What Can We Say About The Virgin?

[Odell]

The disciples were spreading his word. That’s it. I’d rather talk to him because I know he’s alive. The saints are physically dead, not alive.

could you give scripture that would sugest that they are dead? I apologize Im no bible scholar. You seem to know your bible so if there is such a verse could you post it.

Don’t misunderstand what I’m telling you. I’m totally for Saintly Intercession but not the way the Catholic Church Teaches it.

Im confused you just said they are dead in heaven but you believe in Saintly Interssion. Could you please tell me what your defenition of Saintly Intercession is and how it works with dead people.

Veneration is not even mentioned in the Bible at all and there is no claim that the saints (who are physically dead and in heaven) can hear your prayers.

Could you show us a verse that says they can not hear us?

If I could show you verses in the bible that suggest that they can hear us would you believe what the Church teaches on Saintly Intercession in which they are very much alive.

He does reveal himself to us within his word. (Bible)
Parker

I know this is off topic but I cant help myself. He reveals himself to Catholics in his word (Bible) and in his flesh the (Holy Eucharist)

 

[NotWorthy]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot

Maria, thank you for that. But I’d like the OP to address this. We can take his shotgun approach and never get anywhere. Or we can address just one of these issues at a time until someone realizes whether these titles are idolatry or veneration.

Observing4Grace, Did the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant take away from the Glory and Majesty of God?

If not, then why would you think the Ark of the New Covenant could possibly take away from the Glory and Majesty of God?

Mary is a testament to the Glory and Majesty of our Lord, just as I’d like to be a testament to Him!!!

bump

 

[LilyM]

Or could you imagine the whole Bible written like Numbers? :yawn:

Numbers … yup. Unless you were an accountant or statistician maybe

It’d be worse if it was all written like Revelation though - it’s scary enough to have that one book written like Revelation :bigyikes:

 

[LilyM]

Where did you learn this? Jesus is most certainly not the greatest of all Saints! He is God. There is nothing equal to being God!

Nothing remotely close to being God :nope: not for any purely human being.

We say Mary is uniquely great among women, both because God honoured her and because she was as close to worthy of that honour as any human being can be. (He wouldn’t have chosen her - and she wouldn’t have accepted - otherwise, right?)

All of which is close to saying ‘the Lord is with you’ to her, as Gabriel said, and calling her ‘blessed among women’ as Elizabeth does.

 

[Observing4Grace]

We need to realize a few things here about these “brothers and sisters”:

#1, there was no word for cousin, or for nephew or niece, or for aunt or uncle in ancient Hebrew or Aramaic - the words that the Jews used in all those instances were “brother” or “sister”.

Matthew wasn’t written in neither of them, so why would it matter? The words that were used are in Greek. The words themselves are specifically used to make a distinction.

An example of this can be seen in Gen 14:14, where Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew, is called his brother.

**The point is that when the text was written, there were greek words used to make a distinction of relatives, that’s why I pointed it out. **

Another point to consider. If Jesus had had any brothers, if Mary had had any other sons, would the last thing that Jesus did on earth be to grievously offend his surviving brothers?

**How did he grieviously offend his brothers? **

In Jn 19:26-27, right before Jesus dies, it says that Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to the beloved disciple, John.

**So? **

If Mary had had any other sons, it would have been an incredible slap in the face to them that the Apostle John was entrusted with the care of their mother!

**How interesting! Jesus does insult Mary by saying “Behold My Mother” and points to someone else. **

Also, we see from Mt. 27:55-56, that the James and Joses mentioned in Mark 6 as the “brothers” of Jesus, are actually the sons of another Mary.

**Which Mary? The text itself (Mark 6:2-3) under analysis: **

**And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? **

Note what’s occuring at the synagogue, apparently the whole crowd was amused. Since Jesus didn’t have any “education”, (that is from the pharisees) and he came from a poor backround, it’s of any wonder to see how he actually taught with authority.

and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

**Again, the question is readdressed by the people asking where does the wisdom come from. **

**Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. **

**Obviously, the question fits quite well into the notion that Jesus is being referred as the “son of Mary”. There’s no other Marys that fit the shoe. **

And, one other passage to consider is Acts 1:14-15, “[The Apostles] with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers…the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty.”

**It sure says he has brothers. **

So that puts us up to 30 or 40 or so. So that leaves the number of Jesus’ brothers at about 80 or 90! Do you think Mary had 80 or 90 children?

