CHURCH GREW IN UNDERSTANDING OF MARY’S ROLE

L'Osservatore Romano ^ | 11/8/1997 | Pope John Paul II

[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".  

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[DaveMSmith]

No thank you.

Quix, we're talking about the fall of the fall of Babylon. (Isa 14)

The goal here is to change minds -- shift thinking just a bit -- NOT persecute beliefs! The RM's rules allow freedom to choose but they won't get you to Paradise.

Judges 7:4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' the same shall not go." 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink." 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, "By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place."

[Quix]

Good.

I think.

[Quix]

Jesus’ Blood is more than sufficient to get me to Heaven.

. . . to The Kingdom of God.

I am not interested, AT ALL, in your . . . philosophical Mentor. My days of considering the waterfront in terms of such matters . . . . are over.

I expect you to respect that.

I applaud your missionary zeal in that being luke-warm would be worse . . . but NOT in my direction.

[DaveMSmith]

Please do not confuse me with Swedenborg. I'm the 'gonzo..out there' one'

We're in the process of exploring our own mystic/spiritual sides which is new for us. Testimony is new also. We need spiritual people who are able to interpret the Writings as they apply to modern day situations.

I've found that knowing the correspondences that Swedenborg teaches that are between the spiritual and natural world and through repentance and meditation with the Word, I've found Paradise. I can hear birds (thoughts), feel a soft breeze (spirit) and allow my mind to be lead while reading.

Here's an example: I was reading the Word and I had a diet coke I was drinking. The can had condensation and a small drop fell on the Word... on the word 'water'. Water means truth, btw.

That was the 'earth as it is in heaven' moment.

[DaveMSmith]

Jesus’ Blood is more than sufficient to get me to Heaven.

Sorry, there are no free rides. You have to examine yourself and repent your sins! Take up your own cross.

Faith not rooted in charity to the neighbor is dead.

Doesn't matter to me if you believe any of Swedenborg's doctrine but soon... you will be in for a surprise. The Lord's New Church is firmly established in heaven.

When you get to heaven you are first asked how you lived your life, not what religion you were.

For myself, I find myself agreeing with Catholics more than not. I don't care a whit how they worship.

[Ping-Pong]

In the teachings of the Second Coming He simply sent, or manifested, His truth, communicating ideas directly as ideas from His mind to ours. He sent that communication by revelation to one man, Emanuel Swedenborg, who then published them in book form, as Jesus instructed him to do.

I read some things about Swedenborg but stopped when I read the above paragraph. Be very careful DaveMSmith. The 2nd coming of Christ will not be by communicating with one man as Swedenborg claims.

[Mad Dawg]

Well, uh, first I have to express me extreme reservation about any possible compatibility between diet Coke® and any kind of spirituality ....

Then I might have to explain that that's a joke -- but I hope not.

And then I would say that my GUESS is that there may be certain similarities between RC attitudes and even practices and Swedenborgian (is that a word?) notions, but that there would be, I would imagine, a profound discontinuity at the bottom.

We really think that a certain Jew was also the Son of God, was, therefore the same kind of thing that God is and He was uniquely so.

And we think that He really was born, lived, suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven AND will come again at the close of the age (though we might be vague about what that last thing might be like).

AND we really think that He did something that no other human could do, namely save the cosmos and hold out salvation as a FREE gift to human type personnel with whom he was pleased. (Whether that last clause is descriptive or restrictive is a matter of disagreement among Xtians -- we tend to go with descriptive.).

This is a concrete set of assertions, and the connection between the life and death of IHS of Nazareth and the salvation of the world is fundamental, as is the assertion that there is, au fond, nothing but a free ride, since even the good works which we insist much accompany and proceed from faith are gifts.

There is a good question about whether and how belief affects the very nature of spiritual "practice". Anyone may sit quietly. When a Buddhist of the Soto sect does so, the practice is called shikan-taza and is understood as a realization of Buddhahood, of fundamental enlightenment. When a Christian sits quietly and understands himself to be resting attentively in the Spirit, he means by that not only the uncreated and eternal third person of the Trinity, but also the Spirit made present and "available" or "accessible" through the deeds of IHS XP, through the "agony and bloody sweat" and so forth. How this changes the essential nature of the practice is, I suppose, debatable.

My untutored impression is that Swedenborg and his followers would tend to be uncomfortable with the RC emphasis on concreteness, on "real" presence, on a visible church (even though most of what we see are the flaws ...), and on the human will as liberated, informed, guided, and directed by God but still in some unclear sense made free by IHS XR to choose sanctity or perdition.

