The Beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God
According to Don Dolindo Ruotolo
In his poetic commentary on Luke 1, Servant of God Don Dolindo Ruotolo unveils the spiritual beauty and mystical depth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Contemplating Gospel scenes like the Annunciation and Visitation, Don Dolindo glimpses Mary's profound humility and self-surrender which attracted God's grace, allowing her to become the Mother of the Redeemer. By pondering Mary's littleness and love, Don Dolindo hopes to draw us deeper into her mysteries, that like Mary, we may magnify God through lives of prayer, worship, and charity. Immersing ourselves in her holy life gives birth to holiness in us, as grace entered the world through this same gate of Mary’s soul wherein God pitched His tent among us.
In his luminous commentary reflecting on the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the Servant of God Don Dolindo Ruotolo unveils for us a glimpse of the spiritual beauty and mystical depth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With exquisite theological insight and tender Marian devotion, Don Dolindo contemplates the Annunciation, Visitation, Magnificat, and other Gospel passages presenting Mary, exploring their rich meaning.
Let us walk with Don Dolindo into these Gospel scenes, to catch a glimpse of Mary’s glory and be drawn, with him, into a deeper love for our Blessed Mother.
Humility prepares Mary's soul, as we see in his commentary. Don Dolindo emphasizes that God chose Mary because of her profound humility. Her littleness of heart made room for God to fill her with grace: "Humility! Humility! It fascinates God, for it is the fire in which His light can reflect and His greatness can manifest. He, who, knowing Himself, generates the Word, finds no other place to place the Word made flower of Lilies than in humility, self-knowledge in littleness. The creature, by knowing and humbling itself, attracts the Creator. In the gentle emptiness of humility, He shines. The loving contempt in which the creature plunges itself is God's appreciation, and it has something of that eternal fruitful knowledge of the Eternal Word. It is a mystery of love that the world does not know."
Mary's humility made her soul spacious, allowing her to be permeated and elevated by God's grace. She drew down the Word of God because she emptied herself. This self-emptying was the fruit of her Immaculate Conception which freed her from the constraints of self-love that imprison our hearts. As Mary proclaims, God "has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts" (Luke 1:51), for pride blocks His grace, while humility lays the soul bare to receive His gifts.
Possessing an intimate knowledge of her own "littleness" before God, Mary appreciated the gratuitousness of the divine blessings poured out on her, attributing them wholly to God’s goodness rather than her own merits. This liberates our souls also to receive God’s gifts with childlike gratitude. As Mary declares, "He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden" (Luke 1:48), exalting the humble and meek who trust solely in His mercy.
Setting the scene of the Annunciation, Don Dolindo portrays Mary enveloped in silent prayer. Using vivid poetic metaphor, he describes her posture, expression and inner disposition of humility, modesty, peace and love as she offers herself fully to God:
“She was kneeling, in an attitude of profound humility; her hands were clasped, her head veiled, her heart directed towards God, and her eyes half-closed in the sweetest modesty. Her large eyes, filled with the light of God, were almost veiled by her eyelids, which lowered like the veil of the Temple, over the mystery of truth and love. Her pure forehead was serene, and it shone with the reflection of her great thoughts.” Don Dolindo allowed himself to meditate on these granular details most likely out of immense love for Mary, knowing from the lives of the Saints that such humility and abandonment to God are what attract His grace; and most likely reflecting his own profound and humble devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, wherein he continually received the incarnate Word as Mary once did.
Thus immersed in contemplative prayer, Mary is greeted by the Angel. Don Dolindo emphasizes her humility which makes her “troubled” by the Angel’s sublime greeting, which she cannot attribute to her own merits. Her only desire is the fulfillment of God’s will. With limitless faith and self-surrender, she responds with her fiat, enabling the incarnation of the Word by the power of the Spirit.
