Mediation and Spiritual Motherhood

Mary's mediation

Saint Aelred of Rievaulx († 1167) clearly explains Mary's mediation. He compares the Virgin to a boat that helps us cross the stormy ocean of this world to reach Jesus. She is the way that takes us to him.

Mary's spiritual motherhood

Aelred went very far in the understanding of the mystery of Mary's spiritual motherhood, going even further than his predecessor Saint Bernard in his reasoning:

« Through Mary, we have a much better birth than the one we received from Eve, by the fact that Christ was born of her...

She is our mother, the mother of our light; she is therefore more of a mother to us than is our biological mother, since she is the origin of our better birth. » [1]

« Brothers, she is truly our mother; we were born through her; we were fed by her; she helps us to grow. » [2]

[1] Sermo 2 in Nativitate, PL 195, 323 C

[2] Sermo 2 in Nativitate, PL 195, 323 A

L. GAMBERO,

Maria nel pensiero dei teologi latini medieval,

Editions San Paolo, 2000