We never adore Mary. Adoration is reserved to God alone. But we venerate Holy Mary and saints. To venerate means to give respect, honour, praise etc. We Catholics give higher veneration to Mary than to the saints.
There are many reasons to venerate Mary. She was God's favoured one, the chosen virgin to be the mother of His Son Jesus. In her and through her, God became Immanuel (God with us) and dwelt among us (Mt. 2:23). She was conceived not by the power of man (Lk. 1 :35) but by the power of the Holy Spirit (V. 35). Even after her conception of Jesus, she remained faithful to her Divine Spouse all throughout her life.
Some people misinterpret Mt. 2:25 to argue that Joseph had conjugal relations with Mary, after Jesus' birth. But the verse, "Joseph did not know her till she had brought forth her first born" doesn't mean it. It only emphasizes Jesus' divine origin nothing more or nothing less. What the text conveys is that no one else is responsible for Jesus' birth except the Holy Spirit.
Some people misinterpret Mt. 12:48 to argue that Jesus had no respect to his mother. But this is not true if we evaluate the verse in its background (VV 46-50). When Mary and his brethren came, Jesus was teaching his disciples. When somebody informed of their arrival, Jesus took it as an opportunity to teach the audience the urgency of becoming the doers of the word rather than hearers of the word. Hence he asks, "who is my mother and who are my brothers?" (V. 48). Stretching out his hand towards His disciples Himself answered, "Here are my mother and my brothers" (V. 49). For, whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother (V. 50). In this passage, there is nothing derogatory to Mary. On the contrary it could be taken as a compliment. That is, Mary became His mother not only because she gave birth to Him,- but also because she submitted herself to God's word (Lk. 1 :38). She was a hearer (1 :2837) as well as a doer of the word of God (V.38).
The theme - "to be doers of the word" is stressed elsewhere. After the sermon on the mount, Jesus asked his disciples to be the doers of law, if they really wanted to be saved (Mt. 7:21-27). "Not everyone who says 'Lord', 'Lord', shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father" (Mt. 7:21, Cf. Lk. 6:46). In Rom 2:53, Paul says, "Not the hearers of the law are justified in he sight of God, but the doers of the law". James too repeats the same, "But be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (1: 21, Cf. V. 27). Mary obeyed the Word of God totally and fully when she said "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word" (Lk. 1 :38).
Similarly Mt.11: 11 b, "but he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he (John)" is not a depreciation of John, but an appreciation for him (as evident from V. 11 a) and a demand from the audience to be like him working for the Kingdom of God.
Mary is to be venerated and praised by all. Gabriel praises her, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women (Lk. 1:28). If an archangel could praise Mary, why cannot we human beings? It is true that she was made praiseworthy among women only because of God's immense favour and constant presence with her (the Lord is with you). Yet she is blessed. Elizabeth too calls her "blessed" (V. 45.). All the generations are going to call her blessed (V. 48). Even in Jesus' time people called her "blessed". "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you", shouted a woman (Lk. 11 :27) Jesus answered, "more than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it (V. 28). Here too the meaning is, Mary is praiseworthy not because she bore me or fed me, more than that, since she heard the Word of God and obeyed it. By hearing the Word of God and keeping it, you could also become "blessed".
Some Christian denominations teach that Mary's "highly favoured" position was over by Jesus' birth or at least after her death. But they have no sound arguments for this except their prejudice and obstinacy in holding to their wrong perceptions. How can a person who gave total and full FIAT (consent) to God's will in this life be demoted in the Heavenly life? Christian teaching holds the contrary. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord... for their work follows them" (Rev. 14:13). St. Paul expects "a crown of righteousness" in the life to come for his suffering for the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Mathew also talks in terms of reward and punishment, reward for the doers of good, and punishment for the doers of evil (Mt. 25:31-46). Hence one may rightly infer that Mary's position is enhanced in heaven, she is "crowned as the queen" of Heaven. Hence she deserves our veneration.
