Christ will conquer through Mary

“Be not afraid!” Christ said to the apostles (cf. Lk 24:36) and to the women (cf. Mt 28:10) after the Resurrection. According to the Gospels, these words were not addressed to Mary. Strong in her faith, she had no fear. Mary’s participation in the victory of Christ became clear to me above all from the experience of my people. Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski told me that his predecessor, Cardinal August Hlond, had spoken these prophetic words as he was dying: “The victory if it comes, will come through Mary.” During my pastoral ministry in Poland, I saw for myself how those words were coming true.

After my election as Pope, as I became more involved in the problems of the universal Church, I came to have a similar conviction: on the universal level, if victory comes, it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her because He wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her.

Saint John Paul II, in Crossing the Threshold of Hope, pp. 220-221.