Each year, Cross Catholic Outreach holds a special Day of Prayer for all of our benefactors, overseas ministry partners, and most especially the poorest of the poor whom we serve. We set this date on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother, since she is the Co-Redemptrix with her son Jesus, and the Mother of God. As Catholics, it is an honor to be able to ask her intercession to her Son Jesus Christ, who became man so that humanity could become like God through our lives of faith.
The ancient title for Mary from the fifth century was Theotokos — Greek for “mother of God” — confirmed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. She is honored with this title because, since Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, Mary is the mother of both natures. When we honor Mary, we also affirm the significance she has in Redemption History — for without the Incarnation, we would not have salvation from sin and death.
Thus, when we pray to Mary, it is not so much that we place our trust in her; rather, we trust she will bring our prayers to her son to be heard and answered. We see this intercessory role of Mary’s in Sacred Scripture; in fact, the first miracle of Jesus took place at the Wedding at Cana in response to the request of his mother Mary (Jn. 2:1-11).
Related: A Light to the Nations – Reflection on the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist