THE SHRINE TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Mary with the Child Jesus
Just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life (I Corinthians 15: 22)
The Shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary dates from 1994. The image of Mary holding the child Jesus is considerably older—it was carved by Italian craftsmen in the mid-19th century, and is based on a medieval altarpiece from Blaubeuren, Germany. Mary shows us the Child Jesus, who holds in his hand the fruit that recalls humanity’s fall from grace. Just as Christ is the new Adam, so Mary is the new Eve, bringing new life to the world.
MEDITATION
Listen to me now and come to me, old Eve, our mother of old; raise your head, the head that was humiliated by the shame of an orchard. Uncover your countenance and be happy with yourself, because you have flung away your shame. Listen to words full of peace, because a daughter of yours has paid your debt. The serpent who seduced you has been crushed by you. For your sake the cherubim and his sword have been withdrawn, so that Adam can return to the paradise from which he had been expelled. Adam and Eve will turn to you and gather from me the fruit of life; through you he will recover the sweetness of his lips, which the forbidden fruit had turned bitter. –Saint Ephraem the Syrian, “Mary’s Cradle Song”
PRAYER
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
Thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.