MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

(C 487-511, 963-975, USC Ch. 12)

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it husband from the murderous threats of Herod, living as
be done to me according to your word. (Lk 1:38) an immigrant in a foreign country and, finally,
accompanying Jesus through his passion and death. We
What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is can only imagine how painful these events were for
based on what it believes about Christ, and Mary.
what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its
faith in Christ. (C 487) During her life, Mary, among other things, had to cope
with the experience of being an unwed mother, a refu-
In this article we will look at: gee, a widow and single parent, and the mother of an
 Mary in Scripture innocent son who was executed as a criminal.
Meditating on the trials and tribulations of Mary
 Mary as “Woman of Faith” and “Model Disciple”
should bring her closer to us. When we consider that
 Mary, Mother of the Church
Mary, from among all women, was the one chosen to
 Four Marian Doctrines be Mother of Jesus, and when we consider the
 Veneration of Mary completeness of her ‘yes’ to God, we should have no
problem honoring her.
The Vatican Council II document on the Church, called
Lumen Gentium (“Light to the Nations”), ends with a
chapter on Mary. This is to highlight Mary’s role in our “Woman
f of Faith” and “Model Disciple”
salvation and in our Church family. When we Over the centuries, many titles have been given to
Christians understand more clearly Mary’s unique role describe Mary’s role in Christianity. In recent decades,
in God’s place of salvation, we will also have a better the titles “Woman of Faith” and “Model Disciple”
grasp of the role that God wants her to play in our have been used a lot. Mary is called “Woman of Faith”
spiritual lives so that we can honor Mary as God because in and through all the trials of life, she never
intends us to. The only reason we honor Mary is doubted God. She trusted that God would be faithful
because God honored her in a very unique way when to her. At the Annunciation, Mary was called to trust
he chose her to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus that she would conceive a child through the power of
Christ. the Holy Spirit. If Mary could trust God on that word,
Mary in Scripture she could trust him on anything she did.

While the Bible does not mention Mary a lot, it does The Church also presents Mary to us as Model Disciple
place her at some critical points in Jesus’ life, because she was totally open and responsive to God’s
beginning with his conception by the Holy Spirit in the Word. It has been well said that long before Mary
womb of Mary. At the end of the Annunciation story, conceived Jesus in her womb, she had conceived him
Mary uttered her Fiat, “Let it be done unto me” (Lk in her heart. Mary is Model Disciple because she
1:38). At that moment, she said ‘yes’ to being the trusted God when it was not easy to do so. When
Mother of the Messiah, the Incarnate Word of God. nearly all of Jesus’ disciples had fled in fear, Mary
She also said ‘yes’ to playing an important role in the remained faithful to him all the way to Calvary.
story of our salvation.
Mary, Mother of the Church (C 963-965, USC p. 146)
Having reflected on the wondrous thing that God was
doing in her, Mary responded with her beautiful prayer The Catechism (964) states: “Mary’s role in the Church
called the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55) in which she is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows
proclaimed “all generations will call me be blessed.” directly from it.”
Mary fully understood that her greatness was not due Just as the Israelites called Abraham “our Father in the
to her great deeds, but rather to what she allowed God Faith,” so does the Church call Mary “our Mother in
to do in and through her. True sanctity is not us doing the Faith.” When Jesus was dying on the cross, he
great things for God. Rather, it involves us allowing looked at John (the symbol of all disciples) and said:
God to do his work in us. “This is your Mother” (Jn 19:27). At that moment,
Because of Mary’s ‘yes,’ she also shared in the
sufferings of her son beginning with her giving him
birth in an abandoned stable, then fleeing with her
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Jesus made Mary the spiritual Mother of all believers,
 Even though Mary was conceived free from original
the Mother of the Church. St. Augustine says that Mary
sin, and even though she remained sinless
“is clearly Mother of the members of Christ…for she
has cooperated with love in the birth of the faithful in throughout her life, this does not mean that she had
no need for God’s saving grace. She did. The
the Church, who are members of its Head.” In giving
Mary to us as our spiritual Mother, Jesus is saying to Catechism (491) states: “Through the centuries, the
Church has become ever more aware that Mary,
us individually and as a Church: “Here is the model
disciple. If you want to learn how to hear and respond ‘full of grace’ through God, was redeemed from the
first moment of her conception.” We might say that
to my word, look at Mary. She will teach you and help
you to make yourself totally available to God. She will just as Jesus was conceived in a most unusual way,
Mary was saved from original sin in a most unusual
teach you fidelity, obedience, compassion and
prayerfulness.” Catholics affectionately call Mary “Our way.
Blessed Mother.”  Even though Mary did not sin, she could have. She
could have said ‘no’ to the angel Gabriel and she
could have said ‘no’ to God in other ways.
Four Marian Doctrines  Even though Mary was conceived free from original
Very few Christians should have a problem with any- sin, she was not preserved from experiencing the
thing that we have written thus far. The problem that effects of original sin, namely, the experience of
most, if not all, Protestants have with Mary, is suffering and death (followed by her assumption
connected with certain beliefs that Catholics hold about into heaven), living in a world where there was evil
her which are not stated explicitly in the Bible, and and temptation. Just as Jesus was tempted to do evil,
with the veneration we give to Mary. Let us now turn we can assume that Mary also experienced
to the four doctrines Catholics hold about Mary. temptation. We have seen above some examples of
the sufferings of Mary.
The Immaculate Conception (C 490-94, USC p. 143). The
Catechism (491) states: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary A striking confirmation of the doctrine of the Immac-
was, from the first moment of her conception, by a ulate Conception happened in 1858, four years after
singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and by the dogma was declared infallible. It happened when
virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the Mary appeared to a young, uneducated girl named
human race, preserved immune from the stain of Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. When
original sin.” This Church dogma was proclaimed by Bernadette asked the strange lady her name, Mary
Pope Pius IX in 1854. responded, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
Hundreds of medically verified miracles and many
The Catholic Church also believes that Mary, due to other healings have happened in Lourdes. The Church
her total cooperation with God, remained free of all celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
personal sin during her life on earth. As we pray on her on Dec. 8th.
feast day, “Father, you let her share beforehand in the
salvation Christ would bring by his death and kept her
sinless from the first moment of her conception.” Assumption of Mary into heaven (C 988). “A great
sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the
The biblical support for this doctrine is found in Angel sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a
Gabriel’s greeting to Mary: “Hail, full of grace” (Lk crown of twelve stars” (Rev 12:1).
1:28). Mary was not just graced like the rest of us. She
was “full of grace,” i.e., she was totally free of sin and The Catechism (966) states: “The Assumption of the
totally full of God. Her union with God was never Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s
spoiled. The Church reasons that it was only fitting that Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of
the one who housed the sinless Savior of the world other Christians.” This Church dogma was defined by
would, by the grace of God, be free of all sin. “In Pope Pius XII in 1950 in which he declared: “Having
preserving Mary from original sin, God was choosing a completed the course of her earthly life, Mary was
perfect door for a perfect God to enter an imperfect assumed body and soul to heavenly glory and exalted
world” (Peter Kreeft). by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might
be more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords
As we reflect on the immaculate conception of Mary, and conqueror of sin and death.”
three other things need to be noted:

