In an age of outspoken women, it is hard to imagine that the very little that was recorded in the Bible of what this humble woman said could have any lasting or important role to play in the future of Christendom or motherhood in general. Yet, it is what she did not have to say that makes her so amazing! This woman was visited directly by the angel Gabriel, who called her name *kaire, kekaritomene or “Hail, full of grace” (Lk 1:28-30) when he addressed her; that means an angel was praising her. This woman alone was chosen throughout all of history and she alone conceived through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). Instead of 50% of her son’s genetic makeup coming from her, Christ received 100% of it (imagine the similarities!) She alone carried Jesus Christ in all His Divine glory in her own body, becoming a tabernacle of the Most High, which had to be pure in order for God to dwell (Ex 40:34-35). This woman alone nursed Christ at her breast before He could take food, which she prepared to nourish His body. She and Joseph were His earliest teachers of Scripture and His living examples; the first thirty years of His life fell under their care and authority, as they nourished His soul. The Lord “was obedient to them” even when preaching in the temple and His mother kept His words in her heart (Lk 2:51).
In the year 431 at the Council of Epheses, the early Christian Church declared that Mary was in fact the Theotokos (God-bearer) or Mother of God and all of the early Christians recognized this. Before the early church was formed however, Elizabeth; the mother of John the Baptist called Mary the “Mother of Her Lord” (Lk 1:43) and she asked why she deserved such a blessing as Mary coming to her. At the sound of Mary’s voice, John leapt and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she said that Mary was “blessed” among women (Lk 1:41-42). Mary then professed her canticle before Elizabeth, praising the goodness of the Lord and she recognized that “all generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:48.) The holy Simeon spoke directly to Mary in the temple prophesying the crucifixion of her son that she would suffer at the foot of the cross; stating that " a sword will pierce through your own soul also" (Lk 2:35). Of Mary’s care alone was Christ singularly concerned after His death and in leaving her with His most beloved disciple (Jn 19:27), He provided that only John would live till an old age and escape martyrdom (Rev 1:9).
The Lord wills something and it is done! He did not need Mary any more than He needed the disciples or needs any of us for that matter, but He chose Mary and He chose her to be the mother of His only son Jesus just as He chose each one of us for our own children. In the same way that we will be the mother of our child both on earth and in heaven, so Mary was the mother of Jesus throughout His lifetime on earth, after His death and Resurrection, and she is the Mother of Jesus still in heaven (imagine His joy at welcoming His mother into His paradise!) If grace truly perfects nature and Mary was “full of grace,” than her nature was made perfect by God (that last part is important because it is a stumbling block for many. Mary’s grace was a gift of God, of which He chose to give in fullness). This gift of grace in full included speaking with and being praised by the angel Gabriel, being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceiving of Jesus Christ, by her word moving John the Baptist to leap, Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaiming her blessed, her own name being blessed through all generations, carrying Christ in her virginal womb, birthing Him, nursing Him, educating Him, serving Him, accepting obedience from Him, having a holy man prophesy about her and her son, being present and actively involved in His first miracle, being with Him at the foot of the cross, praying with the disciples in the upper room when they chose Matthias and experienced Pentecost (Acts 1:14), residing with his beloved disciple, and being honored as His mother in heaven and for all eternity!
Mary spent almost as much time pondering in her heart as she did speaking (Lk 2:19, 51). Her last recorded words in Scripture are simply, “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). Therefore, if we follow the motherhood model of Mary we will strive for a fullness of grace that ultimately always leads us to Christ through service. If the saints in heaven are truly our example of how to get there and if they are able to pray for us, then all the more is the mother of God an example to us and is she able to intercede for us through her most powerful prayers, which are favored by the Lord (Lk 1:30).
*kaire, kekaritomene – this title was used to address a person of honor (used mockingly in Jn 19:3 “Hail, King of the Jews”). Mary’s name was changed to ‘Full of Grace’, just as Saray’s name was changed to Sarah (Gen 17:15). We know that when God changes a name there is great significance. Abraham and Sarah were not the parents of one child, but they were made the parents of all the faithful (Is 51:2). Mary was called ‘Full of Grace” because the work of grace was completed in her, that is not completed in us until heaven (Phi 3:12-16.) If any of us were FULL of grace, we would never sin.
No comments:
Post a Comment