Mark Miravalle on Mariology (or is it, Maryolarty?), part 7

“Jn 19:26 - The Establishment of the Mediatrix of Graces”
This section begins by, yet again, referencing John 19:26 and this time with an inclusion of v. 27—in the citation—along with an eight word quotation, “Woman, behold your son. ...son, behold your mother” and the obligatory assertion and mis-interpretation:

These words…bring forth the establishment of Mary as the motherly mediatrix of graces for the human family…beloved disciple, who represents all who seek to be beloved disciples of the Lord,1…
the Mother of Jesus is now established as the new spiritual and universal mediatrix in the order of grace. Christ's gift of the role of mediatrix of graces is at once a gift of sublime dignity to his coredeeming Mother ("Woman, behold you son") and at the same time is a sanctifying gift for the fallen human family ("son, behold your mother").
John Paul II confirms:

"With the redeeming death, the maternal mediation of the handmaid of the Lord took on a universal dimension, for the work of redemption embraces all of humanity…"2.

She who was once known only as Mary is now publicly established by the dying Saviour as the Woman, the Mother, and the Mediatrix of the graces of redemption….she is the Mediatrix of graces because she was first the Coredemptrix.[150]

The repetitive nature of Mark Miravalle’s assertions certainly get tedious. Perhaps he is playing off of the quip that if you repeat a falsehood often enough people will begin to believe it.
Consider this grammatical construct, “coredeeming Mother (‘Woman, behold you son’)” that Mary participated in the actual salvific redemption of humankind is being read into the words “Woman, behold you son”—the fallacy is, yet again, quite apparent as is the Mariologist’s desperation.
Likewise with the concocted statement that Mary was “publicly established…as the Woman, the Mother, and the Mediatrix.”
Let us rephrase this accurately: Mary was referred to as woman, as John’s mother and not at all as mediatrix.

“The Fathers and the Mediatrix of Graces”
Mark Miravalle introduces this section thusly,

Beyond its implicit presence in the Patristic understanding of the New Eve as the "cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race,"3 Mary's role as Mediatrix of the graces of redemption gradually comes to a fuller light in the mind of the Fathers of the living Church.4

Recall that Mark Miravalle previously noted that Mary’s “role as the Mediatrix” being “outlined and manifested in a gradual way in earlier passages” and that “The role of Mary as the Mediatrix with the Mediator as revealed in the pages of the New Testament is outlined in a developmental way.” Now, he adds, in a reiterative manner, that it “comes to a fuller light in the mind of the Fathers of the living Church.” As we have seen, these statements amount to seeking one verse here and half a verse there twisted and tied into a most unsatisfactory bow of Marian “scholarship.” Now, we will be presented with one partial quotation from this Church Father followed by another, all likewise weaved into a tangled tapestry; “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive”—Sir Walter Scott.

In that which follows it is important to keep in mind that the statements of preachers of all sorts, priests, Popes, “saints,” councils, apparitions, etc. are to be judged according to the text of the Bible. Recall that the Bereans were praised as being more “noble” or “fair minded” than the Thessalonians because when no less an authority than Paul the Apostle taught them,

they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Also keep in mind that in footnote #151 Mark Miravalle notes that he cannot reach the “conclusion that all Patristic uses of the term ‘Mediatrix’ necessarily refer to a commentary on Jn 19:26…Later Fathers are oftentimes more specific in their references to Mary as the mediatrix of the graces of redemption at Calvary.” In fact, in Mary in Roman Catholicism, part 3 - A Review of Marian Dogma and Apparition Chronology you can consider the very, very, very late date at which these doctrines and dogmas were made official.

Note how Mark Miravalle praises St. Cyril of Alexandria when he ought rebuked him:

At the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.), St. Cyril of Alexandria manifests a profound understanding of Mary's function as Mediatrix "through whom" the works of salvation are accomplished, in one of the greatest Manan sermons of antiquity:

"Hail Mary Theotokos, venerable treasure of the whole world...it is you through whom the Holy Trinity is glorified and adored,...through whom the tempter, the devil is cast down from heaven, through whom the fallen creature is raised up to heaven, through whom that all creation, once imprisoned by idolatry, has reached knowledge of the truth, through whom holy baptism has come to believers...through whom nations are brought to repentance...."5

It is indeed, through Mary that “the devil is cast down from heaven”? “through whom the fallen creature is raised up to heaven”? “through whom that all creation, once imprisoned by idolatry, has reached knowledge of the truth”? “through whom holy baptism has come to believers”? “through whom nations are brought to repentance”?
Each and every one of these tasks is performed by Jesus and thus, each and every application of these to Mary is taking away from Jesus in order to hyper-exalt Mary into His rightful office. For example, Mark Miravalle notes that “John Damascene spoke of Mary's fulfilling of the “office of Mediatrix.’6.” Yet, as we have seen time and time again, this is a one person office as “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1st Timothy 2:5).

