For us, Mary became the Mother of all human beings by virtue of her Maternity. In relation to God, the adoration that angels and mortals give her has raised her to an unlimited greatness, for through the Word of God becoming man in her and glorifying God the Father, Mary has brought it about that God, if we may say so, is glorified by God himself.
Mary obtained all this by her consent to be Mother, when, invited by the angel, she pronounced those words that resound throughout the ages: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me as you say” [Lk 1:38]. What word had the angel addressed to her? These marvelous words: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, for the Child to be born will be called the Son of God” [Lk 1:35].
At the very same moment that Mary said “Let it be done to me according to your word,” the Word became flesh [Jn 1:14], and her Divine Maternity became a reality: “She conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit” [Mt 1:18].
Saint Raphael of St. Joseph Kalinowski
“Mother of God, Hope for the World”
Conference delivered to the Discalced Carmelite friars
3 October 1906, Wadowice, Poland
Francisco Goya y Lucientes (Spanish, 1746–1828)
Oil on canvas, c. 1785
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Public domain)
Gallery label: This painting, a sketch for a large altarpiece in a monastic chapel in Madrid, gives us a unique glimpse into Goya’s creative process. The quick, fluid brushstrokes demonstrate the rapid technique used for a preliminary study. Many changes were made in the final version: the image of God the Father was omitted, and the positions of the Virgin and the angel Gabriel reversed. The fresh, spring-like colors are characteristic of Goya’s early style; his later works are much more somber.
Praskiewicz OCD, S 2016, Saint Raphael Kalinowski: An Introduction to his Life and Spirituality, ICS Publications, Washington DC.
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