**You’re trying to make my argument sound absurd. Mark 6:2-3 say he had about four. The 120 people says they include Mary, Jesus, the eleven disciples, his brothers assuming that the rest were to be concluded as the fellow believers of Christ. So, as to say that there were ONLY that group is entirely different. **

She would have been in perpetual labor! No, Scripture does not contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church about the “brothers” of Jesus, when Scripture is properly interpreted in context.

**Yes it does, you’re just upset because someone’s right about it and you’re making a strawman.

Parker **

 

[carl36]

**WARNING: If you’re not going to give a full reply but something short or if there’s an insult, please send me a private message instead. This is not intended for people who are only going to be here once. **

Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this:

Mary, Mary
Quite Contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silverbells and Cockelshells
And Pretty Maids All in a Row

Nobody dares to consider the thought until they apply this to what the Catholic Church teaches about Mary. According the various sources, all seems fairly unstoppable in the titles as the list continues to go on and on about her. I do wish to know where they get the titles from and how they should be attributed to her.

"Queen of heaven
Conceived without stain of sin
Ark of the Covenant
Door of heaven
Star of the morning
Healer of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Queen of the angels
Queen of the patriarchs
Queen of the confessors
Queen of all saints
Mystic Rose
Tower of David
Holy Mother of God
Holy Virgin of virgins
Mother of divine grace
Virgin worthy of veneration
Virgin worthy of praise
Powerful virgin
Merciful Virgin
Mirror of righteousness
Throne of wisdom
Source of our joy
Spiritual vessel
Venerable vessel"

And the list keeps going and going and going. Never in my life have I ever seen such names attributed to a saint. Sadly neither any of these titles should be rightly given to her because those titles belong to Jesus Christ himself. He’s the real one who’s the source of our joy and not Mary.

I know there’s a dire need to defend these claims but for the record, may add some more questions to your claims?

**If Mary Can Hear Our Prayers, why isn’t she referred to as an omnipresent being?

If Mary Knows Our Hearts, why isn’t she given an omniscient qualities?

If Mary can come in an out of heaven, does this mean she’s given the power to walk enter hell and preach salvation?

What about her ability of working in the office of salvation, how does she get a title like that?**

I’m not trying to offend Catholics by any means, (that’s why I over looked this carefully) but there hasn’t been any lights shed on these questions. My assumption is that, unlike the Mary of the New Testament whereas she’s portrayed:

**-Insignificant in role, shortly after the birth of Jesus
-Unknown about her life after Jesus’ resurrection, her teachings and his death
-To have very little significance Jesus’ teachings
-Not treated as a superior or equal to Jesus
-Had other kids **

The Mary Catholics portray is almost treated like a goddess. No wonder why protestants say they worship her, these titles imply as if she were. Now, don’t go thinking we’re idiots here but if strangers came and witnessed to a Catholic event where they might:

**-Parade around with a small statue of Mary
-Bow their knees to Mary
-Use the beads to meditate and call upon her for assistance on scriptures
-Make Holy Days Consecrated to the virgin
-Carry a picture around her house **

Someone will eventually conclude that they (the Catholics) actually do worship Mary. Even if they stopped and explained it, I’m sure it still amounts to idolatry because they make claims about Mary which seems as if she were a God. She’s without sin, ever virgin, didn’t have other kids, knows our hearts, I could keep adding because there’s a whole book that speaks as if she were. (For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, please read the glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguri)

I don’t know how we protestants could be wrong about this but I can assure you that this is sheer nonsense. Is it possible for you to show me other convicting evidences that this isn’t worship. I would also like you (Catholics) to show me where in the NT do we also see the classification of worship in such circumstances as yours?

Parker

Mary as our mother sees us all in God in heaven and she can aid us with her intercession.
Without the cooperation of Mary with God we would not have Jesus.

“May it be done to me according to your word.”

Mary is the most humble human person that ever walked this earth therefore God has exalted her forever, over the angels and saints, all that is higher in heaven than she, is God and all that is lower than she is not God.

Jesus is a Divine Person the second person of the Blessed Trinity.

