Friday, December 30, 2005 at 12:12am
Putting Mary in her (high and exalted) place
The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God readings:
Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 67:2-8
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
There are many who would demonize the Catholic Church because of her devotion to Mary, thinking that the Church idolizes her — literally that she worships her as God. There are others who would demonize the same Church because she does not, in their view, put Mary up high enough; the Catholic Church does not worship her as God. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between these two.
With the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Church changed what was once the Feast of the Circumcision (eight days following the birth of Christ) to the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. This change does not detract from the celebration of the birth of the Incarnate One; rather it enhances it. When a baby is born, we always wonder how the mother is doing, as well as the child. We cannot separate the one from the other; it would be like separating one's hand from one's arm and still expecting the hand to work.
The same is true for Mary and Jesus. To separate the one from the other does injury to both. Hence, St. Paul says in the second reading, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive our adoption as sons."
That is exactly what the Fathers of the Church thought. When in the fifth century the heretic Nestorius said that Mary was not the Mother of God, there was an immediate and justified outcry because it not only vilified Mary, it also vilified her Son. The logic is pretty simple: Jesus bears in Himself two natures, divinity and humanity. The divine nature He has had from all eternity because of His eternal union with His Father. The human nature came from Mary. The two natures met in one person, God the Son, in the Incarnation. Nine months later, Mary gave birth to a man who is also God. And since she gave birth to God, she is the Mother of God.
This title and its proper understanding puts the two misunderstandings mentioned earlier to flight. Her title is Mother of God, not God. In regular life, we don't think of great people's mothers when we think of them. When we think, for instance, of George Washington, we don't necessarily think about his mother. So the mother is not necessarily greater than the child, but the two still can't be separated. The one is dependent on the other. Such is the case with Mary and Jesus. If not for her Son, Mary of Nazareth would have died in total obscurity, like so many billions upon billions of others before her and since. If not for Mary of Nazareth, the Son of God would never have taken on human flesh.
Mary herself rejoices in what God did for her and she assumes no greater role than that of a humble handmaiden. Her Magnificat is the epitome of self-effacement. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." There is nothing here of, "Look at me and see how great I am because of what God chose me to do." Instead, all generations will call her blessed because "the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name." All the rest of that marvelous piece of poetry is a hymn of praise to God for what He has done for all of humanity.
Those who think they exalt her by saying she is divine really do the opposite and she would shrink in literal horror to think that she would detract in any way from the glory that belongs to her Son alone. Those who think they would shrink her down to size by denying her title really do an injustice to her Son.
In 431, a council was called in Ephesus to condemn Nestorius' heresy. At the end of it, St. Cyril of Alexandria delivered a marvelous homily to the Fathers of that Council and it is worth quoting at length:
"Mary, Mother of God, we salute you. Precious vessel, worthy of the whole world's reverence, you are an everlasting light, the crown of virginity, the symbol of orthodoxy, an indestructible temple, the place that held Him who no place can contain, mother and virgin. Because of you, the holy Gospels could say: 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'
"We salute you, for in your holy womb He, who is beyond all limitation, was confined. Because of you, the holy Trinity is glorified and adored; the cross is called precious and is venerated throughout the world; the heavens exult; the angels and archangels make merry; demons are put to flight; the devil, that tempter, is thrust down from heaven; the fallen race of man is taken up on high; all creatures possessed by the madness of idolatry have attained the knowledge of the truth; believers receive holy baptism; the oil of gladness is poured out; the Church is established throughout the world; pagans are brought to repentance...
"Who can put Mary's high honor into words? She is both mother and virgin. I am overwhelmed by the wonder of this miracle. Of course, no one could be prevented from living in the house he had built for himself, yet who would invite mockery by asking his own servant to become his mother?
"Behold, then, the joy of the whole universe. Let the union of God and man in the Son of the Virgin Mary fill us with awe and adoration. Let us fear and worship the undivided Trinity as we sing the praise of the ever-virgin Mary, the holy temple of God, and of God Himself, her Son and spotless Bridegroom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
— — —
Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz , is a veteran investigative writer on issues and events in the Catholic Church and the world. His e-mail address is {email epiphany01@gmail.com}epiphany01@gmail.com{/email}. Visit Epiphany, the blog, to see additional commentary. © copyright 2005 by Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz.
