Setting the Record Straight on Mary

Catholic Exchange ^ | December 17, 2006 | Fr. Thomas Euteneuer

[NYer]

The new movie that debuted on December 1st, The Nativity Story, has received many positive reviews around the country already and also a fair number of attacks by the standard group of village atheists.

Criticisms notwithstanding, the movie certainly has many redeeming qualities to it including its portrayal of Joseph and the touching scene of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, but at the same time I feel it necessary to correct the record about its presentation of Mary. More to the point, twenty centuries of theological reflection on the Virgin Mary have been effectively glossed over in the movie, and we have been given someone's private interpretation of Mary's role in salvation history which does not match the public record of historical Christianity. The Catholic Church has made it clear from the beginning that we do not understand Jesus as a historical and theological figure without Mary, and so a Nativity story that gets Mary wrong also skews our understanding of Jesus.

First and foremost, any portrayal of Mary as giving birth in pain is simply contrary to the Christian Church's long tradition of Mary as virginal before, during and after birth. In this view, her intact physical integrity during birth was accompanied by a psychic integrity that admitted of no pains during childbirth in any form. That may be a surprise to some, but it is nonetheless the historical Christian view of this event. The movie's portrayal of her childbirth is thus not the Church's mainstream understanding and qualifies as a strictly private interpretation of the event. In fact, the movie had a chance to contrast the painful childbirth of John the Baptist to Elizabeth with the miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary, and it missed the perfect opportunity to provoke a good theological debate!

Biblical Christians should know that there is a Scriptural reason for this doctrine. The virtually unanimous opinion of the Fathers of the Church in the first six centuries was that Mary is the "New Eve," the necessary counterpart to Christ, the New Adam (cf. Rom 5:12-14). Just as the old Eve collaborated in the sin of Adam, so the New Eve, with the New Adam, reverses the original disobedience and undoes the curse brought upon the human race by the first sinners. That same curse also brought about the grim consequence of labor pains for all of Eve's daughters (cf. Gn 3:16), but the New Eve who broke the curse was not subject to its dictates.

Secondly, Mary was not an immature adolescent as she is portrayed in the movie. The director of the movie, Catherine Hardwicke, intended to portray her as such in order to make her more "real" to teens. That is fine as an evangelistic motive, but depicting her in a quasi-feminist tizzy against her father's authority when he addresses the delicate subject of pre-marital relations is simply inaccurate to the historical record and doesn't help kids to take her as a role model.

The immaculate Mary's passions were first and foremost totally consecrated to the Lord and without the slightest disorder in any sense; she is not your typical teen in western society. She is the teen Mother of the Messiah, the perfect role model for all kids and adults alike. Not only would it not have entered the mind of the all-pure Mary to have pre-marital relations, she could not have had a fit of rebellion against her father's legitimate authority that concretized God's will for her. This presentation of Mary is quintessentially Hollywood and reflects neither historical Christianity nor even the biblical evidence. It is also a reflection of the Protestant view that Mary is just another person who happened to follow Jesus.

No, Mary is the Mother of God, perfectly pure in every respect and, even as a teenager dedicated heart, mind, soul and strength to God's plan of salvation. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me as you say" (Lk 1:38).  Let the historical record speak for itself.

[NYer]

That Mary suffered no labor pains, is a well preserved tradition from the East, affirmed by St. Ephrem. While singing the Arsal Allah ( an ancient Syriac hymn) at Novena last night, I couldn’t help but reflect on this particular verse:

This shining star the virgin lamp brings from her womb
When He arose preserved the seal upon His tomb
She labored not in bearing Him but felt delight
Though born upon the midnight hour, He made it bright.

Ha-lel, Ha-lel, Ha-le-lou-noh

---

Because of his loving comprehension of the mystery of the Incarnation, St. Ephrem (born 306AD), was prompt in recognizing the unique honor which pertains to Mary as the Mother of God. With great tenderness and delicacy he dramatized, in dialogues which foreshadow the mystery plays of the middle ages, the beautiful role played by Our Lady in the joyous events at Bethlehem and later at the foot of the Cross on Calvary. Observe with what gracious humility, in one of these dramas, Mary addresses the Magi who have come from the East to adore the Son of God: "My son has no armies," she says, "not legions, nor cohorts. He lies there in his mother's poverty, and you call him King!" To which the Magi reply, with a magnificent profession of faith, "The armies of your son are on high. His knights move about the heavens as stars of fire."