Dwelling on this mystical scene, Don Dolindo glimpses the profound trinitarian and christological mysteries accomplished in Mary, who becomes the first “tabernacle” of Jesus on earth. From her, grace radiates to all humanity. Her immaculate flesh and blood nourished the sacred flesh and blood of Jesus in her womb, in a mysterious “circulation” of life between Mother and Son by which she is exulted as the Mother of God. Similar to Mary, this mystical life-exchange reaches its apex in the Eucharist, where we are called to enter into holy communion with Jesus through the body he formed into Mary’s womb:
“It is the greatest wonder of the Incarnation of the Word in Mary Most Holy... In the smallest fibers where the capillary vessels reach a diameter of five thousandths of a millimeter, even in the organs farthest from rational life, divine life flowed, and sanctified all activities, rendering them praise of God... Hers was not a body, it was a living canticle, a subdued melody that spread around like the gentle whisper of the enclosed garden and the fountain sealed by God.”
In summary, Don Dolindo contemplates Mary’s Prayer by re-imagining the Annunciation scene. He also offers profound insight into Mary’s life of prayer which undergirds the mysteries later accomplished outwardly. He portrays Mary immersed in contemplative prayer as she intercedes for the coming of the Messiah. With profound wisdom, she gazes on fallen humanity plunged in darkness and cries out for the coming of the “Just One” to redeem us. Yet with serene faith she waits on God’s timing, trusting in the fidelity of His promises rather than demanding their immediate fulfillment. Offering her perpetual virginity to the Lord, she thus hastens the descent of the Word, through this prayer of sacrificial love. Don Dolindo suggests it was the intensity of such prayer, offered in union with her people awaiting the Messiah, that culminated in the outpouring of the Spirit at the Annunciation which bore the infinite fruit of redemption.
Thus Mary models the mystery that our prayer cooperates closely with God in accomplishing His work on earth. Without the openness of this humble handmaid inviting the divine presence, the Word might not have descended. Hers becomes the archetype of all Christian prayer – a response to God’s initiative, calling down the Spirit to renew the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30). As Mother of the Church, she continues this intercession in heaven until Christ’s full manifestation at the end of time.
Journeying to the Visitation and the Magnificat, Don Dolindo sees Mary’s journey to visit Elizabeth as impelled by the expansive power of divine grace within her. She journeys swiftly, “hastily” – almost like “a spirit” rather than as one bound by earthly limits. At the Visitation, Elizabeth proclaims the greatness of Mary who accepted the Word of God and as such, brought salvation into the world. In response, Mary intones her sublime Magnificat.
Don Dolindo unpacks the rich meaning of this canticle verse by verse. He sees it as the pinnacle of the hopes and prayers of Israel across the centuries, now coming to fulfillment in Christ. Drawing on images from Scripture, he portrays Mary as “the virgin plant of this flower” who now cradles the Messiah in her womb. She gathers into her hymn of praise “the sighs of centuries” as she announces the dawn of redemption. Her song provides a “brilliant picture” of the mysteries of Christ which she bears in her womb, while unveiling the key features of her own vocation as Mother of the Redeemer.
United to Christ and moved by the Spirit, she voices the prayer of all redeemed humanity, the model of the Church’s praise through all ages. As “Mother of the Church”, her Magnificat traces the entire sweep of salvation history, consummated in Christ and continually re-echoed in the life and worship of believers.
Contemplating Mary Most Holy in such passages, Don Dolindo unveils the greatness of the mysteries accomplished by God in the soul of Mary. By his poetic commentary, he seeks to attune our hearts to glimpse her glory, so that like him, we may magnify her ever more in our spiritual lives. For Mary who humbled herself to become the dwelling place of God, can teach us the path of holiness. Having carried Christ in her womb, she knows the way to the heart of her Son. Drawn into her humility and surrendered in faith as she was, we allow the eternal Word to take flesh in our lives. This happens through a true life of prayer and constant union with Christ in mental prayer, as well as through works of mercy and charity where we serve Christ in the poor, hungry, sick, and all who suffer.
The Humility of Mary is a key theme in Don Dolindo's reflections. In his reflections, Don Dolindo frequently returns to Mary’s humility which he sees as the root of her spiritual beauty and mystical fruitfulness. He invites us to contemplate her self-emptying at the Annunciation which “attracts the Creator” into her womb to accomplish the work of redemption. God is fascinated by her humility because it allows room for Him who is the embodiment of truth, fullness of life, and light.