 

[exiled]

The 12 men who walked with Jesus are considered highly privileged/blessed or whatever word one might choose. They were given an exalted purpose in their lives, to infallibly bring the word of God to the world through the Bible, and through the oral teaching of the Word. Protestants spend many hours quoting what, “Paul says”. Each Apostle played an active role in your salvation if they did as they were commissioned to do, that is, preach the Gospel to all nations.
Are they worthy of your respect and admiration for the way they lived their lives, and fulfilled the mission God gave to them? Are they men you hope to emulate, being willing to give your life for Jesus Christ?
If you answer yes to these questions,then it seems to me that it logically follows that the mission of the Blessed Mother is deserving of at least the awe that the Apostles receive.
While you may quote Paul, or use his words as the sound-bytes to help you live holy lives (and I mean no disrepect, I believe that a fine thing to do), Catholics mediate of what we know about Mary. “Do whatever he tells you.”, “Be it done unto me according to your word.” etc.
Observing, you need to realize that we are all in this together, and that loving God is the first thing we are called to do, and loving each other as we love ourselves is the next thing, in order of importance. Somewhere it is written (paraphrase) that if we say we love God and do not love each other, then we truly do not love God. I think you might want to consider your attitude toward the Mother of God in light of this teaching.
I’m going in a bit of a circle here, but I think it is noteworthy that if Jesus Christ Himself can grow in wisdom and grace under the guidance of Mary and Joseph, then we certainly can, too.

 

[Subrosa]

Hi there Observer4Grace -

There is one consistant theme that is running through your posts - you are looking for scriptural proofs.

Simply stated, there are none that will satisfy you.

The Marian doctrines are an histrical understanding of God’s Graces that were bestowed upon her, as announced by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:28 - “Hail Mary, full of Grace!”

The understanding is that God the Father, by His Great Will, chose Mary amongst all other women throughout history to bear His Child. This woman is, by that Grace, very special indeed as stated in Luke 1:42. - “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

His special Graces, bestowed upon Mary, lead to all the titles you state in the very first post. Indeed, the titles come from Apostles themselves.

Your protestant background will hinder your understanding of Catholic veneration of Mary, as can be expected. But, know this. In the Caholic Church - that is all of the Apostolic churches along with Rome - venerate Mary as the Theotokos - the Mother of God - which includes all the Graces God can bestow upon a person. As Christ obtained His divinity from His Father, Christ obtained His humanity through His mother.

You can search the scriptures all your life and not find the answers to doctrine on Mary. It is not scriptural, it is Traditional, and has equal importance to the scriptures. (Another concept that you will find hard to justify)

Subrosa

 

[Odell]

**The point is that when the text was written, there were greek words used to make a distinction of relatives, that’s why I pointed it out. **

In (Mark 6:3) James and Joseph may be called the “brothers” of Jesus.

BUT

We see from (Mt. 27:55-56), that the James and Joseph, are actually the sons of another Mary. This Mary is mentioned as James and Josephs mother but does not mention of her being Jesus mother. **That would be rather odd not to add her as the mother of Jesus our savior but mother of his supposed brothers instead. **
What is your explantion of this verse? Is this Mary the Mother of Jesus? And why would the word of God Leave Jesus out of the verse? After all he is the greatest of the suposed brothers, is he not?

(Mark 6:3) reads “the” son of Mary, not “a” son of Mary. Jesus was always referred to as the son, never a son. Why because Jesus was her only child. No where in the bible will it say Jesus was a son but always THE Son. That puts a big hole in that Jesus had brothers.

So could you please show us a verse that says Is this not Jesus a son of Mary’s or Jesus one of Mary’s sons?

Could you also find anything in past Christian writings that this is what the early church believed we are just going off your interpritation of scripture but most scholars and all of the early fathers belived that Mary was an ever vergin. Your belife is fairly new. So tell me why anyone should belive you over what has always been believed. You have no outstanding proof of what you believe. What makes you right? And millions of other Christians wrong?

Could you please respond to my post # 60 I got no answer and I fell you can not logically answer what I asked. But I am interested in your response anyway.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Matthew wasn’t written in neither of them, so why would it matter? The words that were used are in Greek. The words themselves are specifically used to make a distinction.

The point is that when the text was written, there were greek words used to make a distinction of relatives, that’s why I pointed it out.

You do realize that Matthew was originally written in Aramaic, right.

How did he grieviously offend his brothers?

So?

How interesting! Jesus does insult Mary by saying “Behold My Mother” and points to someone else.

