Behold Your Mother

Bulletin Article 1/1/12

There are a few “hot button” issues that clearly divide Catholics from the rest of the Christian world. Next to the Eucharist, Mary sits at the top of the list. There has been much confusion and misguided information about Our Mother which has caused many to question and doubt the Catholic Church all together (this is called generalization, by the way). From the idea that Catholics “worship” Mary or the argument over her Immaculate Conception to her perpetual virginity, people seem to have a hard time understanding and believing what the Church teaches about the Blessed Virgin. In light of it being her feast day today, let us look at the most common prayer we have to Our Mother, The Hail Mary. This prominent prayer of the rosary is rooted in Scripture. Obviously the first half can be found in Luke’s account of Mary visiting Elizabeth, while the second half may need a bit more digging into Scripture to find its roots.

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee
This is taken directly from Luke 1. We echo the archangel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, “Hail Favored One,” we simply include her name.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Continuing the words of Elizabeth’s joyful greeting, we include the name of Jesus.

Holy Mary,
Many times in the New Testament Christians are referred to as “holy ones” (Eph 1:1, Phil 1:1, Col 1:2) Mary, in fact, was the first Christian who accepted Christ into her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is also clear from the accounts of Mary in the Gospels that she was a holy woman as she recited many Psalms and Jewish prayer during the Annunciation and Visitation. Her Magnificat is an Old Testament prayer. (check out 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and then read Luke 1:46-55). It is only fitting that we call her “Holy.”

Mother of God
Not all Christians will call Mary the Mother of God as we do. In fact, many heresies arose in the early church of the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. We uphold that Jesus was fully God and fully man and therefore Mary as the mother of Jesus is the mother of God (the feast we celebrate today). In Greek she is called theotokos (God bearer).

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Many non-Catholics will argue that there is only one mediator between God and man—Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). This is correct, however if we were to read before that verse, we find,
First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-4)
It is important to note that we do not pray to Mary or the saints for help through any of their own power, but we ask them to offer prayers and intercede for us to the Father. We trust that through living a holy life, they have been accepted into the Heavenly Kingdom where they offer prayers to the Father (Revelation 5:8). Mary has proven to be a powerful intercessor due to many miracles and apparitions over the centuries. Not to mention the fact that Jesus listened to his mother when he lived at home until he was 30, he listened to her when he began his miracles (John 2) and he listens to her still.