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The above words mean and affirm that at the end of her Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit,
life on earth, Mary experienced immediately the was perhaps the first person to recognize Mary’s
resurrection of the body that is promised to all faithful special privilege. When Mary visited her cousin,
followers of Christ. We can say that Mary’s Assump- Elizabeth, she greeted her with these words: “How
tion flows from and completes her Immaculate does it happen that the Mother of my Lord should
Conception. If Mary was preserved from original sin come to me?” (Lk 1:43). The Church celebrates the
by the unique gift of God, then it is only fitting that Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, on Jan. 1st.
when her life on earth was finished, she would be taken
to heaven. We look to Scripture and Tradition. In article two in
this series, we learn that the Catholic Church looks to
As with the Immaculate Conception, the Church both Scripture and Tradition for the source of her
reasons that it is only fitting that the body that bore the beliefs. We note that there is nothing in Scripture to
Savior of the world should not suffer decay when her support the sola scriptura (Scripture alone) stance
life on earth was completed. Mary’s Assumption into which maintains that “as Christians, we should only
heaven foreshadows what we all hope to experience believe what is explicitly stated in the Bible.” We also
one day. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the acknowledge that for the Catholic Church, a belief is
Assumption of Mary into heaven on Aug. 15th. only “non-scriptural” if it contradicts what is stated
Mary, Perpetual Virgin (C 496-507). All Christians explicitly in the Bible.
believe in the virgin birth―that Mary was a virgin
when she gave birth to Jesus. But not all Christians Veneration of Mary (C 971, USC p. 146)
believe that Mary remained a virgin all her life. One
reason for this is that there are references in the Bible “The Church rightly honors Mary with special
to the brothers and sisters of Christ. (We addressed this devotion…. This devotion differs essentially from the
issue in Article 5.) Even though there is no reference adora-tion given to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (C
to the perpetual virginity of Mary in the Bible, it has 971).
always been held in sacred Tradition. The liturgies of Catholics venerate Mary because she is the Mother of
the East and West from the early centuries of God. We honor her because God honored her. When
Christianity affirm Mary as “ever virgin.” The we kneel before statues of Mary or carry her in a
founders of Protestantism (Luther and Calvin) believed religious procession, we are not worshipping her.
that Mary remained a virgin all her life. Rather, we are honoring and showing our affection for
“God’s one purpose for Mary was to be the Mother of the one who is closest to Jesus, the one who was most
his Son. That was the divine goal. For that she was faithful to him.
conceived, born and lived. Her undivided heart and The heart of Marian spirituality is not in the reciting of
body were meant for God alone” (Fr. Al McBride). particular prayers in honor of Mary, but in “doing what
Mary’s perpetual virginity should not be seen as a put- Jesus tells us to do” (Jn 2:5). True devotees of Mary are
down on sex. After all, God created sex. Only some- those who listen to God’s Word and act on it.
thing good and beautiful could be offered up to God in
sacrifice. Some writers point out that Mary’s physical Seeking Mary’s intercession. Catholics often ask
virginity is an outward sign of her spiritual virginity, a Mary, as their spiritual Mother, to pray for them. Non-
phrase used to describe a life totally open and totally Catholics have a problem with this because they look
consecrated and devoted to God. Only with the eyes of upon Jesus as their one and only intercessor and
faith can we begin to appreciate Mary’s perpetual mediator before God. In 1Tim 2:5-6, Paul says: “There
virginity. is only one mediator between God and the human race,
Christ Jesus….” Catholics understand that God alone
Mary, the Mother of God (C 495). As the early Church
grants us blessings and graces. But just as all believers
continued her reflection on the scriptures and on
share in the priesthood of Jesus (1Pet 2:5), all can share
Mary’s role in our relationship to Jesus, she concluded
in his intercessory and mediatory role.
that since Mary is the Mother of Christ, human and
divine, she could rightly be called Theotokos, the On behalf of one another, we join our prayers of
Greek word for “God-bearer” or Mother of God. The intercession to those of Jesus. If we do not hesitate to
Council of Ephesus (431 AD) which solemnly declared ask our sinful brothers and sisters on earth to pray for
Mary to be the Mother of God, was careful to state that us, why would we hesitate to ask Mary, the preeminent
Mary is the Mother of God “according to the flesh,” to
clarify that Mary is not the source of Jesus’ divinity.