Mary is the new house of God, "the poor of the Lord" (Lk. 1 :48, 52; Cf. Is. 57:15). In Is. 66:1-2, we read thus, "Thus says the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where is the house you build for me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things my hand has made, and all those things exist, "says the Lord, but on the ONE will I look: on him who is poor and contrite spirit,and who trembles at my word". More than man-built temples what the Lord prefers to dwell in is ONE who is Poor and Contrite in spirit and who trembles at his word. Mary is this "favoured one" (Lk. 1 :28), poor and lowly in spirit 0N 48,52) who trembles at His word (V. 29). Hence the annunciation of Jesus' birth is directly addressed to Mary, the new House of God, where as the annunciation of John's birth is given in the Jerusalem Temple. In Mary, God dwells among us. She is the new House of God to be venerated by all of us.
Mary is the new Tabernacle. In Ex. 40:35, it is said, "the cloud covered the Tabernacle of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle". What is intended is that God made the tabernacle his dwelling place. The same verb "covered" is used in the angels' annunciation to Mary. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, that means, God made her his dwelling place, she became the new tabernacle. Since she is the new house of God, and new tabernacle, the fruit of her womb is the real presence of God among us.
Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant. The words of Elizabeth when Mary comes to her, "But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk. 1 :43) echo the words of David when the Ark of the covenant comes to him, "How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?" (2 Sam. 6:9) Thus Mary is introduced as the New Ark of the covenant or the Ark of the New Covenant. Both the journeys of the Ark of the covenant (2 Sam. 6:2) and the New Ark of the Covenant (Lk. 1 :39) took place in Judah. As David was leaping and dancing before the Ark (2 Sam. 6:14), so also before Mary, John the Baptist leaped in his mother's womb for joy (Lk. 1 :44) should we not leap with joy, before Mary, the new ark of the covenant?
Mary is the new Israel. In Mary God's expectations regarding his Elect are realized. Mary's magnificat reveals this fact. The magnificat is made up of two parts, each one ending with a celebration of the "MERCY' of God, towards all generations (Lk. 1 :50; 54-55). The first concerns Mary, and the second concerns Israel. The first part (VV 47-50) presents the humility of Mary (being poor, lowly) and God's fruitful work in her. The second part presents Israel's pride (V. 51) and presumption (thinking mighty and rich), God's punishment for the same (V. 52-53), yet finally God's helping them in remembrance of His Mercy (V. 54). What He required from Israel (Cf. Mic. 6:8) is fully realized in Mary, the heiress and figure of Israel as well as the path to the future.
Mary is the mother of all the faithful. Though Abraham submitted himself fully to God and became the father of all the faithful (Heb. 4:16, Is. 51 :2), his descendants miserably failed to give such submission to faith. Even Zacharia who was righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Lk. 1 :6), was no exemplary in faith (V. 20) and hence was punished. But in Mary the tide of unbelief and punishment is reversed. There is a new beginning of faith and salvation. Mary submits herself fully and totally to God in faith. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word" (Lk. 1 :38). Because she believed that nothing is impossible to God (V. 37). Indeed Elizabeth rightly commented her faith. "Blessed are you who believed that whatever the Lord promised will be fulfilled" (V. 45). It was this faith that strengthened her to remain calm and composed when the son of the Most High (V. 32) was born in a manger (2:7), when the heir of the throne of David (1 :32) got no room in the inn (2:7), and had to flee to Egypt (Mt. 2:14), when he who was to reign over the house of Jacob (Lk. 1 :33) was reviled by His own (In. 1 :11, Lk. 19:14) and when the expectations of His lasting Kingdom (Lk. 1 :33) was being shattered at his death on the cross (Lk. 24:21). Her faith surpassed the faith of Abraham in that she had to offer her only begotten Son to God, whereas Abraham finally had not to do that (Gen. 22:12). Mary is the mother of all the faithful who have been saved through faith in Her son shall we not honour Mary, our model in faith?
Mary is the mother of the Church. Mary was with the Apostles when they waited in Jerusalem, in prayer and supplication, for the descend of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). It was on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit descended with the sound of a rushing mighty wind and sat upon them in the form of divided tongues of fire (2:1-4) and the Church was officially inaugurated (V. 41). Mary is the prime member of the Church, and the mother of all who received the Spirit and the Word. Indeed she is the first evangelizer who went "with haste" into the hill country (Lk. 1 :39) as soon as she received the "good news" (VV. 26-33). As church is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:25,30; 1 Cor 13:27; Rom 12:5), and Mary is the Mother of Christ, she is also the Mother of His body, the Church. She is the prime member of the Church, in whose pattern other members are to be moulded. Can anyone question us in giving honour to Mary, our mother and model?
