Our Lady's Sanctification

The Blessed Virgin was sanctified before her birth. She who was to be the Mother of God was privileged above all others,and we know from the angel’s salutation (Luke 1:28) that she was “full of grace.” Scripture testifies that both Jeremias and St. John the Baptist were sanctified before their birth; Mary’s place was higher than theirs in God’s economy of redemption, and her privileges, therefore, cannot have been lessthan theirs. Therefore, Mary was sanctified before her birth.{-Mary was sanctified not only before her birth, but from the very beginning of her existence; she was preservedimmaculate by God’s gift and grace, and thereby sanctified,from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her mother.St. John and Jeremias had original sin removed from them before their birth; Mary never had the original sin at all; it was not removed from her; she was preserved from its taint.-}

The Blessed Virgin was sanctified when her spiritual soul had animated her body. {-See note above. See also the note at the beginning of this treatise.-}

There is, as we have seen, a readiness in fallen human nature, a kind of flammability of the flesh by which a movement of sense-appetency is almost at once a strong and driving desire. Thisis called the forties of sin. It is not sinful in itself,but, if unresisted, it sweeps a man on to sin. Now, in thesanctified (and immaculate) Mother of God, there was no fomes. This defect and blemish of fallen nature had noplace in one of her high dignity and stainless birth (and conception).

The Blessed Virgin was, by her sanctification, fitted for the most exalted office of Mother of God. There was no sin inher, either original or actual, either mortal or venial. In her is fulfilled the prophecy (Cant. 4:7): “Thou are all fair, O mylove, and there is not a spot in thee.”

By her sanctification, the Blessed Mother received the fullness of grace; for Mary was nearest of all to Christ through whom all grace comes. Hence, her fullness of grace was greater than that of any other receiver.

It is fitting that the Blessed Mother should besanctified from the first. As noted above, Jeremias and St. John the Baptist were sanctified before their birth. Of Jeremias it is written (Jer. 1:5): “Before thou camest forth out of the womb,I sanctified thee.” And of St. John the Baptist scripture says(Luke 1:15): “He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”