Note the excesses to the point of what can only be rightly termed blasphemy in the words of hyper-exaltation of Mary in the form of Our Lady of Fatima proponent Fr. Nicholas Gruner of The Fatima Crusader:

…when Our Lady of Fatima says, “Only I can help you,” in a certain sense, not even God can help us, “but only I.”7

According to this bit of Maryolatry; Mary can accomplish that which not even God can.

…The Eastern Fathers excelled in their more explicit understanding of the role of Mary Mediatrix…. St. Andrew of Crete referred to Mary as the "Mediatrix of the law and grace," and also stated, "She is the mediation between the sublimity of God and the abjection of the flesh."8 St. John Damascene spoke of Mary's fulfilling of the "office of Mediatrix."9 St. Germain of Constantinople profoundly expressed Mary's function as universal Mediatrix of salvation and mercy:

"No one is saved except through you, O Theotokos; no one secured a gift of mercy, save through you....in you all peoples of the earth have obtained a blessing..."10 The Mother of Jesus was rightly understood by the early Eastern Fathers as "truly a good Mediatrix of all sinners,"11 and "the Mediatrix of all who are under Heaven."12

The last footnote to this quote reads, in part:

St. Modestus of Jerusalem (d. 634) or Pseudo-Modestus, : "The human race has been saved in you [Mary]…," PG 86, 3306; and "[Mary]...through whom we have been mystically recreated and made the Temple of the Holy Spirit...through which we have received forgiveness of all our sins," PG 86bis, 3293; and later, the great contribution of Theophanes of Nicaea (d. 1381): "It cannot happen that anyone, of angels or men, can come otherwise, in any way whatsoever…save through his [Jesus’] Mother," S. in SS. Deiparam, ed. M. Jugie, A.A., Lateranum, Nova Series, Rome, 1935,1,51

Note the continued reliance upon the excessive assertions scattered throughout the centuries; the focus is that since they hold to a Mary’s yes view anything and everything that God the Father, God the Son and/or God the Holy Spirit has accomplished is accredited not to them but to Mary—or to Mary and also to them as a token.
How else can such un-biblical and heretical assertions be explained:

…No one is saved except through you…The human race has been saved in you…through whom we have been mystically recreated…through which we have received forgiveness of all our sins…It cannot happen that anyone, of angels or men, can come otherwise, in any way whatsoever…save through his [Jesus’] Mother…

See Mary in Roman Catholicism, part 17 - Savior?

Not only is a Mary’s yes emphasized and employed as an excuse for excessive hyper-exaltation of Mary but we, again, encounter the concept of to Jesus through Mary which is another excuse to focus upon, be devoted to, Mary whilst ignoring Jesus. How so? Because since it is Mary who gets you to Jesus you are to focus on her.

Mark Miravalle quotes St. Peter Damian,

As the Son of God has designed to descend to us through you [Mary], so we also must come to him through you.13

This is very typical of Marian “scholarship” and “logic”: due to a premise that is quite accurate an utterly fallacious conclusion is reached. Indeed, Jesus came to Earth—descended—through Mary but it is a non sequitur—it does not follow—that therefore, “we also must come to him through” Mary. When Jesus made statements such as, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28) no one would have even imagined stating, “Ok, where is your mother?”

St. Peter Damian states that mercy is found via Mary, “In your hands are the treasures of the mercies of God.”
Yet, the God inspired writer of the Bible’s New Testament’s book of Hebrews wrote,

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:10-16).

Now, choose: Mark Miravalle, St. Peter Damian and Roman Catholicism or the Holy divinely inspired Word of God?

Mark Miravalle next notes St. Bernard of Clairvaux who asked, “God has willed that we should have nothing which would not pass through the hands of Mary” and “This is the will of Him who wanted us to have everything through Mary.”14
It is also noted that “These classical expressions…by St. Bernard have been used by several twentieth century popes in the official Marian teachings of the Magisterium.15
Got the message? We remove ourselves from the grammatical, historical and cultural contexts of the time of Jesus and travel over one thousand years (St. Bernard lived 1091-1153 AD) to gain insights (or inblindness) which are then employed into the promulgations of Popes two thousand years after the time of Jesus.

Now, this is not only Mark Miravalle’s opinion nor only St. Bernard’s but we are told that this is God’s will,

any grace, hope, or salvation found in the human family has flowed through Mary, whom God has given every good:

"…if there is any trace of hope in us, any trace of grace, any trace of salvation, it flows from her."16

…St. Bernardine of Siena sums up…

"This is the process of divine graces: from God they flow to Christ, from Christ to his Mother, and from her to the Church....I do not hesitate to say that she has received a certain jurisdiction over all graces....They are administered through her hands.... "17

Mark Miravalle’s also references the two millennia after Jesus’ time Pope Pius XII who stated, “It is the will of God that we obtain all favors through Mary.”18 Simply stated, Mary has been made utterly indispensible.
Note what the Catechism of the Catholic Church #971 states, “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship”—see Mary in Roman Catholicism, part 4 - How Important is Mary?

