August 2005

Question 158- Question 150 Pope Benedict and the Holy Eucharist

I just wanted to give you a quick heads up this Q&A from your site.
This may give some indication that it does reflect the views of Pope Benedict, but I pray that you are correct in your answer.
In Christ,
Bob

R. Sungenis: Thanks, Bob. As the caption itself notes, it could have been a honest mistake. On the other hand, if and when the pope or anyone else begins to make a regular practice of giving communion to non-Catholics, then we can start worrying :)

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Question 157- Was Mary's Salvation Dependent on Christ's Sacrifice?

This question was posed to me by a non-catholic, and I was unsure as to the proper teaching on the subject.
I understand that her salvation is entirely dependent on the being of her Son, but is it dependent specifically on the sacrifice of her Son, as is everyone else's?
Would there be any theological ramifications if it were to be concluded that Mary could indeed have been saved without Christ's sacrifice do to her sinlessness? Technically she would still be saved entirely by God's graces and love alone, therefore would this view conflict with Catholic theology at all?
I have yet to receive a straight answer or explanation. Such answers have been similar to, "Mary participates in the divine nature of God because of God’s unconditional love of humanity. Is it possible to separate the love of God from Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross?"
Any help?
Thanks in advance,
Michael

R. Sungenis: Michael, as a member of the human race, Mary would have been infected with Original Sin if not for her Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception was the result of sanctifying grace Mary received directly from God, and the grace was given because of the future merits of Christ’s Atonement. This is why Mary says “I rejoice in God my Savior” at the birth of her Son (Lk 1:47). In that sense, Christ’s atonement was applied before it actually took place, as it was for all the Old Testament saints (cf., Rom 4:1-8).

One distinction that should be made, however, is that while Christ’s Atonement is the “meritorious cause” of her Immaculate Conception, her Motherhood of God is the “final cause.” The Council of Trent made these distinctions concerning Justification in Chapter 7 of Session 6:

Justification itself follows this disposition or preparation, which is not merely remission of sins [Canon 11], but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man through the voluntary reception of the grace and gifts, whereby an unjust man becomes a just man, and from being an enemy becomes a friend, that he may be ‘an heir according to hope of life everlasting’ [Titus 3:7]. The causes of this justification are: the final cause indeed is the glory of God and of Christ and life eternal; the efficient cause is truly a merciful God who gratuitously ‘washes and sanctifies’ [1 Cor 6:11], ‘signing and anointing with the Holy Sprit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance’; but the meritorious cause is His most beloved only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘who when we were enemies,’ ‘for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,’ merited justification for us [Canon 10] by His most holy passion of the wood of the Cross, and made satisfaction for us to God the Father; the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the ‘sacrament of faith,’ without which no one is ever justified. Finally the unique formal cause is the ‘justice of God, not that by which He Himself is just, but by which He makes us just’ [Canon 10 and 11, Augustine, On the Trinity, 14, 12, 15; ML 42, 1048], that, namely, by which, when we are endowed with it by him, we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and not only are we reputed, but we are truly called and are just, receiving justice within us, each one according to his own measure, which the ‘Holy Spirit distributes to everyone as he wills,’ and according to each one’s own disposition and cooperation.

Dr. Robert Sungenis

August 2005