Posted on 06/11/2007 8:11:53 PM PDT by markomalley
| CHURCH GREW IN UNDERSTANDING OF MARY’S ROLE |
| Pope John Paul II |
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Down the centuries, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church has sought to understand more clearly the revealed truth about the Mother of God "The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light", the Holy Father said at the General Audience of Wednesday, 8 November, as he continued his reflections on the Virgin Mary. The Pope's catechesis on Mary in Sacred Scripture and theological reflection was the fourth in the series on the Blessed Mother and was given in Italian. 1. In our preceding catecheses we saw how the doctrine of Mary's motherhood passed from its first formula, "Mother of Jesus", to the more complete and explicit, "Mother of God", even to the affirmation of her maternal involvement in the redemption of humanity. For other aspects of Marian doctrine as well, many centuries were necessary to arrive at the explicit definition of the revealed truths concerning Mary. Typical examples of this faith journey towards the ever deeper discovery of Mary's role in the history of salvation are the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, proclaimed, as we know by two of my venerable predecessors, respectively, the Servant of God Pius IX in 1854, and the Servant of God Pius XII during the Jubilee Year of 1950.
Mariology is a particular field of theological research: in it the Christian people's love for Mary intuited, frequently in anticipation, certain aspects of the mystery of the Blessed Virgin, calling the attention of theologians and pastors to them. Mother of Jesus had role in salvation history 2. We must recognize that, at first sight, the Gospels offer scant information on the person and life of Mary. We would certainly like to have had fuller information about her, which would have enabled us to know the Mother of God better. This expectation remains unsatisfied, even in the other New Testament writings where an explicit doctrinal development regarding Mary is lacking. Even St Paul's letters, which offer us a rich reflection on Christ and his work, limit themselves to stating, in a very significant passage, that God sent his Son "born of woman" (Gal 4:4). Very little is said about Mary's family. If we exclude the infancy narratives, in the Synoptic Gospels we find only two statements which shed some light on Mary: one concerning the attempt by his "brethren" or relatives to take Jesus back to Nazareth (cf. Mk 3:2 1; Mt 12:48); the other, in response to a woman's exclamation about the blessedness of Jesus' Mother (Lk 11:27).
Nevertheless, Luke, in the infancy Gospel, in the episodes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation of the Child in the temple and his finding among the teachers at the age of 12, not only provides us with some important facts, but presents a sort of "proto-Mariology" of fundamental interest. His information is indirectly completed by Matthew in the account of the annunciation to Joseph (Mt 1:18-25), but only with regard to the virginal conception of Jesus. Moreover, John's Gospel deepens our knowledge of the value for salvation history of the role played by the Mother of Jesus, when it records her presence at the beginning and end of his public fife. Particularly significant is Mary's presence at the Cross, when she received from her dying Son the charge to be mother to the beloved disciple and, in him, to all Christians (cf. Jn 2:1-12; Jn 19:25-27). Lastly, the Acts of the Apostles expressly numbers the Mother of Jesus among the women of the first community awaiting Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:14). However, in the absence of further New Testament evidence and reliable historical sources, we know nothing of Mary's life after the Pentecost event nor of the date and circumstances of her death. We can only suppose that she continued to live with the Apostle John and that she was very closely involved in the development of the first Christian community. 3. The sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensated by its quality and theological richness, which contemporary exegesis has carefully brought to light. Moreover, we must remember that the Evangelists' viewpoint is totally Christological and is concerned with the Mother only in relation to the joyful proclamation of the Son. As St Ambrose observed, the Evangelist, in expounding the mystery of the Incarnation, "believed it was better not to seek further testimonies about Mary's virginity, in order not to seem the defender of the Virgin rather than the preacher of the mystery" (Exp. in Lucam, 2, 6: PL 15, 1555).
We can recognize in this fact a special intention of the Holy Spirit, who desired to awaken in the Church an effort of research which, preserving the centrality of the mystery of Christ, might not be caught up in details about Mary's life, but aim above all at discovering her role in the work of salvation, her personal holiness and her maternal mission in Christian life. Faith of the simple recognized Mary's holiness 4. The Holy Spirit guides the Church's effort, committing her to take on Mary's own attitudes. In the account of Jesus' birth, Luke noted how his mother kept all these things, "pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2:19), striving, that is, to "put together" (symballousa), in a deeper vision, all the events of which she was the privileged witness. Similarly, the people of God are also urged by the same Spirit to understand deeply all that has been said about Mary, in order to progress in the knowledge of her mission, intimately linked to the mystery of Christ.
As Mariology develops, the particular role of the Christian people emerges. They co-operate, by the affirmation and witness of their faith, in the progress of Marian doctrine, which normally is not only the work of theologians, even if their task is indispensable to deepening and clearly explaining the datum of faith and the Christian experience itself. The faith of the simple is admired and praised by Jesus, who recognized in it a marvellous expression of the Father's benevolence (cf. Mt 11:25; Lk 10:21). Down the centuries it continues to proclaim the marvels of the history of salvation, hidden from the wise. This faith, in harmony with the Virgin's simplicity, has led to progress in the recognition of her personal holiness and the transcendent value of her motherhood. The mystery of Mary commits every Christian, in communion with the Church, "to pondering in his heart" what the Gospel revelation affirms about the Mother of Christ. In the logic of the Magnificat, after the example of Mary, each one will personally experience God's love and will discover a sign of God's tenderness for man in the marvels wrought by the Blessed Trinity in the woman "full of grace". |
You’re quite welcome, dear hosepipe!