Don Dolindo portrays her humility almost as a living, vital reality – like a garden or fertile soil in which the seeds of grace can grow. But this humility is dynamic – an active self-lowering born of self-knowledge before God, rather than a passive abasement rooted in melancholy or despair over one’s limitations.
By scaling the heights of humility, Mary paradoxically ascends to the peak of human perfection and holiness. For humility is the foundation of the theological virtues – making room for faith to receive God’s word; enabling hope’s patient endurance; and clearing the ground for love’s self-giving.
At the Visitation, Elizabeth proclaims Mary’s blessedness which will be echoed by all generations. In response, Mary attributes everything to God in a new Magnificat of humility. Whatever gifts have been bestowed on her are a pure fruit of grace. This humility liberates Mary from the subtle snares of spiritual pride. It is the guardian of her holiness, keeping her emptied of self-reliance so as to be ever open to the movements of the Holy Spirit. Clothed with such humility, Mary can fully magnify God rather than seeking her own glory.
His commentary on the first chapter of St Luke’s Gospel culminates in shedding the light on the Eucharistic Dimensions. Indeed, profoundly eucharistic notes resonate through Don Dolindo’s commentary. He views the Visitation as the first “Holy Communion '' where the infant John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb to adore the hidden Eucharistic presence in the womb of Mary; Mary is the Tabernacle of the Incarnate Word! Mary is the living and moving Tabernacle that hastens to our aid!
In all these ways, Don Dolindo unveils Mary as the perfect model of holiness. In her, redemption finds its first fruits and the life of grace its paradigm.
What was wrought within her individually is extended to the whole Church, whose hidden life was conceived in Mary’s soul. All the key dimensions of holiness will thus bear her imprint – faith receiving the divine word; hope persevering through darkness; love surrendering everything; prayer drawing down the Spirit; worship praising the Holy Trinity.
By his moving commentary, Don Dolindo helps attune us to Mary’s beauty, teaching our hearts to resonate with her, till we learn to magnify God as she does. Then her song of praise can become ours, and we can walk her humble path of faith.
For immersing ourselves in Mary’s holy life gives birth to holiness in us. Grace entered the world through her, hence whoever desires grace must enter through this same gate of Mary’s soul wherein God pitched His tent among us:
“No one could portray the Incarnate Word more brilliantly... These, then, were the characteristics of the Mother of God: Praise of glory, exultation of love, annihilation of humility, and immense greatness of grace; a miracle of magnificence and a glorious synthesis of the greatest works of God; a channel of mercy, conqueror of Satan whose head she crushed, and conqueror of human pride, for she showed in herself the heights to which humility can lead; a heavenly giver of the Bread of Life, and the fragrant flower of all the promises made by God to Abraham and his descendants. Heresy has attempted to disfigure Mary Most Holy by giving her other features and trying to remove the crown that God placed on her head, but it has not succeeded, because her canticle remains perpetual in history, and no one is capable of altering the harmonies that burst forth from her great soul.”
Tuta Pulchra Es, O Mary, most fair and immaculate Virgin. Your beauty captured the heart of God because you humbled yourself before the Lord. "Though the Lord is exalted, yet He regards the lowly" (Psalm 138:6). Like you, O Mary, we wish to exalt the name of the Lord who fills the hungry with good things and raises up the lowly (Luke 1:53). You treasured the ancient promises and prophecies of a Messiah who would redeem Israel. As foretold, a shoot would sprout from Jesse's stem - the Messiah risen to rule the nations (Isaiah 11:10) and lift up the lowly (Luke 1:52) and in whom the Gentiles would hope (Romans 15:12). This Child of promise was incarnated in your holy womb when you uttered your fiat. With steadfast hope you awaited the fulfillment of God's word: "Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a son" (Isaiah 7:14). In Christ's coming, aged Simeon saw God's salvation prepared before all people - "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32). O Mother most amiable and admirable! You drew down the Word of God through your humility, surrender and charity. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6). Like you, may we walk in the "fear of the Lord" as the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10), that Christ may take root in our hearts. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us that the charity of Christ may fill our souls as it filled yours. For Love came down that we may have life through the Child you bore in your womb. Draw us close to your maternal heart, that with you, we may ever magnify the Lord!