#16 - St. JPII's Meditation on Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are more than half-way through this Apostolic Letter, “Mulieris Dignitatem” which is written as a Meditation on Mary for the entire Church. Having discussed Motherhood in section 19, Pope Saint Jhn Paul II goes on to discuss Virginity, in section 20, for Mary is both Virgin and Mother

Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom

1. In the teaching of Christ, motherhood is connected with virginity, but also distinct from it. Fundamental to this is Jesus’ statement in the conversation on the indissolubility of marriage. Having heard the answer given to the Pharisees, the disciples say to Christ: “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry” (Mt 19: 10). Independently of the meaning which “it is not expedient” had at that time in the mind of the disciples, Christ takes their mistaken opinion as a starting point for instructing them on the value of celibacy. He distinguishes celibacy which results from natural defects - even though they may have been caused by man - from “celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven”. Christ says, “and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:12). It is, then, a voluntary celibacy, chosen for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven, in view of man’s eschatological vocation to union with God. He then adds: “He who is able to receive this, let him receive it”. These words repeat what he had said at the beginning of the discourse on celibacy (cf. Mt 19:11). Consequently, celibacy for the kingdom of heaven results not only from a free choice on the part of man, but also from a special grace on the part of God, who calls a particular person to live celibacy. While this is a special sign of the Kingdom of God to come, it also serves as a way to devote all the energies of soul and body during one’s earthly life exclusively for the sake of the eschatological kingdom.

Jesus’ words are the answer to the disciples’ question. They are addressed directly to those who put the question: in this case they were men. Nevertheless, Christ’s answer, in itself, has a value both for men and for women. In this context it indicates the evangelical ideal of virginity, an ideal which constitutes a clear “innovation” with respect to the tradition of the Old Testament. Certainly that tradition was connected in some way with Israel’s expectation of the Messiah’s coming, especially among the women of Israel from whom he was to be born. In fact, the ideal of celibacy and virginity for the sake of greater closeness to God was not entirely foreign to certain Jewish circles, especially in the period immediately preceding the coming of Jesus. Nevertheless, celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, or rather virginity, is undeniably an innovation connected with the incarnation of God.

From the moment of Christ’s coming, the expectation of the People of God has to be directed to the eschatological Kingdom which is coming and to which he must lead “the new Israel”. A new awareness of faith is essential for such a turn-about and change of values. Christ emphasizes this twice: “He who is able to receive this, let him receive it”. Only “those to whom it is given” understand it (Mt 19:11). Mary is the first person in whom this new awareness is manifested, for she asks the Angel: “How can this be, since I have no husband?” (Lk 1:34).Even though she is “betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph” (cf. Lk 1:27), she is firm in her resolve to remain a virgin. The motherhood which is accomplished in her comes exclusively from the “power of the Most High”, and is the result of the Holy Spirit’s coming down upon her (cf. Lk 1:35). This divine motherhood, therefore, is an altogether unforeseen response to the human expectation of women in Israel: it comes to Mary as a gift from God himself. This gift is the beginning and the prototype of a new expectation on the part of all. It measures up to the Eternal Covenant, to God’s new and definitive promise: it is a sign of eschatological hope.

As I’ve been hearing so clearly in my re-reading of this letter and I hope others are also hearing, St. John Paul II is helping the Church to see Mary is Mother and Model for everyone. Not only the feminine, but every masculine person needs to obey Jesus’ words to John the beloved disciple: “Behold your Mother” and to see in her the Eschatological icon of the Church.