Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The third article of the Apostle’s Creed is “Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” There are nineteen (19) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 509.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has many different titles by which she is honored. The greatest title which she enjoys is ‘Mother of God’ (Theotokos in Greek, Mater Dei in Latin). The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God because she gave birth to Jesus Christ in Bethlehem and Jesus Christ is God (cf. Matthew 2:1-8; Luke 2:4-20; 1 Corinthians 12:3). The Blessed Virgin Mary is not the mother of the Eternal Father. Similarly, the Blessed Virgin Mary is not the mother of the Holy Spirit. Only the Second Divine Person of the Holy Trinity assumed a human nature, becoming like us in all things but sin to save us from our sins, to reveal the Father to us and us to ourselves (cf. Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; 16:16; John 3:16; 5:34; 10:9; Acts 2:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:25).
According to His human nature Jesus Christ was born in time. But the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ is co-eternal with that of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Mary’s Son is the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father born in time. By His life, death and resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ has opened the way to eternity for us (cf. John 10:7, 9; 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24).
There have been those throughout history who have denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. Two come to mind, Arius (AD 250-336) and his followers and Mohamed (AD 570-632) and his followers. To believe in the divinity of Christ, to believe that He is the Eternal Son of God made man is central to Christian Faith. The Lord Himself reminds us that we are not to deny Him before others or He will deny us before the Eternal Father (cf. Matthew 10:33; Luke 12:9) Some have honored Mary as the mother of Jesus but not as the Mother of God. These people deny the mystery of the Incarnation, that Jesus Christ is God Himself, one in being with the Father’ as we pray in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. We should never forget the Lord’s words: ‘The Father and I are One’ and ‘If you have seen Me you have seen the Father’ (cf. John 10:30; 14:7).
These are teachings found throughout the New Testament and in the Council of Ephesus (AD 321). Let us all be grateful for our saving faith given once for all, and for Mother Church who is the guardian of this rich deposit which includes Mary’s being the Mother of God and our mother too in the order of grace. (John 19:27)
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr