Newsletter of the District of Asia  December 1997 The reason why so many graces were conferred on Mary by Rev. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange The eminent dignity of the divine maternity is revealed in a new light if we consider that it is the reason why the fulness of grace was given to Mary, that it is the measure and end of that fulness, and that it is superior to it. The reason why Mary was given a fulness of grace from the first instant was that she might be enabled to conceive the Man-God in holiness, by uttering her fiat with the utmost generosity on the day of the Annunciation in spite of the sufferings which she knew had been foretold of the Messiah; it was given her, too, that she might bring forth her child while remaining a virgin, that she might surround Him with the most motherly and most holy devotion; it was given her, finally, that she might unite herself to Him in closest conformity of will, as only a most holy mother can, during His hidden life, His apostolic life, and His suffering life—that she might utter her second fiat most heroically at the foot of the Cross, with Him, by Him, and in Him. As Fr. Hugon has so well put it: "The divine maternity postulates intimate friendship with God.  Since a mother is bound both by a law of nature and an express precept to love her son, and he to love her, Mary and Jesus loved each other mutually; and since the maternity in question here is supernatural, the love must be of the same order.  But this means that it is a sanctifying love, since by the fact that God loves a soul He makes it lovable and sanctifies it".  There is thus the most complete conformity between the will of Mary and her Son’s oblation which was, as it were, the soul of the sacrifice of the Cross. It is clear that it was for the reason we have given and for none other that Mary was given an initial plenitude of grace followed by a consummated plenitude in glory.  The same reason or end was the measure of her grace and glory: therefore it surpassed them.  Admittedly it is not possible to deduce from the divine maternity each and every one of the privileges received by Mary, but all derive ultimately from it.  If, finally, she was predestined from all eternity to the highest degree of glory after Jesus, the reason is that she was predestined first of all to be His most worthy mother, and to retain that title during eternity after having enjoyed it in time.  The saints who contemplate in heaven the sublime degree of glory, so far surpassing that of the angels, in which Mary is enthroned, know that the reason why she was predestined to it is that she might be and might remain for eternity the most worthy Mother of God: Mater Creatoris, Mater Salvatoris, Virgo Dei Genetrix.