Our Lady as a Model of the Church

The Vatican II Constitution on the Church devotes an entire chapter to Our Lady to show the Marian dimension of ecclesiology. This is in accordance with the Patristic tradition: 'As St Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a model of the Church in the matter of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ.' (90) St Francis has a profound understanding of Our Lady in relation to the Church )) in her relationship with the Trinity, the significance of the mystery of incarnation and the realisation as a family.

In the Antiphon for the Office of Passion (Francis' own writing), in Lumen gentium, as well as in the postconciliar catechism, a triad of Marian images is made with an ecclesiological mind:

This matrix tabulates the various Trinitarian visions of the Marian model of the Church. For Francis, the Church is portrayed with the images of Our Lady as daughter, servant (ancilla), (91) mother and spouse. All these images are illuminative for grasping an aspect of the mystery of the church. For instance, the ancilla aspect definitely relates to the servant model but at the same time adds a feminine dimension as well as a Marian element.

With such a litany of familial relationships, one immediate consequence of this Marian ecclesiology is a family vision of the Churcli. In Francis' conception, all the faithful are children of the heavenly Father, and more specifically,

when faithful souls are joined to our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, they become spouses of Christ;

when they do the will of Christ, they become brothers to Him;

when we carry Him in our heart and body through divine love and a pure and sincere conscience and when we give birth to Him through holy manner of working, we become mothers of Christ. (92)

It is interesting to note that in this version the family vision has a definite Christocentric focus. Although Francis was not consistent in deciding if the Church is the spouse of Christ or of the Holy Spirit, it is certain that he regards the entire community of faith as a spiritual family. This is made more clear for the friars: 'Let the brothers give witness that they are members of one family.' (93) On a collective level, the Church is indeed a household (familia) of God in the Spirit, as Lumen gentium points out.

Another important Marian devotion of St Francis is expressed in the Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary which bears a definite ecclesiological element:

Ave Domina, sancta Regina, sancta Dei genetrix Maria, quae es virgo ecclesia facta...

(Hail, 0 Lady, holy Queen, Mary,, holy Mother of God; you are the virgin made Church...). (94)

The ecclesiological significance of this prayer cannot be overemphasised. Mico analysed that this meant Mary's dignity as an anticipatory image of the Church because Our Lady was at God's disposal so that the Son of God could take flesh in her womb. (95)

At the centre of this salutatory prayer is a climax of six Aves: Ave palatium eius, ave tabernaculum eius, ave domus eius, ave vestimentum eius, ave ancilla eius, ave mater eius. (Hail, His Palace; Hail, His Tabernacle; Hail, His Home; Hail, His Robe; Hail, His Servant; Hail, His Mother.) (96) The first four of these titles refer to the mystery of the incarnation and Our Lady's role in co-operating with God to make it possible. This can be said to be dignity of the Church -- 'the place where humanity meets the Trinue God'. (97) The first two Aves, palace and tabernacle, relate to both dimensions of being triumphant and being pilgrim. The home and the robe concern both an interpersonal and a personal dimension of God among and with humanity. All four of these conform to the Vatican II appreciation of the solidarity of Godwith humankind: "The Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful, as in a temple (in templo habitat).' (98) Needless to say, the servant and the mother images refer to a horizontal mystical communion model, contrasting with the first four images, which refer to the vertical sacramental model.

Although the Church is a dwelling place which God has prepared for humankind, it is also the place where humankind prepares to meet God. As we have seen earlier in the Eucharistic ecclesiology the Eucharist makes the Church when the Church celebrates the Eucharist. Francis wrote: 'And let us make a home and dwelling place for Him who is the Lord God Almighty, Father and Son and Holy Spirit.' (99) The Church's loving acceptance of the indwelling of the Three Divine Persons is what makes it the true temple of the Trinity, the place where it is possible to live out the saving mystery of God.' (100) In short, a Franciscan-Marian ecclesiology is integrative. Using Our Lady as a focus, various models can be interlinked.

90. LG 63.

91. Latin version of the Antiphon in Esser, C. (ed.), Opuscula Sancti Patris Francisci Assisiensis (Rome: Collegii S Bonaventurae ad Claras Aquas 1978).

92. Firast Letter to the Faithful 7.

93. Second Rule 6:7

94. Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (SBV)

95. Mico,15.

96. SBV. Latin version in Esser.

97. Mico, 15.

98. LG 4.

99. First Rule 22:27

100. Mico, 16.