Mark Miravalle rightly notes that “Particular mention should be made of the outstanding contribution of St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort in his classic work, True Devotion to Mary.” Indeed, and his work is so influential that it “has received numerous papal endorsements and indulgences by twentieth century pontiffs.”19
Well, there may not be any other way of putting it than that St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort appears to have been no more nor less than a worshipper of Mary—see Mary in Roman Catholicism, part 19 - St. Montfort
In fact, Mark Miravalle comes close to stating this, even whilst protecting him via the excuse making language of a true Mariolater:

For St. Louis Marie, Mary's role as Mediatrix of all graces was the theological foundation for the personal act of total consecration to Jesus through Mary, in which the Christian gives the Mediatrix full intercessory power to help him to be true to his baptismal promises.20

Since “the Christian gives the Mediatrix full intercessory power” Mary is no longer “co-” anything but has simply taken over the job of mediator and intercessor. A concluding quote by St. Alphonsus Liguori, “Marian Doctor of the Church,” merely reiterates that which has been reiterated ad infinitum.

1. 1. Cf. Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, n. 45
2. 2. Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, n. 40
3. 3. Cf St. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses III, c.22,n.4: PG 7, 959; V, C. 19, n. 1: PG 7,1175; St. Epiphanius, Haer. 78, 18: PG 42, 728; St. Jerome, Epist. 22, 21: Migne, PL 22, 408; cf. St. Augustine, Serm. 51, 2, 3: PG 38, 335; St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. 12, 15: PG 33, 741; St. John Chryostom, In Ps. 44,7: PG 55, 193
4. 4. For a more comprehensive treatment of the gradual understanding of Mediatrix of graces in Patristic thought, cf. J. Bittremieux, De meditatione universali B. M. Virginis quoad gratias, Brugis, 1926, p. 194; A. Robichaud, SM., Mary, Dispensatrix of All Graces, Mariology, v. 2, p. 442; M. O'Carroll, C.S.Sp.. Mediation,Theotokos, p. 239; G. Roshini, S.M., Maria Santissima Nella Storia Della Salvezza, v. II, p. 208
5. 5. St. Cyril of Alexandria, Hom. in Deiparam, PG 65, p. 681
6. 6. St. John Damascene, Hom. I in Dorm., PG 96, 713A
7. 7. Fr. Nicholas Gruner, B. Comm., S.T.L., S.T.D. (Cand.), “The Calm Before the Storm Part III,” The Fatima Crusader, Constable, NY: Servants of Jesus and Mary-Fatima Center, Autumn 1998, Issue 58
8. 8. St. Andrew of Crete (d. 740), In Nativ. Mariae, Semi I. and Semi. IV, PG 97, 808, 865. The role of Mary's mediation is also found in the writings of St. Ephraem (d. 373) or the school of St. Ephraem, S. Ephraem, Syri opera graeca et latine, ed., Assemani, v. 3, Romae, pp. 525, 528-9, 532
9. 9. St. John Damascene, Hom. I in Dorm., PG 96, 713A
10. 10. St. Germanus of Constantinople, Hom. in Dorm. II, PG 98, 321, 352-3
11. 11. St. Germanus or Pseudo-Germanus, Oratio V in Ann. SS. Deiparae, PG 93, 322 BC
12. 12. St. Tarasius of Constantinople (d. 806), In SS. Deiparae Praesentationem, PG 98, 1499 [the rest of this footnote is in the text of the essay above]
13. 13. St. Peter Damian (d. 1072), Serm. 46, PL 144, 761B
14. 14. “St. Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153), Hom. III in vig. nativit., n. 10, PL 183, 100” and “…Hom. in nativit. B.V.M., n. 7, PL 183,441
15. 15. For example, cf. Pope Pius XII, Superiore anno, AAS 32, 1940, p. 145; and Mediator Dei, 1947. These will be treated more explicitly in the following section on the papal commentary of Jn 19:26 and Mediatrix of graces.
16. 16. St Bernard of Clairvaux, Hom. in nativitat. B.V.M., n. 6, PL 183,441
17. 17. St. Bernadine of Siena (d. 1440), Sermon V de nativiate B.M.V. , cap. 8; op. omn., v. 4, (Lugduni, 1650), p.96. See also St. Bonventure (d. 1274), sermo VI de rnaternitate B.M. Virginis, op. omn., V. 9 (Quaracchi, 1901), pp. 720-1; and St. Albert or Pseudo-Albert, Mariale, q. 164; op. omn., ed. Borgnet, v. 37, Parisiis, 1898, p. 241
18. 18. Cf. Pope Pius XII, Superiore anno, MS 32, 1940, p. 145
19. 19. For example, cf. Pope St. Pius X, AAS 2, 1910, p. 185; 5, 1913, p. 485; Pope Benedict XV, AAS 8, 1916, p. 172; Pope Pius XII, AAS 37, 1945, p. 328; AAS 39, 1947, p. 331; AAS 39, 1947, pp.410-411; John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, n. 48
20. 20. St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (d. 1716), True Devotion to Mary, n. 24