protestants and Catholics, almost as if they were looking for a point of contention already and Mary simply provided the medium for them to disagree.  Obviously this last is not a true representation of the motives or attitudes of either side and the simplicity in which I have just painted Mary as Mediatrix looks a bit more complete and full when you actually dive into the matter; nonetheless, I do hold that the concept of Mary as Mediatrix has been unnecessarily contended for far too long to the detriment of all the faithful.

The point of contention seems to lie in the Church’s looking to Mary for mediation, to bring our prayers and wishes before Christ Himself as a go-between between He and us seemingly in spite of what Paul says about there is “One Mediator” for all (speaking of Christ).  The fact that almost every paragraph in both Lumen Gentium and Redemptoris Mater that introduces or treats with Mary as Mediatrix begins with an acknowledgment of Paul’s words and states that Mary does not detract from this makes no difference.  To understand Mary in this role we must establish three things: the possibility of someone else speaking to Christ on our behalf (a form of mediation), from what does the specific power of mediation originate within Mary, and the special relationship that already exists between Mary and Christ.

In the first place, simple mediation between Christ and any of the Church suffering is almost a straw-man argument on my part.  We need look no further than casual conversation between Catholic and Protestant alike to prove that we do indeed task any number of other individuals with presenting our thoughts and wishes before the throne of God with the simple ask “Pray for me”.  The cries of how this is different are not strictly true, and in any case beyond the scope of this short paper.  It is sufficient here to show that the concept of some other individual besides Christ can at times be a legitimate go between (and therefore mediator) for God and Man.  

Secondly, the Vatican II documents go to great pains to state that Mary does not have power to mediate on our behalf such that it springs from her own essence.  Anything - glory, honor, laud, mediation - that is either due Mary or that we ask of her is only due or asked through her relationship with Christ and because of Christ.  Her relationship with Christ can be seen in two different lights: her relationship as Mother and relationship as Disciple.  

Mediation for the Church via her relationship as Mother is a simple human element to the mystery of the Incarnation.  Christ loves His mother as His mother and has a special relationship with her that is unrepeatable in any other human being.  As such, through this relationship she is able to endear us and entreat Him to our aid.  We see similar relationships in our own lives such as when a group of siblings puts up the youngest as the spokesperson to make a request of the parents, or when we ask our own parents to ask their friends to help us out.  

Mediation via her discipleship is perhaps the more theologically proper way to view the mediation of Mary, however.  Mary is the perfect image of the Church, i.e., she longs to bring her children to closer union with Christ and as such is always asking Christ on our behalf for further graces that would lead us to Him.  Even this Mediation is not originating in herself but is clearly a result of her special relationship with Christ, being the perfect Mother and perfect Disciple.