[Forest Keeper]

FK: "If Mary was cleansed of "ALL" sin at Incarnation, and never personally sinned again (if ever), then what did she need Jesus to die on the cross for? Or, how did she benefit from it?"

So that she may be resurrected.

In reading through the response chains, I saw an excellent point made by FTD, who noted that all bodies are resurrected, ending up in either Heaven or hell. FTD cited Rev. 20 and Dan. 12. We are also told in Matthew and Luke that there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth". Presumably, an unresurrected spirit would not have teeth to gnash! :)

However, if you mean resurrected to glory, I still don't see the connection. If Mary never sinned, and was not blemished by the Fall, then she would have been otherwise fully fit for Heaven on her own, no? If Christ never died, would she have existed as an unresurrected spirit? IOW, is the whole point of the cross for Mary to get a body in Heaven?

[Kolokotronis]

“...and was not blemished by the Fall, then she would have been otherwise fully fit for Heaven on her own, no?”

I think if the Latins are correct and there are such things as Original Sin and the Immaculate Conception, your argument holds together. If, however, there is no such thing as Original Sin, thus no need for the Immaculate Conception, as Orthodoxy teaches, then the Theotokos as a fully human person needed the destruction of of the power of death as much as any of us.

[kosta50]

all bodies are resurrected, ending up in either Heaven or hell

Yes, but it takes a special mind to pervert the word resurrection (the basis for our faith) to associate it with hell. Man's nature is mindbody; we are psuchesarkoi. That is our nature and our natural existence is not spiritual alone. Thus all the souls of the departed are in discomfort because they are in an unnatural state. Pray for them, FK, so that their discomfort may be eased.

After the second coming, our natural state will be re-established (this is not reincarnation, as our identities remain, and the bodies we get will be our old bodies made new).

Man will be judged in his natural, God-given state, as psuchesarkoi. Those who repented and were pardoned will be glorified; those who did not will remain separated from God for all eternity.

When we Christians speak of resurrection, we naturally think of the resurrection in the light of our Lord's, as the last step in our salvation. That was the meaning of my laconic reply.

Mary was 100% post-fall human. As such she needed to be saved even if she did not sin.