This article "Mary, Mother of God" is written by Father William Saunders. After reading his beautiful write-up of Mary, our Blessed mother who was bestowed with the heavenly title of "Mother of God" I, the Silent Crusader, felt with tremendous love for the Mother of our Lord our God, Jesus Christ, was compelled to share it with you here without rights infringement of the article writer Father William Saunders.
A beautiful article about:
Mary, Mother of God
by Father William Saunders
I was visiting an inner-city Church one
day and in the vestibule some graffiti was written on the wall which said,
"Catholics, God has no mother," obviously referring to Mary's title
as "Mother of God." How does one respond to such an objection? -- A
reader in Springfield
Mary did not create the divine person of Jesus, who existed with
the Father from all eternity. "In fact, the One whom she conceived as man
by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none
other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of
the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God'
(Theotokos)" (CCC, No. 495). As St. John wrote, "The Word
became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: The
glory of an only Son coming from the Father filled with enduring love" (John 1:14).
For this reason, sometime in the early history of the Church, our Blessed Mother was given the title "Mother of God." St. John Chrysostom (d. 407), for example, composed in his Eucharistic Prayer for the Mass an anthem in honor of her: "It is truly just to proclaim you blessed, O Mother of God, who are most blessed, all pure and Mother of our God. We magnify you who are more honorable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim. You who, without losing your virginity, gave birth to the Word of God. You who are truly the Mother of God."
St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (d. 440) refuted Nestorius,
asserting, "It was not that an ordinary man was born first of the Holy
Virgin, on whom afterwards the Word descended; what we say is that, being
united with the flesh from the womb, (the Word) has undergone birth in the
flesh, making the birth in the flesh His own..." This statement affirms
the belief asserted in the first paragraph.
On June 22, 431, the Council of Ephesus convened to settle this
argument. The Council declared, "If anyone does not confess that the
Emmanuel is truly God and therefore that the holy Virgin is the Mother of God (Theotokos)
(since she begot according to the flesh the Word of God made flesh), anathema
sit." Therefore, the Council officially recognized that Jesus is one
person, with two natures--human and divine--united in a true union. Second,
Ephesus affirmed that our Blessed Mother can rightfully be called the Mother of
God. Mary is not Mother of God, the Father, or Mother of God, the Holy Spirit;
rather, she is Mother of God, the Son--Jesus Christ. The Council of Ephesus
declared Nestorius a heretic, and the Emperor Theodosius ordered him deposed
and exiled. (Interestingly, a small Nestorian Church still exists in Iraq, Iran
and Syria.)
The incarnation is indeed a profound mystery. The Church uses very
precise--albeit philosophical--language to prevent confusion and error.
Nevertheless, as we celebrate Christmas, we must ponder this great mystery of
how our divine Savior entered this world, taking on our human flesh, to free us
from sin. We must also ponder and emulate the great example of our Blessed
Mother, who said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me
according to Thy word." May we turn to her always as our own Mother,
pleading, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the
hour of our death. Amen."
Fr. Saunders is president of Notre Dame Institute and associate
pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish, both in Alexandria.
This article appeared in the December 22, 1994 issue of The
Arlington Catholic Herald.
Mary of Nazareth
(Movie)
A very beautiful song only fitted
to our dear Blessed Mother
Ave Maria
Another article written by Father William G. Most I read "The Blessed Virgin Mary: Her Privileges and Relation to Christ and His Church" likewise compelled me, the Silent Crusader, to share it with you here as well again without rights infringement of the article writer Father William G. Most.
The
Blessed Virgin Mary: Her Privileges and Relation to Christ and His Church
by
Father William G. Most
According
to a late tradition, the parents of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, were St. Joachim and St. Anne, natives of
Bethlehem who lived in Nazareth.
