The Mother of God is a type of the Church
By reason of the gift and role of divine maternity, by which she is united with her Son, the Redeemer, and with His singular graces and functions, the Blessed Virgin is also intimately united with the Church. As St. Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ.(18*) For in the mystery of the Church, which is itself rightly called mother and virgin, the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar both of virgin and mother. By her belief and obedience, not knowing man but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, as the new Eve she brought forth on earth the very Son of the Father, showing an undefiled faith, not in the word of the ancient serpent, but in that of God's messenger. The Son whom she brought forth is He whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, namely the faithful, in whose birth and education she cooperates with a maternal love.
The Church indeed, contemplating her hidden sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will, by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By her preaching she brings forth to a new and immortal life the sons who are born to her in baptism, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God. She herself is a virgin, who keeps the faith given to her by her Spouse whole and entire. Imitating the mother of her Lord, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, she keeps with virginal purity an entire faith, a firm hope and a sincere charity.
But while in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin. And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues. Piously meditating on her and contemplating her in the light of the Word made man, the Church with reverence enters more intimately into the great mystery of the Incarnation and becomes more and more like her Spouse.
For
Mary, who since her entry into salvation history unites in herself and
re-echoes the greatest teachings of the faith as she is proclaimed and
venerated, calls the faithful to her Son and His sacrifice and to the love of
the Father. Seeking after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her
exalted Type, and continually progresses in faith, hope and charity, seeking
and doing the will of God in all things.
Hence
the Church, in her apostolic work also, justly looks to her, who, conceived of
the Holy Spirit, brought forth Christ, who was born of the Virgin that through
the Church He may be born and may increase in the hearts of the faithful also.
The Virgin in her own life lived an example of that maternal love, by which it
behooves that all should be animated who cooperate in the apostolic mission of
the Church for the regeneration of men.