The title above might appear daunting.  By “ecclesial,” I mean to stress the fact that Marian devotion is not only about individual and personal piety.  It is also about a spirituality that is ecclesial or communal.  Marian devotion is perceived so often as petitionary prayer, asking Mary for all sorts of favors since she is the Mother of God.  This practice is definitely praiseworthy, but there is so much more to Marian devotion.

 

It is no coincidence that the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium (Light of the Nations), concludes with a chapter on Mary.  Chapter 8 declares that Mary “…occupies a place in the Church which is the highest after Christ and also closest to us.”  A Dogmatic Constitution from a Church Council tends to be a very dense text to read.  For our purposes here, it would be enough to mention the main divisions of Chapter 8.

 

Our Lady’s Place in God’s Plan

Following a brief introduction in this chapter, the document calls us to reflect on the function of the Blessed Virgin in the plan of salvation.  Central to this section is Mary’s role in the mystery of the Incarnation.  The role of the Blessed Virgin in the Church is considered next.  Since she is the Mother of Christ who became flesh, she is also our mother in the order of grace.  Chapter 8 next considers the devotion of the Blessed Virgin in the life of the Church.  From very early in the history of the Church, Mary held a special place in the spirituality of the Church.  Lastly, it speaks of Mary as a sign of true hope and comfort for the pilgrim people of God.

 

Mary as Our Model

Even a cursory reading of Chapter 8 of Lumen Gentium makes it clear that a solid Marian spirituality includes our imitating the example of Mary as a Model of the Church and an example for Christians.  Besides presenting her with our special needs, we are called to imitate her in her willingness to be part of God’s plan of salvation for his Church.  Her “yes” to what God wanted of her in becoming the Mother of God challenges each and all of us to say “yes” to God’s plan in our lives and the life of the Church.  A healthy devotion to Mary includes a recognition of her role as intercessor and model and exemplar for the Church.