Mary is the mother of all who have been saved. Since Church is the community of the saved, Mary is the mother of all who have been saved. Indeed Jesus gave her as our mother at the zenith of His salvific act, his death and glorification (In. 19:27). He said to the disciple, "behold your mother!" (VV 26-27) "And from that Hour that disciple took her to his own home (V. 27). Here and elsewhere (In. 2:4) we find Jesus calling His mother "woman", and some denominations of Christians interpret it as Jesus' disrespect to His mother. This is a false inference from a misunderstanding about the nuance of the word "woman". Only in John's gospel this term is used to refer to Mary. The first instance is in Cana, at the beginning of the signs Jesus did (Jn. 2:1-11). Though His "Hour" had not yet come (2:4), by the intercession of the "woman", He inaugurates the salvific work. We know that the "Hour" of Jesus is the 'Hour' of his death, the 'Hour' of his glorification (In. 17:1; 12:23; Cf. Act 3:13), the Hour of our salvation (In. 3:14-15). Hence we may note that Jesus calls His mother "woman" at the beginning of His salvific act (In. 2:4) and at the culmination of His salvific act (Jn. 19:27). When we go back to the promise of salvation in Genesis, there too we find the term "woman" is used (Gen. 3:15). "And there would be enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and his seed, and she shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Gen. 3: 15). We know that the names of our first parents are Adam and Eve. Adam means man and Eve means woman, 'the mother of all living' (Gen. 3:20). Eve, the woman became the 'mother of sinners' by her co-operation with the evil. Mary became the mother of all saved by her co-operation with the Holy Spirit, by her submission to the Word of God, and by her offering her son on the cross for the salvation of all. And from that Hour, that is the Hour of Jesus' death and our salvation, Mary became the common possession of those who were saved, of his disciples, of those whom he loved (Jn. 19:27 b). She became the New Eve, the mother of all who possess eternal life'. Let us give due respect to our mother.
There are many reasons to venerate Mary. She was God's favoured one, the chosen virgin to be the mother of His Son Jesus. In her and through her, God became Immanuel (God with us) and dwelt among us (Mt. 2:23). She was conceived not by the power of man (Lk. 1 :35) but by the power of the Holy Spirit (V. 35). Even after her conception of Jesus, she remained faithful to her Divine Spouse all throughout her life.
Some people misinterpret Mt. 2:25 to argue that Joseph had conjugal relations with Mary, after Jesus' birth. But the verse, "Joseph did not know her till she had brought forth her first born" doesn't mean it. It only emphasizes Jesus' divine origin nothing more or nothing less. What the text conveys is that no one else is responsible for Jesus' birth except the Holy Spirit.
Some people misinterpret Mt. 12:48 to argue that Jesus had no respect to his mother. But this is not true if we evaluate the verse in its background (VV 46-50). When Mary and his brethren came, Jesus was teaching his disciples. When somebody informed of their arrival, Jesus took it as an opportunity to teach the audience the urgency of becoming the doers of the word rather than hearers of the word. Hence he asks, "who is my mother and who are my brothers?" (V. 48). Stretching out his hand towards His disciples Himself answered, "Here are my mother and my brothers" (V. 49). For, whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother (V. 50). In this passage, there is nothing derogatory to Mary. On the contrary it could be taken as a compliment. That is, Mary became His mother not only because she gave birth to Him,- but also because she submitted herself to God's word (Lk. 1 :38). She was a hearer (1 :2837) as well as a doer of the word of God (V.38).
The theme - "to be doers of the word" is stressed elsewhere. After the sermon on the mount, Jesus asked his disciples to be the doers of law, if they really wanted to be saved (Mt. 7:21-27). "Not everyone who says 'Lord', 'Lord', shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father" (Mt. 7:21, Cf. Lk. 6:46). In Rom 2:53, Paul says, "Not the hearers of the law are justified in he sight of God, but the doers of the law". James too repeats the same, "But be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (1: 21, Cf. V. 27). Mary obeyed the Word of God totally and fully when she said "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word" (Lk. 1 :38).
