-- Emmanuel d'Alzon

1. Mary Carried to Heaven by Jesus

It can be said that when the eternal Word came down from heaven to live on this earth among men he chose Mary's chaste womb as the chariot of his humility. Mary provided him with his body and his blood, conceived by the action of the Holy Spirit in a most wondrous way. Yet Mary had been chosen because of her lowliness, her humility. Now Jesus wanted to make returns to Mary for the service she had rendered to him. Mary had been able to render her Son service only in accordance with the state he wanted to assume. Jesus, for his part, wanted to give his Mother a proof of love in conformity with his glorious transformation in heaven. Jesus had entered a new state and he was introducing Mary into it as well.

That is why the Church honors Mary leaning on her Beloved. Mary needed Jesus' help in order to enter heaven in body and soul. When the moment arrived, Jesus was eager to reward Mary in heaven for all she had done for him on earth, and to reward her abundantly.

If I reach out to Jesus in this world, follow in his footsteps, and offer him my whole life in imitation of Mary and in the practice of the virtues of which she gives me the example, I shall certainly be transformed and grow in perfection. Then, in imitation of Mary I shall be transported to heaven by Jesus. Fortunate are those who, like Mary, are welcomed into eternal life by Jesus!

2. Mary Crowned with Glory by Jesus

Jesus himself welcomed Mary into heaven. What was their meeting like? What love must have been exchanged between them! Mary certainly had been waiting for Jesus, but we can also say that Jesus had been waiting for his Mother. In the secret depths of his wisdom and love he had delayed the hour of their reunion. Finally this blessed hour had come, and some compensation was in order for such a long delay.

What would Jesus do? It was up to him to give his Mother the crown won by the sacrifices of such a long period of waiting. Who can describe the beauty of the diadem, the royal splendor, the gifts of understanding he bestowed on her intellect, the flames of love he kindled in her heart, the superabundant joy he poured out on her? Who can describe the Mother's raptures on being reunited to her Son and the glories the Son lavished on his Mother?

Now all of this can be in my future if I so will. Not in the same degree of course, but in a degree that will leave me perfectly satisfied, surpassing anything I can imagine. Providing I remain faithful. Far from being jealous of the creature beloved above all other creatures, I want her glory to increase to the maximum since it is a pledge of the glory I myself shall some day obtain if I follow in Mary's footsteps.

3. Jesus Makes Mary All-Powerful in a Certain Sense

Mary is not powerful by nature. She is powerful only through the communication of divine power. Yet it pleased God to make his divine power shine forth in her. This wonderful power has become as it were a new bond between Jesus and Mary. But it is a bond that works to our advantage. For it is in order to do us still greater good that Jesus calls Mary to help him, even though he has need of no one. He seeks her help first of all to show his love for his Mother. He wants to give her a new title to add to all the others, the title of benefactress of humankind, through the power he confers on her for our sakes. Finally, he calls Mary to help him in order to show his love for all of us, for whom he created new sources of graces and blessings.

In heaven Mary participates in the very power of Jesus. The Queen of Angels remembers that while she is also the Queen of all men, she is first of all their Mother. After bringing them forth in sorrow on Calvary, she can now crown them in heaven in her glory.