The Virgin Mary

Bishop Mar Bawai Soro 

HAIL, FULL OF GRACE 

“The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) 

Among the saints whom the Church acknowledges and honors, no one holds a place of greater honor than the Blessed Virgin Mary. The mother of Jesus has been accorded many titles throughout the ages, she is “the Handmaid of the Father”, “the Mother of the Son of God”, and “the Temple of the Holy Spirit” (Lk. 1:38; Lk. 1:30-35).  But, perhaps the most simple and meaningful titles are none other than “virgin and mother.” A virgin, she dedicated her life completely to God. A mother, she gave the Savior to the world.  

As a young woman betrothed to Joseph, Mary learned from the angel Gabriel that she was chosen from among all women to become the mother of the long-expected Messiah. With deep humility and acceptance of God’s will for her and the human race, she said yes. She conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, without the intervention of a man, and the Church teaches that she remained a virgin throughout her lifetime. Indeed, the creed mentions her by name: Jesus “became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and became man; he was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary.” 

During her earthly life, Mary was present at significant moments in the life of her Son Jesus, but her presence was not noted as others. Naturally she figures greatly when Jesus was conceived and later born, and when he was presented according to the Law in the Temple for his circumcision. (Luke 2:22-35) When as a 12-year old boy he was “lost” for three days in Jerusalem, sitting with the doctors of Judaism and asking them questions, Mary and Joseph sought him in sorrow, and it became clear that they did not yet understand the fullness of his mission. (Luke 2:46-50) 

In the New Testament, periodically Mary appears in episodes of Jesus’ life during his ministry, such as at the wedding in Cana, where he performed his first public miracle. (John 2:1ff) She is referred to when people are speaking of him: “Is not his mother named Mary?” (Matthew 13:55) At the Last Supper, she is not mentioned, but we can’t imagine she was far away. During his trial, she was possibly one of the people drowned out by the mob. On his way to execution, she was surely along the road. At the crucifixion, she is there with a few women and one disciple. (John 19:25-26) 

Near the end of his suffering, as death approached, Jesus made sure his mother would be cared for, in an age not terribly kind to widows and orphans. From the Cross, he entrusted his mother into the care of the disciple whom he loved. “Woman,” he said, “behold, your son.” To the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” (John 19:26-27)  As mother and son, Mary and the beloved disciple are seen to be forming the first Christian family, thus, the Church is also entrusted to Mary’s motherly care. 

Nevertheless, some Christians have downplayed the importance of Mary’s role in the economy of salvation. They rightly emphasize the central role of Jesus the Redeemer, as the Catholic teaching does, yet miss the significance of what Mary has done on behalf of the human race. Where Adam and Eve said “no” when God invited them to trust completely in him, Mary said “yes” for all of us. She gave flesh to the Savior, teaching him the faith of his ancestors and helping him, as a human being, to learn and grow in God’s grace. (cf. Luke 2:40) It is no exaggeration to say that without Mary, God’s work of salvation would not have been brought to completion. Fortunately for all, she was prepared and willing to accept God’s will for her. 

Mary is the perfect Christian, the model disciple to whom the saints aspire. We do well to remember that Mary is not lofty and distant, but a humble girl who knew that to love what God desired was all that is necessary. “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) is what Mary teaches all believers to think and say. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” is her song of praise to the Almighty, and “from now on all ages will call me blessed” is her own recognition that “God has done great things for” her. (Luke 1:48-49) 

Over the ages and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church developed three important dogmas to teach us about the great things, which God has done for Mary.  The first dogma is “Mary, the Mother of God”, defined by the Council of Ephesus in 431; the second is “Mary’s Immaculate Conception”, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854; and the third is the “Assumption of Mary”, proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950. 

Concerning Mary’s Immaculate Conception, the Church teaches that from the first moment of her life in the womb of her mother, Mary was preserved by God from all stain of sin, since she was to become the mother of the Son of God. This teaching finds its seed in the words of the angel at the annunciation when he calls Mary “full of grace” or “highly favored,” and when Elizabeth refers to her as “most blessed among women.” She who is God’s highly favored daughter, full of grace, most blessed, is free from all sin – she participates beforehand in the salvation won by Christ: she was redeemed from the moment of her conception, because she was preserved to become the place where God will dwell, thus, Mary is indeed “Second Heaven”. 

As to the dogma of Mary’s Assumption (also known as Mary’s Dormition, ‘falling asleep’, Departure or ‘Shunaya’), at the end of her earthly life, the Church teaches that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven, as a sign of her participation in Christ’s resurrection. Just as she was preserved from all stain of sin at the very beginning of her life, she was also preserved from the decay of death at its end, by God’s favor. 

Although Mary’s Perpetual Virginity has never been officially defined as dogma, it is a teaching that is universally accepted and continues to be referred to in Church teachings since the early Church. 

For all Christians, Mary holds an important place in salvation history. From her, the Son of God took human flesh, becoming a man like us in all things but sin. At her knee he learned and grew in wisdom and grace. And so, by her participation in Christ’s suffering, she allowed her sorrow to become a salvific grace for the world. Through her intercession, may the followers of her Son receive help in this earthly life, “now and at the hour of our death”, Amen.