Facebooking About Mary

Katerina wrote: The incarnation, unlike any other event in human history, has made motherhood a sacred vocation. He, who gives life, humbled himself to be nourished by the breast of his mother. He, who is love, allowed Mary to raise Him with love and care

Michael wrote: Mary was the only human being to whom Christ was obedient. And then he orders us to take her into our homes. We are the "disciple whom He loved" standing at the cross (John 19:26-27), accepting Mary as our Mother.

I wrote: And how do you help our protestant brothers and sisters understand that? Those willing to even talk about Mary tell me Jesus was talking only to John (which I find mystifying in its interpretation but . . . nonetheless. . . )

Michael wrote:  You could always point out that

1) Mary is referred to as "woman" in Johannie work and the significance of that.

•  the Gospel of John begins with the "seven days" of Genesis, setting up the Wedding of Cana on the seventh day during which Mary (called "woman" like Eve) and Jesus cooperate to initiate the beginning of Jesus' ministry (John 2:1-11). 

•  Mary is called "woman" again by Jesus on the Cross (John 19:26-27) and entrusted to the anonymous "beloved disciple," whom the earliest of Christians understood to be every believer. 

•  In the Book of Revelation, another Johannie work, the one who gives birth to the Messiah is called "woman" and the mother of all who bear witness to Jesus. 

•  The Johannine tradition portrays Mary ("woman") as a second Eve--the mother of all who belong to the new creation of believers in Christ Jesus (who is the new Adam). 

The reason for calling Mary "woman" in John is to make Jewish readers think of her in terms of Eve's motherhood over all humanity.

 2) Then's there's the Gospel of Luke, which describes Mary in terms of the Ark of the Covenant. And we all know what that entails!  :-)

Pray for us that we may be made worthy the promises of Christ.