WHY OUR LADY
CO-REDEMPTRIX
At Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the year 1945 of the 20th century, Our Lady made reference to her being
Co-redemptrix when she said: "Satan's hand is passing over the whole world, holding a die. Do you know, Church, Community, what this means? Satan is still the prince of the world. He holds on to everything he can. That is
why the Lady of All Nations had to come now, at this time. For she is the Immaculate Conception and thus
the Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate. These three thoughts in one. Theologians, do you hear this well?"
"Because Mary is the Co-redemptrix, she is also the Mediatrix, she is also the Advocate. Not only because she is the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, but - and mark this well - because she is 'The Immaculate Conception'. Theologians, I ask you; do you still have objections to this dogma?"
"The Father and the Son want to bring me into this world as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate. This will be the new and final Marian dogma. This dogma will be much disputed, yet it will be carried through."
At Betania, Venezuela, in the year 1976 of the 20th century, Our Lady appeared under the title of “Reconciler of Peoples and Nations”, which is similar in essence and theology with her apparition at Amsterdam under the title of Mary Our Lady of All Nations. The difference is that the Betania apparitions highlight more Our Lady’s specific role as Mother of Nations - as Reconciler of all peoples and active cooperator in the work of redemption.
The Betania apparitions are in essence an extension, a reinforcement of the message of Amsterdam: that Mary is Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate, and as such, she is the “Reconciler of Peoples and Nations.
At Akita, Japan, in the year 1973 of the 20th century, Our Lady once again reinforced her message and role as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate in that her principal image is that of Mary in front of the Cross - highlighting her role as cooperator in the work of redemption.
To understand exactly what Our Lady means when she says that she is the Co-redemptrix, let's first look back at creation: Sin had not yet entered God's paradise on earth, the Garden of Eden, and so, the first Eve, the "companion" of Adam (Genesis 2:18), like the first Adam, was born immaculate. However, when they sinned the Eden tragedy, according to God, was to start afresh with a new 'Adam' and a new 'Eve'. The second Adam was the immaculate Son of God. The second Eve, Mary, like the first Eve, was also therefore destined to be born immaculate (by special privilege). As St. Bonaventure once said: "It was becoming that the Blessed Virgin Mary by whom our shame was to be blotted out and by whom the devil was to be conquered should never, even for a moment, have been under his dominion.
Now the first Eve was born out of the rib of the first Adam; the second Adam was born out of the womb of the second Eve. The first Eve was proud; the second Eve was humble. The first Eve said 'yes' to Satan and sin; the second Eve said 'yes' to Gabriel and God. The first Eve was disobedient; the second Eve was obedient. It was the fruit which hung from a tree in the Garden of Eden which was the instrument Satan used to bring sin into the world; it was the 'fruit of the womb' of the second Eve (Luke 1:42), who hung from a tree on Calvary and restored life to mankind. And so, as St. Jerome (AD 42) said: "Death through Eve, life through Mary" (Epis. 22,21).
Over six centuries ago, on May 8, 1373, Lady Julian of Norwich recorded certain Revelations of Divine Love in her book by this title which records her visions. She says of Mary: "I saw part of the love and suffering of Our Lady, St. Mary, for she and Christ were so joined in love that the greatness of His love caused the greatness of her grief. And so in this, I saw the instinctive love that all Creation had for Him. This natural love was shown most of all by His dear mother and surpassed all others, for as she loved Him more that all the rest, by so much was her pain beyond all theirs. For the higher, the greater and the sweeter the love is, so the greater grief it is for those who love, to see their loved one suffer." Indeed, St. Bonaventure considered Mary standing by the Cross of her dying Son, and asked her, saying: "O Lady, tell me where did you stand -- was it near the Cross? No, you were the Cross itself, being crucified with your Son."
Now, as a child Mary had an exceptional love of God and when she was chosen and said 'yes' to Gabriel, it was the beginning of the 'Good News". But it was bad news for Satan. The woman of the "sign" shown to the angels before the fall had consented to be the mother of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She was well-versed in the Hebrew Bible as exemplified, for example, by her magnificent Magnificat, which is a remarkable compilation of Old Testament verses. She therefore knew what was in store for her as the mother of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14). Yet knowing all these prophesies and the suffering she would have to endure, she gave her fiat and immediately became the spouse of the Holy Spirit, who "overshadowed" her and she conceived at that moment the God-man.
And so with Mary, in her and through her the Holy Spirit produced His most illustrious work, the Incarnation of the Word. The hypo static union of the Son of God with human nature, as foretold to the angels before the fall from heaven, was accomplished, and with her consent two wondrous things happened; a woman while remaining a virgin became a mother, and a woman became the mother of her own Creator! God so loved the world and humanity that He also made one of us His mother!
Now, when the Church refers to the Mother of Jesus as "Co-Redemptrix", she does not mean, nor in any way infer, that Mary is equal to Jesus. This would be heresy, error, blasphemy, and would break the Mother's heart -- a transparent heart entirely dedicated to the glory of the Son.
To call Mary "Co-redemptrix" is simply to acknowledge the unique and entirely subordinate role of the Mother of Jesus in Christ's work of Redemption. By giving birth to the Redeemer and suffering with Him unto the Cross, Mary cooperated in the work of Jesus like no other creature. In its most basic formulation, Mary helped Jesus save souls like no one else. Mother Teresa's quip sums it up: "Of course, Mary is the Co-redemptrix. She gave jesus His body and His body is what saved us." Succinct sanctity at its best.
God's essential, theological and historical message from heaven seems clear. He wants Mary's role as the
Co-redemptrix acknowledged by the human race. The suffering of saints and heroes are honored by man -- why
not the greatest suffering by the greatest her of our race!
So much does the Heavenly Father desire that the rest of humanity acknowledge the unparalleled suffering of love offered by its "solitary boast", that the peace of the world is now totally dependent upon it. In fact, Our Lady has stated directly and unambiguously that only when her roles as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces and Advocate have been solemnly defined by the Pope as "dogma" that she will be able to intercede for the era of peace promised at Fatima: "When the dogma, the last dogma in Marian history has been proclaimed, 'the Lady of All Nations will give peace, true peace, to the world. They must, however, say my prayer in union with the Church. They must know that 'the Lady of all nations has come as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate. So be it!" (May 31, 1954).
Please study Our Lady's messages from her Apparition at Amsterdam in the Netherlands to more clearly understand the fulfillment of the revelation of God's plan for His people. Under the title of "The Lady of All Nations" Our Lady reveals that she wants to be known and loved by all. in her messages, Our Lady showed the current situation in the Church and in the world through visions, and also revealed His plan to save the world through His Mother.
PRAYER: "Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the hearts of all nations, that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May the Lady of All Nations, the Blessed Virgin Mary, be our Advocate. Amen."
SOURCE: MARY IS THE CO-REDEMPTRIX, by Professor Courtenay Bartholomew, MD, FRCP