Why is Mary's virginity so important?

[celticsfan1983]

A protestant brother asked me this question the other day. I didn’t have a good response, other than “It’s Jesus’ mother: he’d want us to show a little respect.”

Basically his question was, “Why is it so important for Mary to be a virgin after Jesus birth? He was born of the Virgin, that should be enough.”

I think his mind was closed to the possibility because I told him for more than 1,500 years, it was well-known fact that she was a virgin until death (citing early Church fathers and protestant reformers like Luther and Calvin: he said he didn’t subscribe to their beliefs either), and it’s only in the last 200 years or so that people want to think otherwise.

I know this topic will come up again. Please help! What’s a better response to give?

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

For a more detailed explanation of this issue, I would refer you to the second volume of Mark Shea’s Mary, Mother of the Son series. Shea goes into detail regarding each of the Marian dogmas, and I have found it tremendously helpful.

For a more direct answer to your question, Mary’s virginity helps to emphasize the uniqueness of Christ. additionally, if Mary remains a virgin, her life is consecrated completely to God and to His Son.

 

[Eucharisted]

From the Catechism:

Mary’s virginity

496 From the first formulations of her faith, the Church has confessed that Jesus was conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, affirming also the corporeal aspect of this event: Jesus was conceived “by the Holy Spirit without human seed”.146 The Fathers see in the virginal conception the sign that it truly was the Son of God who came in a humanity like our own. Thus St. Ignatius of Antioch at the beginning of the second century says:
You are firmly convinced about our Lord, who is truly of the race of David according to the flesh, Son of God according to the will and power of God, truly born of a virgin,. . . he was truly nailed to a tree for us in his flesh under Pontius Pilate. . . he truly suffered, as he is also truly risen.147

497 The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility:148 “That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”, said the angel to Joseph about Mary his fiancee.149 The Church sees here the fulfilment of the divine promise given through the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son."150

498 People are sometimes troubled by the silence of St. Mark’s Gospel and the New Testament Epistles about Jesus’ virginal conception. Some might wonder if we were merely dealing with legends or theological constructs not claiming to be history. To this we must respond: Faith in the virginal conception of Jesus met with the lively opposition, mockery or incomprehension of non-believers, Jews and pagans alike;151 so it could hardly have been motivated by pagan mythology or by some adaptation to the ideas of the age. the meaning of this event is accessible only to faith, which understands in it the "connection of these mysteries with one another"152 in the totality of Christ’s mysteries, from his Incarnation to his Passover. St. Ignatius of Antioch already bears witness to this connection: "Mary’s virginity and giving birth, and even the Lord’s death escaped the notice of the prince of this world: these three mysteries worthy of proclamation were accomplished in God’s silence."153

Mary - “ever-virgin”

499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary’s real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.154 In fact, Christ’s birth "did not diminish his mother’s virginal integrity but sanctified it."155 and so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the “Ever-virgin”.156

500 Against this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus.157 The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, “brothers of Jesus”, are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls “the other Mary”.158 They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.159

501 Jesus is Mary’s only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-operates with a mother’s love."160

Mary’s virginal motherhood in God’s plan

502 The eyes of faith can discover in the context of the whole of Revelation the mysterious reasons why God in his saving plan wanted his Son to be born of a virgin. These reasons touch both on the person of Christ and his redemptive mission, and on the welcome Mary gave that mission on behalf of all men.

503 Mary’s virginity manifests God’s absolute initiative in the Incarnation. Jesus has only God as Father. "He was never estranged from the Father because of the human nature which he assumed. . . He is naturally Son of the Father as to his divinity and naturally son of his mother as to his humanity, but properly Son of the Father in both natures."161

504 Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary’s womb because he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven."162 From his conception, Christ’s humanity is filled with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit without measure."163 From “his fullness” as the head of redeemed humanity "we have all received, grace upon grace."164

505 By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. "How can this be?"165 Participation in the divine life arises “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”.166 The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit’s gift to man. the spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God167 is fulfilled perfectly in Mary’s virginal motherhood.

506 Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith “unadulterated by any doubt”, and of her undivided gift of herself to God’s will.168 It is her faith that enables her to become the mother of the Saviour: "Mary is more blessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the flesh of Christ."169

507 At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect realization of the Church: "the Church indeed. . . by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By preaching and Baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse."170

 

[Angel_Face]

Dear Eucharisted,
This is a wonderful way to explain why Mary’s “Virginity” is so important! The CCC is very informative, and I do recommend using it whenever possible!
I am not the best when it comes to explaining things, but if I have my CCC book it makes it so much easier!
God Bless,
Angel Face :angel1:

 

[Gerard_Nadal]

**In addition to all that has been posted, I add this. Joseph saw the events surrounding Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, her husband having been struck mute for doubting the angel, etc. He received visions after Jesus was born. He was there when the wise men sought out Jesus and brought him gifts. He was there for the great Theophany when the angels sang at the nativity and the shepherds came to give adoration. He witnessed Simeon’s recognition of Jesus as Messiah during the presentation in the Temple. And of course, Mary told him of the angel Gabriel’s message.

Being the holy and upright man that he was, and given all that had transpired, would Joseph even contemplate intercourse with Mary? Would any man among us, were we in his shoes? **

 

[incense]

Two thoughts.

First, she remained a virgin because God was to continually use her even after the birth of Jesus. She’s not a disposable object that God used then tossed away. Your friend can’t see that because he doesn’t see the value of Mary.

Second, we have been so degredated by today’s society that we don’t intrinsically understand the value of virginity.

 

[Angel_Face]

Dear Incense,
You are quite right about this! It is sad, but true!
Warmly yours,
Angel Face