Thanks for your kind words.
Yeah, I’m on a ton of ping lists, too.
And, my aging eyes from 3-5 feet away really MUST have the view set at large size routinely.
I think that’s the only viable solution for Dave’s wife’s problem.
My husband’s monitor is much larger than mine and he has all the fonts set to large. It’s hard for me to read, but he loves it that way!
Well there is ‘In Forum’ which is available by searching on your id under poster?
Sooooooooo, we should pray for a new monitor for you! LOL.
What size is his?
Indeed, but again, I have been on this forum nearly a decade and I’m on all kinds of ping lists - and respond to most of them every day. It would take too long to page through all of that when I know the thread, have it bookmarked and just need to scroll up or down to find another post.
IE-7 gives fits on large in that one has to scroll to the right to read the whole line in many cases—such as on FR.
Firefox makes the adjustment automatically and wraps all the lines to the screen size.
But Firefox doesn’t do shortcuts to the desktop that I’ve found. Used to. Don’t know how to currently, if it’s possible.
Wheee.
LOLOL! No, I’m fine with my equipment. We both have new PCs but kept our old, huge, monitors and favorite keyboards. His is so big it looks like a television, but I’m not sure of the size.
Sorry, Dave.
It does NOT work for us.
It will NOT work for us.
Have you tried setting the font size larger for your wife?
PLEASE, Do!
Sounds like big CRT’s . . . with those rayguns zapping your pituitaries!
Hmmmmmm . . . wellll . . . if I stumble across a gold brick.
LUB,
BTW, If the Lord asked you to do something simple, would you raise such a ruckus? I asked A-G because he font was SMALL. I thought she thought her posts modest... don't keep your lamp under a basket and all. Then you jump in and start answering for her.
My word.
I admit I feel uncommonly protective of her and her important ministry hereon. I realize she never has and likely never would ask me to be protective etc. Not her style.
But I hate to see her hassled over something that has a better solution. She gives us all tirelessly great wisdom, attitude, Scriptural understanding etc. I like to see that continue as unfettered and unbothered as possible. Just my sensibilities, I guess. And how my caring works out in her regard.
At first, I was just offering a suggestion that worked better for me who have a functional problem requiring larger fonts, too.
But when you kept pressing and insisting—I felt constrained to be more forceful about it, too. I didn’t do so in a vacuum.
The Lord has asked simple and hard things of me and I typically jump immediately to do what I can to fulfill all such as long as I’m convinced it’s truly a request of HIM.
BTW, it is conceivable that I could end up in some context just as fiercely protective of you or your wife.
But if misconstruing where I’m coming from is comforting to you, be my guest.
It's young still but it's fruits are already paying off.
We've had arguments about Swedenborg, and as I said -- there are an overwhelmingly strong feeling among all Christian people that he IS coming back... and last weekend, I was handed the keys during an online broadcast of a service that I mentioned above.
I have been in a solitary state with my wife for 2 plus years now -- studying and meditating on the Word. I didn't broadcast the information except for last August, which I copied you on many posts. My thoughts and being have been purged (actually with hyssop a few years ago). The time has come!
There is a little regarded work of Swedenborg's that produces quite a paradox within our Church. This week I resolved it online.
In the first part Swedenborg writes:
[I. The Kingdom of God Which is to Come]
1. That the Kingdom of God is to come [in the end of times.
Now, the '[' isn't a typo -- it's in the manuscript. Scholars have reasoned that this meant that he wanted to delete the text that followed but he didn't strike it.
Last week, someone sent a post on our list starting with:
A]ppearances
I assume the ']' was a typo.
So putting it together, [A]ppearances in the end times.
[A] == Alpha Omega
More from The Messiah About to Come:
That the Jews would be converted.
That mortal beings will be consociated with heavenly.
That this will be in Palestine, in the Holy land 2. That the Messiah is to introduce them by means of His servant
That the same is the Messiah who came into the world previously...
The Last Judgement in heaven was 250 years ago this year. Ours is next month. BE READY! REPENT!
Details? God Himself is the internet. FR Religion Forum... is well, we'll see. Depends how much I get hassled.
Don't shoot the messenger!
Happy? If not Get Happy
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
AMEN!
Just read this morning...
The watchmen that went about the city found me,
they smote me, they wounded me;
the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
~Song of Solomon 5:7
Thanks for caring enough to bother with your post.
A number of people are feeling some alert about next month, this summer etc.
Walking close to God is crucial.
The Joy of The Lord is our strength . . . is an abiding truth.
WOW.
THX.
11/17/1745
Lord Jesus Christ, lead me to and on the way on which Thou willist that I shall walk. (In Swedish)
Be ye holy; be ye gifted with the Spirit of God and Christ; and be ye preserving in righteousness. This will be the testimony of the Kingdom of God. (In Latin) - does not appear in Scripture.
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done As in heaven, so upon the earth
The key to unlocking Swedenborg is that he said all prophecies were fulfilled in heaven. But what about 'so upon the earth'? There had to be time to populate heaven with those who are of the New Church to lead us that follow.
No thank you.
No doubt about it Swedenborg is/was a Moonbat.. but I have a weakness for Moonbats..
I may even be a Moonbat myself.. (others are certain)
The boy is/was OUT THERE.. GONZO... but I like that..
Just to be clear — heh, as if — my posts about the “peace” matter are about the notion, not about you. I’m not cloaking any personal comments or observations. I’m examining the idea of “having a peace” as a kind of key to discerning God’s will.
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