Mary's
most fundamental privilege is that of being the Mother of God. We do not mean
she produced the divine nature, of course. But her Son is God, so she is the
Mother of God. Similarly, Mrs. Jones shares only in the production of the body of her son John, not at all in the making of his soul. Yet we do not say she is mother of the body of John Jones, but of John Jones, the person. Pius XI quoted St. Thomas Aquinas with approval in saying that "From the fact that she is the Mother of God, she has a sort of infinite dignity from the infinite good that God is. (Lux veritatis, Dec. 25, 1931, citing St. Thomas, Summa Theologiae I. 25. 6. ad 4).
Mary conceived her son by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). The Archangel first told her that her Son was to be the Son of the Most High. However, any devout Jew could be called a son of God. But there was more: the angel told her He would reign over the house of Jacob forever: right then she would know He was to be the Messiah, for Jews then commonly believed the Messiah would reign forever. Finally, the angel said He would be conceived when the Holy Spirit would "overshadow" her. That word, she would know, was the one use to describe the Divine Presence filling the ancient Tabernacle in the desert (Exodus 40:35). Her Son was to be called Son of God "for this reason". So that He was the Son of God in a unique sense. From this alone she likely knew of His divinity, especially when she would add the words of Isaiah 9:5-6 that the Messiah would be "God the Mighty". Even though the Jews found that text hard, she, full of grace, would readily grasp it.
Mary conceived her son by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). The Archangel first told her that her Son was to be the Son of the Most High. However, any devout Jew could be called a son of God. But there was more: the angel told her He would reign over the house of Jacob forever: right then she would know He was to be the Messiah, for Jews then commonly believed the Messiah would reign forever. Finally, the angel said He would be conceived when the Holy Spirit would "overshadow" her. That word, she would know, was the one use to describe the Divine Presence filling the ancient Tabernacle in the desert (Exodus 40:35). Her Son was to be called Son of God "for this reason". So that He was the Son of God in a unique sense. From this alone she likely knew of His divinity, especially when she would add the words of Isaiah 9:5-6 that the Messiah would be "God the Mighty". Even though the Jews found that text hard, she, full of grace, would readily grasp it.
Ever
Virgin
So
this was a virginal conception, that is, without the intervention of a man.
Both Matthew and Luke make this clear. If we believe the Gospels, we will
understand that readily. The teaching of the Church, already in the oldest
creeds, which call her "ever-virgin," tells us she remained a virgin during
and after His birth. Some have tried to say the teaching on her virginity was
not physical, but just a way of expressing her holiness. But it is more than
that: Vatican II (Lumen Gentium # 57) wrote that His birth
"did not diminish, but consecrated her virginal integrity." That word
"integrity" refers to physical condition.
Therefore
when the Gospels speak of the "brothers and sisters"
of Jesus, they do not mean other children of Mary. The Hebrew words were very
broad, could cover any sort of relationship. For that matter, modern English
uses these words even more broadly for members of fraternities and sororities.
As
a result of this Divine Motherhood, because it was fitting for Her Son, she
obtained the great grace of the Immaculate Conception, defined by Pius IX in 1854. This means that from the first instant of conception her soul had sanctifying grace, a share in God's own life, given in anticipation of the future merits of her Son.
The angel's greeting to Mary is traditionally translated "Hail, full of grace," but this has been disputed in modern times. Vatican II, Pope John Paul II and others understand the Greek of Luke 1:28, kecharitomene, to mean "full of grace". The word is a perfect participle, a very strong form. The root verb, charitoo, means to put someone into the state of grace/favor. And especially, the word is used instead of her name, in direct address. This is like saying someone is Mr. Tennis--the ultimate in tennis. So she is Miss Grace, the ultimate in grace. Pius IX, in defining the Immaculate Conception, said that even at the start, her holiness was so great that "none greater under God can be thought of, and no one but God can comprehend it"!
