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Since you came to introduce Couples for Christ, Solana is never the same ... you were God-sent to help bring Gospel values to all families.
-- Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan of Tuguegarao, Cagayan
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Letters of Aquila and Priscilla
Posted by: CamoteQ on Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 11:50 PM
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Volume 8, Issue 7 Reflections of Jun and Jean Uriarte July 2009
Of her was born Jesus
Mt 1:16
In our earlier letter, we said that as Catholics we ought to be familiar with the four divinely revealed Catholic dogmas about Mary. The first dogma proclaims that Mary is the Mother of God. This was defined by the Council of Ephesus in 431. The second dogma asserts the perpetual virginity of Mary. This was defined by the Lateran Council in 649. The third dogma is the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This was stated infallibly by Pope Pius IX in 1854. The fourth dogma is the Assumption of Mary, which was infallibly proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
Brothers and sisters, of these four Marian dogmas, the divine motherhood of Mary has the most solid basis in Scriptures: Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah (Mt 1:16). And we have found at least 25 references to Mary as mother.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18).
On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother (Mt 2:11). When they had departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt (Mt 2:13-14).
When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel (Mt 2:19-21).
Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? (Mt 13:55).
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.” (Mt 12:46-47).
His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” (Mk 3:31-32)
How does it happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk 1:43).
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (Lk 2:33-34).
When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety” (Lk 2:48). He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart (Lk 2:51).
Then his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you” (Lk 8:19-20).
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there (Jn 2:1). When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5).
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sisters, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son” (Jn 19:25-26).
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Acts 1:14).
In contrast, the Bible refers to Mary as virgin only twice, while the Immaculate Conception and Assumption are not mentioned explicitly.
In 428 Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, began to teach that Mary was the Mother of Christ but not the Mother of God. According to his view, there were two persons in Christ, one divine and one human, and Mary gave birth only to the human person. Thus she could rightly be called the Mother of Christ (Christotokos) but not the Mother of God (Theotokos). Cyril, the Patriarch of Alexandria, vigorously opposed this view and expounded the true Catholic teaching. He sent letters to Nestorious in a brotherly attempt to correct his teaching. When his attempts failed, he submitted to Pope Celestine I both Nestorious’ writings and his own arguments. To resolve the dispute Emperor Theodosius II convoked an ecumenical council at Ephesus on 7 June 431 but Nestorius and his followers did not come, despite several summons. After seven sessions the Council of Ephesus declared, “If anyone does not confess that God is truly Emmanuel, and that on this account the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God (for according to the flesh she gave birth to the Word of God become flesh by birth), let him be anathema (condemned, i.e. excommunicated).”
Brothers and sisters, the Bible teaches us that Mary is the mother of Jesus and that Jesus is truly God. Therefore, we must conclude that Mary is the Mother of God. Scripture reveals that Mary is the Mother of the Word-made-Flesh and the Word-made-flesh is God. Mary is the Mother of God (the Word), not from eternity, of course, but beginning in time and for eternity. To say only that Mary is the Mother of Christ is to deny the unity of the divine and human nature of Christ. God revealed this to the heart of Elizabeth. When Mary visited her, Elizabeth declared: How does it happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk 1:43).
Mary did not give Jesus his divine nature. It was his from all eternity. She did not give him his human soul. It was infused when he became man in her virginal womb. But as a mother, Mary gave Jesus a human nature identical to her own. This is the essence of motherhood. At conception, a human person, and not simply a physical body, comes into being. This is true even though we know that the mother does not create the child’s soul, which is infused by God. Mary, therefore, is the mother of a person and not merely of a body. And since in Jesus that person is also divine, then she is rightly the Mother of God.
Brothers and sisters, this is the mystery of the motherhood of Mary as the Mother of God. And as we reflect profoundly on this mystery, we can recognize in our hearts the potential blessings of having a daily relationship with the Virgin Mary because she is the Mother of God. In our hearts, we can perceive that if anyone can bring us closer to God, if anyone can obtain favors for us in our time of need, if anyone can help us develop a personal relationship with Jesus, surely it is Mary because of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
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