Similarly Mt.11: 11 b, "but he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he (John)" is not a depreciation of John, but an appreciation for him (as evident from V. 11 a) and a demand from the audience to be like him working for the Kingdom of God.
Mary is to be venerated and praised by all. Gabriel praises her, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women (Lk. 1:28). If an archangel could praise Mary, why cannot we human beings? It is true that she was made praiseworthy among women only because of God's immense favour and constant presence with her (the Lord is with you). Yet she is blessed. Elizabeth too calls her "blessed" (V. 45.). All the generations are going to call her blessed (V. 48). Even in Jesus' time people called her "blessed". "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you", shouted a woman (Lk. 11 :27) Jesus answered, "more than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it (V. 28). Here too the meaning is, Mary is praiseworthy not because she bore me or fed me, more than that, since she heard the Word of God and obeyed it. By hearing the Word of God and keeping it, you could also become "blessed".
Some Christian denominations teach that Mary's "highly favoured" position was over by Jesus' birth or at least after her death. But they have no sound arguments for this except their prejudice and obstinacy in holding to their wrong perceptions. How can a person who gave total and full FIAT (consent) to God's will in this life be demoted in the Heavenly life? Christian teaching holds the contrary. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord... for their work follows them" (Rev. 14:13). St. Paul expects "a crown of righteousness" in the life to come for his suffering for the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Mathew also talks in terms of reward and punishment, reward for the doers of good, and punishment for the doers of evil (Mt. 25:31-46). Hence one may rightly infer that Mary's position is enhanced in heaven, she is "crowned as the queen" of Heaven. Hence she deserves our veneration.
Mary is the new house of God, "the poor of the Lord" (Lk. 1 :48, 52; Cf. Is. 57:15). In Is. 66:1-2, we read thus, "Thus says the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where is the house you build for me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things my hand has made, and all those things exist, "says the Lord, but on the ONE will I look: on him who is poor and contrite spirit,and who trembles at my word". More than man-built temples what the Lord prefers to dwell in is ONE who is Poor and Contrite in spirit and who trembles at his word. Mary is this "favoured one" (Lk. 1 :28), poor and lowly in spirit 0N 48,52) who trembles at His word (V. 29). Hence the annunciation of Jesus' birth is directly addressed to Mary, the new House of God, where as the annunciation of John's birth is given in the Jerusalem Temple. In Mary, God dwells among us. She is the new House of God to be venerated by all of us.
Mary is the new Tabernacle. In Ex. 40:35, it is said, "the cloud covered the Tabernacle of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle". What is intended is that God made the tabernacle his dwelling place. The same verb "covered" is used in the angels' annunciation to Mary. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, that means, God made her his dwelling place, she became the new tabernacle. Since she is the new house of God, and new tabernacle, the fruit of her womb is the real presence of God among us.
Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant. The words of Elizabeth when Mary comes to her, "But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk. 1 :43) echo the words of David when the Ark of the covenant comes to him, "How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?" (2 Sam. 6:9) Thus Mary is introduced as the New Ark of the covenant or the Ark of the New Covenant. Both the journeys of the Ark of the covenant (2 Sam. 6:2) and the New Ark of the Covenant (Lk. 1 :39) took place in Judah. As David was leaping and dancing before the Ark (2 Sam. 6:14), so also before Mary, John the Baptist leaped in his mother's womb for joy (Lk. 1 :44) should we not leap with joy, before Mary, the new ark of the covenant?
Mary is the new Israel. In Mary God's expectations regarding his Elect are realized. Mary's magnificat reveals this fact. The magnificat is made up of two parts, each one ending with a celebration of the "MERCY' of God, towards all generations (Lk. 1 :50; 54-55). The first concerns Mary, and the second concerns Israel. The first part (VV 47-50) presents the humility of Mary (being poor, lowly) and God's fruitful work in her. The second part presents Israel's pride (V. 51) and presumption (thinking mighty and rich), God's punishment for the same (V. 52-53), yet finally God's helping them in remembrance of His Mercy (V. 54). What He required from Israel (Cf. Mic. 6:8) is fully realized in Mary, the heiress and figure of Israel as well as the path to the future.