Mind you, I preemptively admit that I don't know that much about Swedenborg and I don't want you to get the idea that I was thinking you were claiming a greater similarity or commonality than you in fact were.

But the seemingly gross and vulgar materialism of catholic Xtianity is, I think at least ONE of the "scandals" which cannot be overlooked if catholic Xtianity is to be understood.

Again, as it touches spirituality, we think that because of the Incarnation, personhood (as distinct from "personality") is essential to what God is. Many religion is think that the Divine has no trace of personhood. That's important, I think.

For what it's worth ....

[Mad Dawg]

Well, alRIGHTy then!

:-)

[DaveMSmith]

Thanks for your reply, Ping-Pong.

Swedenborg received the keys to the Second Coming in a Spiritual Sense. The Church was established to preserve the pristine Doctrine. 'The bride is ready for the bridegroom'

As I said, Swedenborg wrote a book that outright says the Messiah will walk on earth. He was in a spiritual state when he wrote this. It is preparation for He who is to follow.

Here's an explanation from the University of Hawaii:

While we are still attached to the body on earth, the quality and level of our life also depends on closeness to God, but in a less obvious way compared to the afterlife. This is because God hides His Sensuous Presence in the natural and rational mind. The reason for this is that on earth we are undergoing character change, reformation, and regeneration, while this is not possible in the afterlife (see Section xx). In order to undergo character reformation that is permanent we must do it as-if on our own, with as-of self effort and the willingness to resist temptations (see Section xx). Only in this manner of voluntary and free choice is the new character something we can love, something we can accept as our eternal heaven (see Section xx).

Due to the necessity of this freedom of choice and as-of self effort, God hides His Sensuous Presence in our natural mind so that we may feel free to reject Him if that is our choice (see Section xx). If God suddenly spoke in your natural mind, you would hear voices like the prophets of old before the modern era. But today this kind of direct sensuous communication would be harmful to our modern mind, and you would be diagnosed as delusional or schizophrenic -- a very serious mental disease. Hence it is that God would never speak to you in the natural mind with a physical voice, or would not appear to you visually to your physical eyes. Our understanding of reality and God, to be valid and effective, must be based on the rational understanding of God as He describes Himself in Sacred Scripture.

To see God with the "inner eyes" is possible for people on earth, and this inner sight is called rational understanding. You know this from our popular expression "I see what you mean." To understand rationally = to see with the inner senses. This refers to the sensorimotor organ of the spiritual mind (see Section xx).

Once we have a rational basis for a relationship with God, we become capable of seeing God's Presence rationally in our mind, that is, in terms of the good and truth substances that operate our thoughts and feeling (see Section xx).

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It's my belief the Lord will interact with the world via the Internet. Swedenborg couldn't imagine it in his time.

I've had spiritual experiences with him and many others who read his works on earth (Franklin, Lincoln, Johnny Appleseed, Helen Keller). New Churchman don't usually give testimony. They hide the secret within.

AR 707: And he gathered them together into the place termed in Hebrew Armageddon signifies the state of combat fought against truths and untruths, and the intention of destroying the New Church, originating out of a love of command and supremeness.

Blessings,

[DaveMSmith]

The diet coke was the real thing (HAR HAR)

If you are a Christian, Believe in Jesus Christ, Shun evils because they are sins, do good things because they are from God and are of God you are okay in my book.

Most people shy away from Swedenborg because they think him a nut. We'll I've met quite a few in the past 25 years and they have taught me everything I need to know about spirituality.

Here's a quote I received today:

"A person who is given a heavenly selfhood enjoys a state of serenity and peace, for he trusts in the Lord and believes that no evil at all can come to touch him." Arcana Coeslestia 5660

[Alex Murphy]

Great post, AG!

I find this very sad indeed, because it would also mean that many do not have the assurance of their salvation since they would feel the need to obtain the blood of Christ endlessly to cover new sins that might be committed, as if the blood of Christ is inadequate, not eternal or somehow fails or diminishes over the life of a believer who was previously covered by His blood.

That's exactly the implication of some posts made on one of my own threads (see here and here), if I'm reading them correctly. In other words, forgiveness is wholly temporal, i.e. God only offers it to cover past sins. Even after you bend the knee to Christ, get baptised, etc, you can die and go to Hell over unconfessed, unabsolved sins if you don't keep submitting the proper forms!

[Ping-Pong]

As I said, Swedenborg wrote a book that outright says the Messiah will walk on earth. He was in a spiritual state when he wrote this. It is preparation for He who is to follow.