This would be offensive to other brothers, because Jesus would have broken up the family. He would have seperated mother and sons at a time when they would have needed to lean on each other for comfort. And He does not insult His mother - I find that insulting to mention. The base logic is deeply flawed as well. Think about it - if Jesus insults His mother, He violates the fourth commandment (honor thy father and thy mother), if He violates any commandment He sins, if He sins He cannot be God. The logic falls in on itself.

The true meaning of this is:

1. Jesus, at the hour of His greatest suffering, thought so much of His mother that He makes certain that she will be comforted in her grief and provided for afterwards.
2. John stands in proxy for the Church and for us. Mary is now our mother and the Mother of the Church.

 

[Zooey]

Hello Friends,
Ever heard of the fabulous nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? If you can remember it well, I believe the story went off something like this:

Mary, Mary
Quite Contrary,
**How does your garden grow? **
**With Silverbells and Cockelshells **
And Pretty Maids All in a Row

Parker

Alas, poor laddie!! You’ve the wrong wee rhyme!! The one ye need to be thinking of goes:

Mary had a little Lamb,
His fleece was white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go!

Why are you using the nursery rhyme “Mary, Mary, quite contrary…”
This rhyme is supposed to be about Mary Queen of Scots. The ‘silver bells’ are the bells rung at mass. The ‘cockle shells’ image is for the badge of St James of Compostela, worn by pilgrims. The ‘pretty maids’ alludes to the four Marys who stayed with Mary Stuart until her death.

Our Lady, the Mother of God, was never contrary. Ever gentle and loving of her divine son she said yes to God and He blessed her. And as she said, “All generations shall call me blessed…” so we do as well.

If non-Catholics choose to believe that because we love her above all other saints, we equate her with Christ, then they choose to be wrong. If they choose to believe she was not pure throughout her life, they underestimate our God who chose her to be His mother.

She is His mother. He chose her. She is our mother. He gave her to us. And we Catholics accepted His gift.

 

[Zooey]

**

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

Obviously, the question fits quite well into the notion that Jesus is being referred as the “son of Mary”. There’s no other Marys that fit the shoe.

And, one other passage to consider is Acts 1:14-15, “[The Apostles] with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers…the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty.”

**It sure says he has brothers. **

So that puts us up to 30 or 40 or so. So that leaves the number of Jesus’ brothers at about 80 or 90! Do you think Mary had 80 or 90 children?

You’re trying to make my argument sound absurd. Mark 6:2-3 say he had about four. The 120 people says they include Mary, Jesus, the eleven disciples, his brothers assuming that the rest were to be concluded as the fellow believers of Christ. So, as to say that there were ONLY that group is entirely different. **

---

If the shoe fits…

By your own admission, the “brothers” in this passage included disciples, friends, women even…(Unless you want to count Mary as a “brother”…)

The truth is, that the whole notion that Mary had other children is a very recent concoction…As late as the 1950’s, when I was learning the Scriptures in Free Methodist Sunday School classes, Mary was always–always!!-- understood to have had only one Son…and that was Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

 

[Zooey]

The Mary Catholics portray is almost treated like a goddess.

Nay, laddie; she’s being treated like a mother; or, rather, the way a mother :yup: should be treated…
Not the http://bestsmileys.com/sad/10.gif shabby way that some folkhttp://bestsmileys.com/sad/6.gif seem to want to:crying: treat their mothers.http://bestsmileys.com/nono/5.gif :tsktsk:

 

[LilyM]

Observing4Grace:

How interesting! Jesus does insult Mary by saying “Behold My Mother” and points to someone else.

Not a bit of it! He’s saying those who hear the word of God and keep it are blessed, correct? I’d like you to show me anyone other than Christ himself who does hear and keep God’s word better than Mary. No-one. And thus her prediction ‘all generations will call me blessed’.

We Catholics have always known that she is more worthy of veneration for her admirable qualities and obedience to God’s will rather than merely for her physical relationship to Christ. This passage confirms the correctness of our stance. Thanks

 

[GuanYuWarGod]

Sigh, Like I kept saying in the beginning, you can explain away all the instances that these are not actions of worship but if anyone were to look at it from an outsider’s perspective, they would conclude that it would be.

That’s it isn’t it? You are an OUTSIDER to the Catholic faith.