In view of St. Ephrem's surpassing devotion to the Blessed Virgin, it is not surprising that he should have affirmed more explicitly than any of the other Christian Fathers, including St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. "Thou alone, O Lord," he declares, "and Thy mother are they who in every respect are wholly beautiful; for there is no spot in Thee, O Lord, nor any stain in Thy mother." Mary, then, is an exception to the universal rule whereby all the children of Eve are conceived in the state of original sin. In this respect she is the only woman who can be compared to Eve, the mother of all mankind according to the flesh, as constituted in the state of original innocence: "Two women were pure and two simple: Mary and Eve; they stood on a level. But one was the cause of our death, the other of our life." In consequence of her exemption from the effects of original sin Mary was, as St. Ephrem affirms in another passage, spared from the pains of labor in bearing the Christ-child. In his appreciation of the place of Mary in the economy of our salvation, St. Ephrem represents the tradition of the early Syrian churches — a tradition which did not come into its own until the definition in l854 of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.

[Biggirl]

Had read it early this morning in the original posting. An excellent read, with a good deal of responses. I only do hope that this thread does not see the arguments happening that had happened in other Mary-related threads in the last few weeks. It is good to present an Eastern Christian perspective.

[rawcatslyentist]

"Biblical Christians should know that there is a Scriptural reason for this doctrine. The virtually unanimous opinion~

Opinion, even though virtually unanimous, is not exactly whut I'd consider Scriptural.

[Salvation]

Thanks, NYer.

[trisham]

Secondly, Mary was not an immature adolescent as she is portrayed in the movie. The director of the movie, Catherine Hardwicke, intended to portray her as such in order to make her more "real" to teens. That is fine as an evangelistic motive, but depicting her in a quasi-feminist tizzy against her father's authority when he addresses the delicate subject of pre-marital relations is simply inaccurate to the historical record and doesn't help kids to take her as a role model.

************

I'm not sure I agree with the author. Portraying Mary in a "quasi-feminist tizzy" who challenges her father's authority would probably be attractive to many kids. One question is, apart from the issue of accuracy, does this create a suitable role model? For me, the answer is "no".

[mockingbyrd]

Hey there ROE, is this the article you were talking about?Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, but this is the only one I could find by the good father. My internet has been of the fritz recently, really bad weather the last few days. And the girls are just climbing the walls. It's too cold to go outside, and there are Christmas presents to climb on, ornaments to remove from the tree and nativity scenes to turn into nativity huddles/dogpiles.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

[Quix]

imho . . . NOT setting the record at all straight or accurately.

But we've all been over those issues many dozens of times.

But the historical record even in Scripture is different than the above.

[Suzy Quzy]

I saw the movie at a Michael Medved function.....like it, didn't love it. Didn't like the way Mary was portrayed before the Visitation, and HATED the way Anne was portrayed.....what is Mary's father's name??/ he was also portrayed as mean!!

I thought the best line of the movie was Joseph saying "I wonder if I can teach him anything".

[Blogger]

Rots of Ruck.

[Rutles4Ever]

It's amazing how many people will believe the greater miracle (the Incarnation), but ridicule the lesser miracle (Mary did not suffer in labor).

At any rate, here we go again.

[Nihil Obstat]

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from Heaven afar
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

[Frank Sheed]

One-This says essentially what I had always thought the Church believed. One conceived without original sin would have no reason to have birth pains. Her "pains"--a sword piercing her heart--came later when she suffered the "Seven Dolors" as a result of the suffering she shared with her Son.

Two--NYer and all, prepare for incoming!

[Frank Sheed]

Agree and an apt observation I must say.

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Pyro7480]

Two--NYer and all, prepare for incoming!

The rage against these Marian threads recently is practically demonic.

[Salvation]

what is Mary's father's name??

Joachim

[nanetteclaret]

No surprise there.

[Salvation]

I saw this yesterday, but didn't post it because I knew I could not follow it. I have family here from Spokane and Chicago.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Remember to "Keep Christ in Christmas." (That is the message on our reader board at church!

Carry on! God bless all of you.