The Holy Name of Mary

When we call upon the name of Mary, we’re not only invoking her aid as an intercessor to Christ, but as a conduit or dispenser of grace. When Mary assented to God’s plan of salvation, by saying “yes” at the moment of the Incarnation, she intervened on behalf of every human person. St. Thomas Aquinas notes that Mary’s acceptance by her free will to become the Mother of God at the moment of the Annunciation demonstrates the close spiritual connection between Christ and all of humanity. Only after Mary’s “yes” did Jesus Christ become a man and die for our sins. Therefore, far from feeling like devotion to Mary and her Holy Name pushes us further from God, we can continue to meditate and to examine how she binds us to Him all the more closely. thecrescat