Et Spes Nostra
Today, both lungs of the Church, Catholic and Orthodox believers, celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady, Mary's bodily entrance into heaven. As one of the Holy Days of Obligation, all faithful CAtholics attend Mass on this day, and I thought it appropriate to offer a few observations.
While there are many sources of contention where Marian dogma is comcerned among believers on different sides of the Reformation (the Protestant Revolt), I prefer to ignore them to focus on the significance of Mary herself, and the meaning of this event in her life for us. The Orthodox liturgy states the real point of Marian devotion beautifully and succinctly: "Commemorating Our Most holy, pure, blessed and glorified Lady, Mother of God, and ever-virgin Mary, we commend ourselves and our whole life to Christ, Our God."
Everything we affirm about Mary is related to some Christological truth. We call her Ever -Virgin because He was God Incarnate. She is the Immaculate Conception because He is without sin. As the Son of Mary, Christ is fully man. As Theotokos, the God-bearer, she bore a child who was fully divine. You cannot have correct Mariology and faulty Christology, one supports the other. Let it be remembered that Mary only matters because she is Christ's Mother. Had she born any other Jewish carpenter her name would not be remembered, let alone honored, but having birthed the Son of God, we rightly venerate her as Our Mother, Our Advocate, and Our Hope.
Therein lies the reason the Assumption is significant. Mary stands as the first of humanity to receive bodily ressurection. That she has entered heaven, soul and body, serves as earnest of our future. The glory she enjoys in the presence of the Father, we will inherit as heirs also, but to reach that glory, we must follow her example of perfect conformity to the Father's will, through the Holy Spirit working in us. As she said, "let it be done to me according to thy word." I encourage all believers to contemplate the mystery that God made an ordinary woman a key player in His Great Plan. There is hope for the rest of us.
While there are many sources of contention where Marian dogma is comcerned among believers on different sides of the Reformation (the Protestant Revolt), I prefer to ignore them to focus on the significance of Mary herself, and the meaning of this event in her life for us. The Orthodox liturgy states the real point of Marian devotion beautifully and succinctly: "Commemorating Our Most holy, pure, blessed and glorified Lady, Mother of God, and ever-virgin Mary, we commend ourselves and our whole life to Christ, Our God."
Everything we affirm about Mary is related to some Christological truth. We call her Ever -Virgin because He was God Incarnate. She is the Immaculate Conception because He is without sin. As the Son of Mary, Christ is fully man. As Theotokos, the God-bearer, she bore a child who was fully divine. You cannot have correct Mariology and faulty Christology, one supports the other. Let it be remembered that Mary only matters because she is Christ's Mother. Had she born any other Jewish carpenter her name would not be remembered, let alone honored, but having birthed the Son of God, we rightly venerate her as Our Mother, Our Advocate, and Our Hope.
Therein lies the reason the Assumption is significant. Mary stands as the first of humanity to receive bodily ressurection. That she has entered heaven, soul and body, serves as earnest of our future. The glory she enjoys in the presence of the Father, we will inherit as heirs also, but to reach that glory, we must follow her example of perfect conformity to the Father's will, through the Holy Spirit working in us. As she said, "let it be done to me according to thy word." I encourage all believers to contemplate the mystery that God made an ordinary woman a key player in His Great Plan. There is hope for the rest of us.
posted by Brother Makarias | 12:55 AM
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