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member of our community, to intercede for us. Lumen someone very special in our spiritual lives. If we can
Gentium (60) states: “The maternal duty of Mary carry pictures of loved ones in our wallets and place
toward people in no way obscures or diminishes the them on the walls of our homes and offices, surely it is
unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His okay for us to have visible reminders of the most
power. For all the salvific influence of the Blessed perfect Christian who ever lived. If we lay wreaths
Virgin on humankind…flows forth from Christ, rests on before our national heroes, surely it is right for us to
His mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its lay a wreath or bouquet before Mary, the Mother of our
power from it.” Without her connection to Christ, Redeemer. Catholics kneel and pray before statues as a
Mary is nothing. But because she is so very intimately mark of respect. But we do not worship statues, nor do
close to him, her prayers on our behalf are very we believe that statues have any spiritual power in or
powerful. Due to Mary’s intercession, Jesus performed of themselves.
his first miracle (Jn 2:1-12).
A concluding word. After Joseph found out that Mary
Finally, when you hear Catholics speak about “praying was with child, an angel of the Lord appeared to him
to Mary,” translate that to mean “asking Mary to pray and told him not to be afraid to take Mary into his
for us.” In the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer, we say: “Holy home (Mt 1:20). Neither should we hesitate to take Mary
Mary, pray for us sinners.” In singing the praises of into our homes and hearts and to ask her to befriend us
Mary, we are singing the praises of God who did great and pray for us as we seek to follow in the footsteps of
things in her. We should never think that God is in any her son, Jesus.
way slighted because we love and venerate his Son’s
Mother. Pause: Are you familiar with the Rosary? If you
pray the Rosary, what motivates you to do so? If
Pause: How would you describe your relationship you do not pray the Rosary, why not?
to Mary? Do you seek her intercession? Do you
have a problem with the way Catholics venerate
Mary? Suggestion for Action
If you do not have a relationship with Mary, pray to
The Rosary. In his spiritual classic True Devotion to learn the steps to develop such a relationship.
Mary, St. Louis de Montfort writes: “The holy rosary
is a gift come down from heaven, a great present that Meditation
God gives to his most faithful servants. God is the
Author of the prayers of which it is composed and of Gracious God, in Mary you have given us a model of
the mysteries it contains.” true holiness. Hers was a loving heart, one rich in
hospitality and prayerfulness. She responded fully to
In his Apostolic Letter on the Rosary (Oct. 2002), the the call to be the Mother of your Son and she was
late Pope John Paul II shared with us his special love faithful to the end. Though at times her heart ached,
for the rosary when he wrote: “The Rosary has accom- she never allowed bitterness to reside there. Help us to
panied me in moments of joy and in moments of be warmhearted people, a family committed to
difficulty. To it I have entrusted any number of con- hospitality and service. Grant this through Mary’s
cerns; in it I have always found comfort. The Rosary is intercession. Amen.
my favorite prayer. It is marvelous in its simplicity and
its depths”(#2). During her many apparitions to us on
earth, our Blessed Mother has encouraged us to pray
the Rosary. The exhortation alone should be reason
enough for us to seek to develop a love for this form of
prayer.
The Rosary is a Christ-centered and biblically-based
prayer to help us worship Christ and honor Mary. We
say that the Rosary is Christ-centered and
biblicallybased because we meditate on events in the
life of Jesus. (For commentary on the “Hail Mary” prayer, see Fr. Eamon Tobin ©
USC p. 470.) Ascension Catholic Church
Melbourne, FL
Statues and medals of Mary. For Catholics, statues, [email protected]
images and medals of Mary are visible reminders of
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