We are deified through the Virgin Mary

Saint Gregory Palamas (1) defines the Church as a “communion of deification”, because Baptism and the Eucharist form the Body of Christ and contribute to the deification of the faithful who cooperate to grace. In this way, the saints not only participate in God's life, but also communicate him to others. 

We can now better understand the Virgin Mary’s greatness, and her role from Heaven, where she lives in glory.

How could Mary's body, which not only welcomed into itself the eternal Son of God but also begot him, not be raised to heaven? She from whom the Sun came forth appears as heaven. And it was of this place that Jacob the patriarch exclaimed: “This is a venerable place, truly God's dwelling and the gateway to heaven!" (Gen 28:16-17) 

Mary was divinized, for at the Annunciation, God manifests himself to Mary, not through the mediation of fire or wind, as with Moses and Elijah, but “without any veil”, and the divine nature “imprinted its form and figure in her”.

In the Church, a “communion of deification”, Mary transmits divine life to us.

Because of this, there is great communication between her and us! Mary divinizes us, transmitting divine life: “She stands between God and humanity; she made God the son of man and made men the sons of God; she made the earth into heaven and made our race divine. She is very high, queen of all creation, visible and invisible.” (St Gregory Palamas, homily 37,3).

As in a cascade of light or a chain of grace, Mary is the “administrator” of God's riches, because: “Through her alone Christ dwelt among us and was visible on earth and lived among men; thus and unceasingly, without her no progress in divine light, no unveiling of divine mysteries, no vision of spiritual gifts can be given.” (G. Palamas, hom 37,8).

For St Gregory Palamas, it is an eternal law in heaven that the lesser, through the greater, become partakers of him who sits in heaven, and as the Virgin is incomparably greater than all, it is through her that we will participate in the life of God (G. Palamas, hom 37,8).

Françoise Breynaert

Marian Encyclopedia

Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359)