If I wanted to see a movie I would have also based my perceptions on the trailer. If the trailer shows lotsa blood, battle, and gore I would have probably guessed it was that type of movie. But when I watch it it’s 2 hours and 30 mins. of dialogue and chatting and only 10 minutes of battle.

Do not listen to your stereotypes. They often make you overlook what something is really about.

---

edit: PLEASE!!! STOP INSISTING THAT WE CATHOLICS WORSHIP MARY! She is GREAT. That’s true! BUT, there is nothing GREAT that she could have done or would ever have done that would equal what God has DONE!!!

Mary is not even half, not even less than 1% in GREATNESS compared to God.

God Bless,

 

[Tomster]

We need to realize a few things here about these “brothers and sisters”:

#1, there was no word for cousin, or for nephew or niece, or for aunt or uncle in ancient Hebrew or Aramaic - the words that the Jews used in all those instances were “brother” or “sister”.

Matthew wasn’t written in neither of them, so why would it matter? The words that were used are in Greek. The words themselves are specifically used to make a distinction.

An example of this can be seen in Gen 14:14, where Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew, is called his brother.

**The point is that when the text was written, there were greek words used to make a distinction of relatives, that’s why I pointed it out. **

Another point to consider. If Jesus had had any brothers, if Mary had had any other sons, would the last thing that Jesus did on earth be to grievously offend his surviving brothers?

**How did he grieviously offend his brothers? **

In Jn 19:26-27, right before Jesus dies, it says that Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to the beloved disciple, John.

**So? **

If Mary had had any other sons, it would have been an incredible slap in the face to them that the Apostle John was entrusted with the care of their mother!

**How interesting! Jesus does insult Mary by saying “Behold My Mother” and points to someone else. **

Also, we see from Mt. 27:55-56, that the James and Joses mentioned in Mark 6 as the “brothers” of Jesus, are actually the sons of another Mary.

**Which Mary? The text itself (Mark 6:2-3) under analysis: **

**And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? **

Note what’s occuring at the synagogue, apparently the whole crowd was amused. Since Jesus didn’t have any “education”, (that is from the pharisees) and he came from a poor backround, it’s of any wonder to see how he actually taught with authority.

and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

**Again, the question is readdressed by the people asking where does the wisdom come from. **

**Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. **

**Obviously, the question fits quite well into the notion that Jesus is being referred as the “son of Mary”. There’s no other Marys that fit the shoe. **

And, one other passage to consider is Acts 1:14-15, “[The Apostles] with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers…the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty.”

**It sure says he has brothers. **

So that puts us up to 30 or 40 or so. So that leaves the number of Jesus’ brothers at about 80 or 90! Do you think Mary had 80 or 90 children?

**You’re trying to make my argument sound absurd. Mark 6:2-3 say he had about four. The 120 people says they include Mary, Jesus, the eleven disciples, his brothers assuming that the rest were to be concluded as the fellow believers of Christ. So, as to say that there were ONLY that group is entirely different. **

She would have been in perpetual labor! No, Scripture does not contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church about the “brothers” of Jesus, when Scripture is properly interpreted in context.

**Yes it does, you’re just upset because someone’s right about it and you’re making a strawman.

Parker **

Protestants who have preserved their faith in the mystery of the Incarnation admit the divine maternity of Mary. Yet they are far from seeing it, as we do, a source of imcomparable privileges for Mary. For Protestants, Mary was scarcely more than a physical instrument of the Incarnation: to become incarnate, the Word had to be born of a woman; Mary happened to be this woman, but any other woman could have served the same purpose. It was undoubtably a special distinction for her to be called to such a function; but that did not bring her any real merit.

The attitude of Catholics and certain Eastern schismatics is entirely different. In our eyes, Mary was chosen not as a physical instrument to accomplish a material work, but as the moral, conscious, and free instrument of a divine mystery; she was prepared, in her body, to form the body of Jesus; and especially, in her soul, to become a worthy Mother of God.

 

[Tomster]

The concept held by the primitive Church contains idea of the Divine Maternity. The idea of the divine maternity, though not the expression, was contained quite clearly in the mind of the early Church. This idea, in effect, results naturally from two truths familiar to the first Christians, namely, that Mary is truly the Mother of Jesus and that Jesus is at the same time both true God and true man.