The Bible tells us He will walk on earth. He Himself told us that.

The reason for this is that on earth we are undergoing character change, reformation, and regeneration, while this is not possible in the afterlife

But it is possible. That is the reason for the millennium. Those that didn't make the "first resurrection" (Rev.20:5) will be taught during the millennium and tested at it's end, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev.20:15)

Our understanding of reality and God, to be valid and effective, must be based on the rational understanding of God as He describes Himself in Sacred Scripture.

I agree but the things you quote from Swedenborg do not agree with that statement.

Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you.
11.And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mark 13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

[stfassisi]

Dear Alex,
Here is an excerpt from New Advent to help you understand

The spiritual repast of the soul

A second fruit of this union with Christ by love is an increase of sanctifying grace in the soul of the worthy communicant. Here let it be remarked at the outset, that the Holy Eucharist does not per se constitute a person in the state of grace as do the sacraments of the dead (baptism and penance), but presupposes such a state. It is, therefore, one of the sacraments of the living. It is as impossible for the soul in the state of mortal sin to receive this Heavenly Bread with profit, as it is for a corpse to assimilate food and drink. Hence the Council of Trent (Sess. XIII. can. v), in opposition to Luther and Calvin, purposely defined, that the “chief fruit of the Eucharist does not consist in the forgiveness of sins”. For though Christ said of the Chalice: “This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28), He had in view an effect of the sacrifice, not of the sacrament; for He did not say that His Blood would be drunk unto remission of sins, but shed for that purpose. It is for this very reason that St. Paul (1 Corinthians 11:28) demands that rigorous “self-examination”, in order to avoid the heinous offense of being guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord by “eating and drinking unworthily”, and that the Fathers insist upon nothing so energetically as upon a pure and innocent conscience. In spite of the principles just laid down, the question might be asked, if the Blessed Sacrament could not at times per accidens free the communicant from mortal sin, if he approached the Table of the Lord unconscious of the sinful state of his soul. Presupposing what is self-evident, that there is question neither of a conscious sacrilegious Communion nor a lack of imperfect contrition (attritio), which would altogether hinder the justifying effect of the sacrament, theologians incline to the opinion, that in such exceptional cases the Eucharist can restore the soul to the state of grace, but all without exception deny the possibility of the reviviscence of a sacrilegious or unfruitful Communion after the restoration of the soul’s proper moral condition has been effected, the Eucharist being different in this respect from the sacraments which imprint a character upon the soul (baptism, confirmation, and Holy orders). Together with the increase of sanctifying grace there is associated another effect, namely, a certain spiritual relish or delight of soul (delectatio spiritualis). Just as food and drink delight and refresh the heart of man, so does this “Heavenly Bread containing within itself all sweetness” produce in the soul of the devout communicant ineffable bliss, which, however, is not to be confounded with an emotional joy of the soul or with sensible sweetness. Although both may occur as the result of a special grace, its true nature is manifested in a certain cheerful and willing fervor in all that regards Christ and His Church, and in the conscious fulfillment of the duties of one’s state of life, a disposition of soul which is perfectly compatible with interior desolation and spiritual dryness. A good Communion is recognized less in the transitory sweetness of the emotions than in its lasting practical effects on the conduct of our daily lives. “
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05584a.htm

Hope all is well with you and tour family.

I wish you a Blessed Evening!

[stfassisi]

Should have pinged you to #873 as well.

I, try and be mindful not post a long string of ping lists.

I never understood why some people feel the need to drag 10 or 20 other people into things to cloud a conversation.( I can understand 1 or 2 or more at the start of a thread)
Perhaps they do it because they are unsure of their own faith.( not accusing anyone here...just my own thoughts)

[Alamo-Girl]

Well, I’ve been around big CRTs for many a year so maybe I’m immune. LOL!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you oh so very much for being protective - and for all of your encouragements!

[Quix]

Thanks for saying so.

But it’s a reflex with folks I care deeply for and respect highly . . .

Some would say . . . it’s a reflex I act out re most folks I meet. But I seriously doubt that! LOL.

Please let me know if it gets too obnoxious.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for the pings to your discussion of Swedenborg!

I really have nothing to contribute because I know very little about the subject.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your encouragements and for those links!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

I never understood why some people feel the need to drag 10 or 20 other people into things to cloud a conversation.( I can understand 1 or 2 or more at the start of a thread)

I try to ping the ones who were pinged to the post to which I am replying plus others who have expressed a specific interest in the subject at hand. The only time I kept a "ping list" was when I was posting the daily Chambers devotion.