Mary is the mother of all the faithful. Though Abraham submitted himself fully to God and became the father of all the faithful (Heb. 4:16, Is. 51 :2), his descendants miserably failed to give such submission to faith. Even Zacharia who was righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Lk. 1 :6), was no exemplary in faith (V. 20) and hence was punished. But in Mary the tide of unbelief and punishment is reversed. There is a new beginning of faith and salvation. Mary submits herself fully and totally to God in faith. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word" (Lk. 1 :38). Because she believed that nothing is impossible to God (V. 37). Indeed Elizabeth rightly commented her faith. "Blessed are you who believed that whatever the Lord promised will be fulfilled" (V. 45). It was this faith that strengthened her to remain calm and composed when the son of the Most High (V. 32) was born in a manger (2:7), when the heir of the throne of David (1 :32) got no room in the inn (2:7), and had to flee to Egypt (Mt. 2:14), when he who was to reign over the house of Jacob (Lk. 1 :33) was reviled by His own (In. 1 :11, Lk. 19:14) and when the expectations of His lasting Kingdom (Lk. 1 :33) was being shattered at his death on the cross (Lk. 24:21). Her faith surpassed the faith of Abraham in that she had to offer her only begotten Son to God, whereas Abraham finally had not to do that (Gen. 22:12). Mary is the mother of all the faithful who have been saved through faith in Her son shall we not honour Mary, our model in faith?
Mary is the mother of the Church. Mary was with the Apostles when they waited in Jerusalem, in prayer and supplication, for the descend of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). It was on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit descended with the sound of a rushing mighty wind and sat upon them in the form of divided tongues of fire (2:1-4) and the Church was officially inaugurated (V. 41). Mary is the prime member of the Church, and the mother of all who received the Spirit and the Word. Indeed she is the first evangelizer who went "with haste" into the hill country (Lk. 1 :39) as soon as she received the "good news" (VV. 26-33). As church is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:25,30; 1 Cor 13:27; Rom 12:5), and Mary is the Mother of Christ, she is also the Mother of His body, the Church. She is the prime member of the Church, in whose pattern other members are to be moulded. Can anyone question us in giving honour to Mary, our mother and model?
Mary is the mother of all who have been saved. Since Church is the community of the saved, Mary is the mother of all who have been saved. Indeed Jesus gave her as our mother at the zenith of His salvific act, his death and glorification (In. 19:27). He said to the disciple, "behold your mother!" (VV 26-27) "And from that Hour that disciple took her to his own home (V. 27). Here and elsewhere (In. 2:4) we find Jesus calling His mother "woman", and some denominations of Christians interpret it as Jesus' disrespect to His mother. This is a false inference from a misunderstanding about the nuance of the word "woman". Only in John's gospel this term is used to refer to Mary. The first instance is in Cana, at the beginning of the signs Jesus did (Jn. 2:1-11). Though His "Hour" had not yet come (2:4), by the intercession of the "woman", He inaugurates the salvific work. We know that the "Hour" of Jesus is the 'Hour' of his death, the 'Hour' of his glorification (In. 17:1; 12:23; Cf. Act 3:13), the Hour of our salvation (In. 3:14-15). Hence we may note that Jesus calls His mother "woman" at the beginning of His salvific act (In. 2:4) and at the culmination of His salvific act (Jn. 19:27). When we go back to the promise of salvation in Genesis, there too we find the term "woman" is used (Gen. 3:15). "And there would be enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and his seed, and she shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Gen. 3: 15). We know that the names of our first parents are Adam and Eve. Adam means man and Eve means woman, 'the mother of all living' (Gen. 3:20). Eve, the woman became the 'mother of sinners' by her co-operation with the evil. Mary became the mother of all saved by her co-operation with the Holy Spirit, by her submission to the Word of God, and by her offering her son on the cross for the salvation of all. And from that Hour, that is the Hour of Jesus' death and our salvation, Mary became the common possession of those who were saved, of his disciples, of those whom he loved (Jn. 19:27 b). She became the New Eve, the mother of all who possess eternal life'. Let us give due respect to our mother.
No comments:
Post a Comment