Both the Christians and the Jews regarded Mary as the Mother of Jesus. Both admitted, too, that her son was a man. Tha He was God was also soon evident to the eyes of the first faithful. For Jesus had spoken and acted as only a God could speak and act; He attributed to Himself rights that no creature would have dared to arrogate to himself - He preached and commanded in His own name, He forgave sins by His own authority, He worked miracles by His own power, and He spoke of God the Father as being one with Him. Even if at first His disciples saw in Him only the Messias, certainly toward the end of His Mortal life some at least among them began to recognize His divinity and, after His resurrection, they set about preaching it publicly. Even before the composition of the Gospels, at least of the last three, Paul had proclaimed Jesus to be Him “who is, over all things, God blessed forever.” (Romans 9:5)

This humanity and this divinity, which the first Christians recognized in the Son of Mary, appeared to them as united in Him in the closest conceivable union, that union which would later be termed hypostatic. Concerning Him who had just been baptized in the Jordan, the Father had said: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) And this same One, after He had just crossed the lake in a boat, said to the paralytic: “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” The Pharisees were scandalized at the power He took to Himself of forgiving sins, a power which they recognized as belonging only to God. Still Jesus did not say: " It is God living in me," or " God, to whom I am united, who forgives sins"; rather He plainly attributed this power to Himself: " But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins," He said to the paralytic, " I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy home." (Mark 2: 1-12)

 

[Tomster]

This belief of the first Christians relative to the substantial union of the divinity and humanity in Jesus, St. Paul expresses in a well known text: “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who though He was by nature God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to be clung to, but emptied Himself, taking the nature of a slave and being made like unto men, and appearing in the form of man.” (Phil. 2:5-8) The apostle, then, affirms that both the divine nature and the human nature are united in the same Jesus Christ.

Since, therefore, in the eyes of the first Christians, Jesus was at the same time God and man and was born of Mary, it is evident that they saw in Mary what would in late times be designated by the title of the Mother of God.

Much, much more to come Parker!

 

[Tomster]

St. Thomas Aquinas explains: “The Blessed Virgin, because of her Divine Maternity, possesses a certain infinite dignity from the infinite Good which is God. For this reason, nothing superior to her can be created, just as there can exist nothing superior to God.”

So it is that the saints, after contemplating this lofty greatness, after accumulating titles, epithets, and comparisons, have always ended by confessing that no human word could express it, no human intelligence could comprehend it.

Neither Mary herself nor even the created intelligence of our Lord Himself comprehend it entirely, for to understand the dignity of Mother of God in all its fullness it would be necessary to understand fully the dignity of God, her Son.

Still, it is possible to consider certain special aspects of this dignity, not indeed in order to comprehend it, but to form a better idea of its sublimity. These aspects we find in the relations of the Mother of God with the Most Holy Trinity, in those between the divine maternity and the other privileges of Mary, and in those which the Blessed Virgin has with the rest of creation.

 

[Tomster]

The Mother of God and the Most Holy Trinity

Mary and God the Father

In becoming Mother of God, Mary became the “Associate of the Father” in the production of Jesus, in this sense, that the same person who is the Son of God is also her own Son. The Father, it is true, begets this Son eternally and as God; Mary brings Him forth in time and as man. But there are not two beings begotten, two Sons: the same is at once God and man. And as the Father does not cease begetting His Son, He begot Him as God at the same time that Mary conceived Him as man. Mary, like the Father, could say of Jesus: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Mary can also be called the “privileged Daughter of the Father.” Every soul in the state of grace is a daughter of God; but, because of her divine motherhood, Mary is such for several special reasons:

1. Because God adopted her as His Daughter before all other creatures, but not by a priority of time, for in God there is no time, all things being present to Him at the same instant. He adopted her by a priority of importance for, since our Lord was “the first born among many brethren” (Romans 8:29) and the idea of the Son of God-made-man evokes immediately idea of His Mother, Mary is the first in importance among all mere creatures, the first born of all the daughters of God: "God has chosen her the first.
2. Because of all the daughters of Adam she alone was conceived in grace on account of her vocation to the divine motherhood; she was therefore the Daughter of God from the very first moment of her existence.
3. Because she has been loved by God and enriched with prerogatives to an absolutely exceptional degree; in this sense, therefore, she can be called the “only Daughter of God.” Mary is daughter not only of the Father, but also of the entire Trinity. However, as paternity is attributed to the First Person - by appropriation, as the theologians say - we can also say, by appropriation, that Mary is the privileged Daughter of God the Father.

More to come. Time constraints.