— — —
UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum is a big tent for all expressions of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are not necessarily shared by UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum.
Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 67:2-8
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
There are many who would demonize the Catholic Church because of her devotion to Mary, thinking that the Church idolizes her — literally that she worships her as God. There are others who would demonize the same Church because she does not, in their view, put Mary up high enough; the Catholic Church does not worship her as God. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between these two.
With the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Church changed what was once the Feast of the Circumcision (eight days following the birth of Christ) to the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. This change does not detract from the celebration of the birth of the Incarnate One; rather it enhances it. When a baby is born, we always wonder how the mother is doing, as well as the child. We cannot separate the one from the other; it would be like separating one's hand from one's arm and still expecting the hand to work.
The same is true for Mary and Jesus. To separate the one from the other does injury to both. Hence, St. Paul says in the second reading, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive our adoption as sons."
That is exactly what the Fathers of the Church thought. When in the fifth century the heretic Nestorius said that Mary was not the Mother of God, there was an immediate and justified outcry because it not only vilified Mary, it also vilified her Son. The logic is pretty simple: Jesus bears in Himself two natures, divinity and humanity. The divine nature He has had from all eternity because of His eternal union with His Father. The human nature came from Mary. The two natures met in one person, God the Son, in the Incarnation. Nine months later, Mary gave birth to a man who is also God. And since she gave birth to God, she is the Mother of God.
This title and its proper understanding puts the two misunderstandings mentioned earlier to flight. Her title is Mother of God, not God. In regular life, we don't think of great people's mothers when we think of them. When we think, for instance, of George Washington, we don't necessarily think about his mother. So the mother is not necessarily greater than the child, but the two still can't be separated. The one is dependent on the other. Such is the case with Mary and Jesus. If not for her Son, Mary of Nazareth would have died in total obscurity, like so many billions upon billions of others before her and since. If not for Mary of Nazareth, the Son of God would never have taken on human flesh.
Mary herself rejoices in what God did for her and she assumes no greater role than that of a humble handmaiden. Her Magnificat is the epitome of self-effacement. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." There is nothing here of, "Look at me and see how great I am because of what God chose me to do." Instead, all generations will call her blessed because "the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name." All the rest of that marvelous piece of poetry is a hymn of praise to God for what He has done for all of humanity.
Those who think they exalt her by saying she is divine really do the opposite and she would shrink in literal horror to think that she would detract in any way from the glory that belongs to her Son alone. Those who think they would shrink her down to size by denying her title really do an injustice to her Son.
In 431, a council was called in Ephesus to condemn Nestorius' heresy. At the end of it, St. Cyril of Alexandria delivered a marvelous homily to the Fathers of that Council and it is worth quoting at length:
"Mary, Mother of God, we salute you. Precious vessel, worthy of the whole world's reverence, you are an everlasting light, the crown of virginity, the symbol of orthodoxy, an indestructible temple, the place that held Him who no place can contain, mother and virgin. Because of you, the holy Gospels could say: 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'
"We salute you, for in your holy womb He, who is beyond all limitation, was confined. Because of you, the holy Trinity is glorified and adored; the cross is called precious and is venerated throughout the world; the heavens exult; the angels and archangels make merry; demons are put to flight; the devil, that tempter, is thrust down from heaven; the fallen race of man is taken up on high; all creatures possessed by the madness of idolatry have attained the knowledge of the truth; believers receive holy baptism; the oil of gladness is poured out; the Church is established throughout the world; pagans are brought to repentance...
"Who can put Mary's high honor into words? She is both mother and virgin. I am overwhelmed by the wonder of this miracle. Of course, no one could be prevented from living in the house he had built for himself, yet who would invite mockery by asking his own servant to become his mother?
"Behold, then, the joy of the whole universe. Let the union of God and man in the Son of the Virgin Mary fill us with awe and adoration. Let us fear and worship the undivided Trinity as we sing the praise of the ever-virgin Mary, the holy temple of God, and of God Himself, her Son and spotless Bridegroom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
— — —
Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz , is a veteran investigative writer on issues and events in the Catholic Church and the world. His e-mail address is {email epiphany01@gmail.com}epiphany01@gmail.com{/email}. Visit Epiphany, the blog, to see additional commentary. © copyright 2005 by Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz.
UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum is a big tent for all expressions of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are not necessarily shared by UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum.