Mary, Jesus' mother

[JacobEzra.]

Here you go VILLAGER, I will help you learn how to say the Hail Mary! It will be fun

 

[Gaura Priya]

Her heart's on fire!!!!!!!!!

 

[Villager]

Here you go VILLAGER, I will help you learn how to say the Hail Mary!

One notes the sword through the heart. The RCC holds that this sword was that of bereavement. But is that a suitable interpretation? Jesus was emphatic that human family relationships, while important, were definitely to be held secondary where matters of faith were concerned. His true mother was the woman who did 'the will of my Father in heaven'.

In any case, most of humanity is bereaved at some time, one way or another. Christian faith does not exacerbate, but relieves this, to some extent, because Christians know that a relation who dies in Christian faith will suffer no loss, but will indeed gain, as Paul wrote. So what exactly did Jesus' earthly mother, who is alleged to have had both faith and wisdom, stand to suffer? Did she not know and trust that Jesus would achieve victory by his death? Even if she felt bereaved, it was for three days only, after which she could rejoin her son. After his ascension, she knew that he was not dead, but was waiting for her in the heavenly places of unimagined delight. Bereavement really does not, or should not, matter very much to any Christian. So it would appear that the RCC's interpretation is worldly, ordinary, merely human, and indeed humanist.

The text that the 'sword' arises from confirms that. This is one of the very few published renditions of it that properly represent the Greek:

'"This Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed — and a sword will pierce even your own soul — to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."' Lk 2:34-35 NASB

So, as might be expected anyway, the context of Mary's piercing is not bereavement. It is the challenge of Jesus as 'a sign to be opposed', who would openly divide Jews because he is the deciding factor in all human destiny. The context is of one who would bring a sword to families. "I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man's enemies will be the members of his own household."' Mt 10:35-36 NIV

Here Jesus quoted from the prophet Micah, but perhaps this was not mere theory, to him. Perhaps Jesus, tempted in every way as we are, already knew the pain of being privately disowned by his mother when he said this.

 

[not nom]

His true mother was the woman who did 'the will of my Father in heaven'.

OR he simply responded to the sexist/submissive greeting with a gender-neutral and instructive one, in that trademark style of his... who knows ^^

instead of "blessed is a woman who gave birth to a great man, because that's basically the biggest/only pride a woman can have in our society (besides the husband of course)", which is how I read that greeting, he pointed out that this is secondary... to totally rephrase it but get across what I mean: if you give birth (or are father) to a virtuous person, but aren't virtuous, what good is that?

 

[not nom]

and he didn't call a woman his true mother, he said people who hear and do god's word are blessed. as opposed to just mothers and husbands of men who do - they are not dependant on that. they can hear and do the word of god, too.

 

[JacobEzra.]

Her heart's on fire!!!!!!!!!

Well, its the symbol of her heart which has white flowers surronding it, representing purity and the sword peircing it, corresponding with the prophecy made when she took baby Jesus to the temple.

 

[JacobEzra.]

Blessed Virgin Mary did do the will of the Father. Which was to carry and give birth to the word incarnate.

Though, very irrelevant to the topic since no Catholic believe shes didn't do the will of the Father lol.

 

[Villager]

Blessed Virgin Mary did do the will of the Father.

She had no choice.

 

[JacobEzra.]

She had no choice.

Ehh, no, she did have a choice. That is why she said yes to Gabriel.

[38] And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her

She had freewill, and could have said no.

Whcih, again I have to say this is pretty irrelevant since no one says Mary didn't do the Fathers will. O

 

[Antiochian]

Marian devotion is ancient. It's not just Roman Catholic. Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Syrian, Armenian, Ethiopian, Indian, and other Christians have reverenced and prayed to her for centuries. Martin Luther remained devoted to her till his death. Some Anglicans pray to her, too. It's the fundamentalists and Evangelical Protestants that are the innovators by refusing to acknowledge her.

Granted, I don't think the image of Mary as meek and submissive to an all-powerful male deity as very empowering. For me, Mary is one more face of the Goddess.

 

[JacobEzra.]

Luther even wrote in his catechism that Mary should properly be called "Mother of God" and even touched on how she was special.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Well, its the symbol of her heart which has white flowers surronding it, representing purity and the sword peircing it, corresponding with the prophecy made when she took baby Jesus to the temple.

I know... I wa being cheeky. I used to be a Catholic... I was raised in that Faith tradition. XD

"Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts..."