Is Mary our sister?

[Thomas_White]

In my own honest and humble opinion, Mary as sister and Jesus as brother are more than merely legitimate ‘ideas’, that they are integral realities along with Mary as being our mother and Jesus being our Lord. A case of dual nature and reality. Jesus has of His own Divine ultimate authority, and Mary has been given/allowed by God subordinate albeit it powerful authority.

In an attempt to explain, I will quote the full passage from Matthew 12:40-51:

"While he was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him , “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wishing to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

The same account is in Mark 3:31-35. Who were the brothers of Jesus who were standing outside? I do not know who his brothers outside might have been, and this is not easily understood. But perhaps it is informative of how the word “brother” was used and what it means in these verses. His mother was of course Mary.

I agree that Mary as sister and Jesus as brother are more than “merely legitimate ideas”. An idea is an abstract concept of the human intellect. I believe what Jesus meant is spiritual and beyond the understanding of reason. The meaning is thus not easily expressed given the limitations of language. I also believe this is why the verses have differing interpretations. Simply stated, we do not know what the verses mean as knowledge is commonly defined. But I also believe the meaning can be revealed by contemplation. This is difficult to portray in words, but the revelation would be more like a thing one experiences rather than intellectually understands. I have, for instance, a like experience when I receive Holy Communion. I cannot describe it, but the experience is real. What is difficult is to attempt to describe this experience with words.

Really, it is not Catholic belief that one could literally be the brother of the Son of the Father. This would have us as an equal to Christ and with his same divinity. Again, I don’t believe this interpretation can possibly be correct. That Jesus “has His own Divine ultimate authority” should be understood relative to the Trinity; this is the one God and Mankind is no part of it.

 

[drforjc]

In my own honest and humble opinion, Mary as sister and Jesus as brother are more than merely legitimate ‘ideas’, that they are integral realities along with Mary as being our mother and Jesus being our Lord. A case of dual nature and reality. Jesus has of His own Divine ultimate authority, and Mary has been given/allowed by God subordinate albeit it powerful authority.

I’m not disagreeing with that, but I do think that there are levels of emphasis that can be discerned from Tradition. It would seem, looking at the liturgy and writings of the saints, and magisterial documents that the Mother/Lord concepts have always received the greater emphasis.

 

[Eliza10]

The priest at mass today said that he wanted to clear up some misconceptions about Mary’s role in the Church.
He said that:

1. “authentic Catholic teaching is that Mary is our sister, and Jesus is our brother.” (I thought she was the Mother of the Church and so therefore she is our mother because we are part of the Church.)
2. “to say that to ask Jesus for something, you should go through Mary, is incorrect.” (I thought you could, and that Catholics even could consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary.)
3. “Mary is blessed, not because she is the Mother of God, but because she said yes to the will of God.” (I thought it was both.)

Is any and all of this true? Thank you for helping me to understand.

I’m confused.

1. Authentic Catholic teaching says Mary is our Mother.
2. But it pleases Jesus when we go through his Mother.
3. Certainly Mary feels that she is blessed to be Mother of God.

 

[Eliza10]

The role of “Mary as sister” is incompatible with “Mary as mother”. Actually the Protestant view, presented in that sermon, is that Mary WAS our sister, who affects us now only as a role model. The Catholic view, Mary as our mother now, is different; not only are mothers different than sisters, but Mary has a role now, in relation to us as a role model but much more. Those who prayed to Mary and the saints have always known they can also pray directly to God; and they do. But those who have not been taught, or been discouraged from the understanding of Mary as mother now, don’t have that option, that freedom to pray to her, or the saints.

That’s why the sermon was so destructive: it closes doors. Consider how many saints have regarded Mary as their mother; now think about those who regarded her as their sister.

If this is a typical sermon at that parish, I encourage the OP to look into other parishes.

I agree!

 

[Eliza10]

I can ask the priest about it further. I know he clearly said " we (Catholics) first and foremost view Mary as a sister and Jesus as a brother. That is authentic Catholic teaching." He went on to say that Vatican II clarified this.

He said that when he was raised (Pre-Vatican II,) a lot of focus was given to Mary that it almost distracted from Jesus.

He also said that the Rosary is not the only form of prayer that we should say. I agree with this but I’m not sure the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the time to say this.

He should be introduced to St. Louis De Montfort.

 

[NeedsMercy]

I personally have not often heard of the Blessed Virgin referred to as our sister, but it does seem reasonable to think of her as one insomuch as she is human, like us. The one reservation that I have, is that Mary, in virtually all her apparitions, has referred to herself as our mother. This is most particularly seen in her apparitions to Juan Diego. Our Lady of Guadalupe said:

Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. Do not fear this sickness of your uncle or any other sickness, nor anything that is sharp or hurtful. **Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you. **Do not let your uncle’s illness worry you, because he will not die now. You may be certain that he is already well.

(emphasis mine)

Mary calls Juan Diego her “son” over and over again. She appears dressed as a royal native Mexican woman, clearly pregnant. Granted, we are not bound by private revelations, and are free to reject them, but the image of Mary as my mother–my comforter and protector–is most endearing to me.