The angel's greeting to Mary is traditionally translated "Hail, full of grace," but this has been disputed in modern times. Vatican II, Pope John Paul II and others understand the Greek of Luke 1:28, kecharitomene, to mean "full of grace". The word is a perfect participle, a very strong form. The root verb, charitoo, means to put someone into the state of grace/favor. And especially, the word is used instead of her name, in direct address. This is like saying someone is Mr. Tennis--the ultimate in tennis. So she is Miss Grace, the ultimate in grace. Pius IX, in defining the Immaculate Conception, said that even at the start, her holiness was so great that "none greater under God can be thought of, and no one but God can comprehend it"!
Cooperation
in the Redemption
One
of the oldest teachings of the Church is that Mary is the New Eve. Just as the
first Eve really contributed to the disaster of original sin, so Mary the New
Eve really contributed to removing it, that is, to redeeming us. She was Mother
of the Redeemer precisely insofar as He is our Redeemer. Every Pope since Leo
XIII, and Vatican II, in seventeen documents have said that her role in
redeeming us extends even to a part in the great sacrifice of Calvary itself!
It is a general principle, that if something is taught repeatedly by the Church,
even on a level less than a definition, the teaching is infallible.
Vatican
II, echoing earlier papal teaching, tells us that at the cross she was asked
even to "consent" to the death of her Son (LG # 58). Pope John Paul
II, in his Encyclical, The Mother of the Redeemer, set out to
further deepen that teaching (as he tells us in his Guardian of the
Redeemer [on St. Joseph]). He showed that this was the "deepest
self-emptying in history" for her and her Son. In in it, Mary practiced
"the obedience of faith". Now since all perfection lies in positively
willing what God wills whenever we know His positive will, it is clear that
Mary was called on to positively will that her Son die, die then, die so
horribly. She had to will this in spite of a love for her Son so great that
"only God can comprehend it"--for Pius IX had said, as we saw above
that her holiness was that great even at the start. But holiness and love of
God are interchangeable words. So in willing the death of her Divine Son, it is
clear that her suffering was such that "no one but God could comprehend
it."
Mediatrix
of All Graces
As
we would expect, having shared at immense cost in earning all graces, she
shares similarly in distributing all of them as Mediatrix of all graces. This
truth too has been taught numerous times by a long series of Popes--every Pope
from Leo XIII through John XXIII.
At
the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up (assumed) into heaven, body and
soul. Pius XII, in defining the Assumption, explained that "Just as the
glorious resurrection of Christ was an essential part and final sign of this
victory [over sin and death by Calvary] so that struggle [Calvary] which was
common to the Blessed Virgin and her Son, had to be closed by the glorification
of her virginal body". That is, the struggle, a work common to the two was
a common cause. It brought Him glorification; it had to bring the same to her.
(In all this it is understood she is subordinate to Him, and really depends on
Him for all her ability to do anything at all).
As
a result, just as He is now King of the Universe, she is Queen of the Universe.
"And her kingdom is as vast as that of her Son and God, since nothing is
excluded from her dominion" (Pius XII, Bendito seia, May 13,
1946).
Vatican
II
Chapter
8 Vatican II's Constitution on the Church is entirely on her.
In it the Council goes through in detail her association with Him. She is
eternally joined with Him in the eternal decree for the Incarnation. She will
remain eternally joined to Him as Queen in His Kingdom. And the council went
through in detail every one of the mysteries of His life and death, showing in
each case her close association with Him. The place the Father gave her is
really all-pervading, in His approach to us. In writing this, Vatican II wrote
more extensively about her, went farther theologically than all previous
Councils combined! In spite of talk that it downgraded her, it was the
opposite. Vatican II could really be called the Marian Council.
Spiritual
Motherhood
On the floor of the Council, Pope Paul VI declared Mary
Mother of the Church. This was not entirely new. Pius XII, in a message to the
Marian Congress of Ottawa, Canada, on July 19, 1947 said: "When the little
maid of Nazareth uttered her fiat to the message of the angel... she became not
only the Mother of God in the physical order of nature, but also in the
supernatural order of grace, she became the Mother of all, who... would be made
one under the Headship of her Son. The Mother of the Head would be the Mother
of the members."
No comments:
Post a Comment