Page 364 - 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 359

APPENDIX 11 A MARIAN SYNTHESIS 359
We realise the immensity of our obligation to you. You gave
us Jesus who is the source of all our good. But for you, we
would still be in the darkness of the lost world, still under the
ancient sentence of death. From that extreme of misery,
Divine Providence willed to rescue us. It was pleased to utilise
you in that merciful design, assigning to you a part which
could not be more noble. Though utterly dependent on the
Redeemer, you were decreed his helpmate, brought as near to
him as a creature could be, made indispensable to him.
From all eternity you were with him in the intention of the
Most Holy Trinity, sharing his destiny: Proclaimed with him
in the original prophecy as the Woman of whom he would be
born: Joined with him in the prayers of those who awaited his
coming: Made one with him in grace by the Immaculate
Conception which wondrously redeemed you: United to him
in all the mysteries of his earthly career from the angel’s
message to the cross: Established in glory with him by your
Assumption: Seated beside him on his throne and
administering with him the realm of grace.
Of all mankind, you alone were pure enough and strong
enough in faith and spirit to become the New Eve who, with
the New Adam, would reverse the Fall. Your prayer, already
full of the Holy Spirit, drew Jesus down to earth. Your will and
flesh conceived him. Your milk nourished him. Your surpass -
ing love enveloped him and enabled him to grow in age and
strength and wisdom. In a real way you moulded him who
had made you. Then when the hour ordained for the offering
was come, you freely gave the divine Lamb to his mission and
to his sacrificial death on Calvary, enduring with him a
plenitude of suffering like unto his own — such that you
would have died along with him but that you were detained
to nurse the infant Church.
Having thus been his inseparable helper throughout the
accom plishing of Redemption, you have been no less with
him, no less necessary to him, in the Christian dispensation.
Your maternity expanded to receive all those for whom he
died. You mother mankind as you mothered him, because we
are in him. Each soul remains committed to your patient care
until at last you give it birth to life eternal.
As it was willed for the completeness of the plan of
salvation that you should be instrumental in every part of it,