Page 20 - 聖母軍團員手冊（英文版，2014年5月-2022年1月更新版）

Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 19

CHAPTER 5 THE DEVOTIONAL OUTLOOK OF THE LEGION 19
Redeemer. He associated her to the intimacies of his plans of
grace, making her the true mother of his Son and of those
united to that Son. He did all these things because, in the first
place, he would gain from Mary herself a return greater than
he would from all other pure creatures together. In the second
place, he thereby intended, in a way which our minds cannot
adequately grasp, to enhance the glory which he would
receive from ourselves also. Thus, the prayer and loving
service, with which we recompense Mary, our mother and the
helper of our salvation, can represent no loss to him who
made her so. What is given to her goes none the less surely
and fully to him. But there is question of more than
undiminished transmission; there is question of increase. And
Mary is more than a faithful messenger. She has been set by
God to be a vital element in his gracious scheme, in such sort
that both his glory and our grace are the greater by reason of
her presence there.
As it is the pleasure of the Eternal Father so to receive
through Mary the homages intended for him, so too he has
been graciously pleased to appoint her to be the way by
which shall pass to men the various outpourings of his
munificent goodness and omnipotence, beginning with the
cause of them all—the Second Divine Person made man, our
true life, our only salvation.
“If I will to make myself dependent on the Mother, it is in order to
become the slave of the Son. If I aspire to become her possession, it is
in order to render more surely to God the homage of my subjection.”
(St. Ildephonsus)

2. MARY, MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACES
The Legion’s trust in Mary is limitless, knowing that by the
ordinance of God, her power is without limit. All that he
could give to Mary, he has given to her. All that she was
capable of receiving she has received in plenitude. For us God
has constituted her a special means of grace. Operating in
union with her we approach him more effectively, and hence
win grace more freely. Indeed we place ourselves in the very
flood-tide of grace, for she is the spouse of the Holy Spirit: she