CCTD010 What, Me?! (Part 2)




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Summary: :vote:In this second discussion on Mary, we explore her perpetual virginity, the annunciation of her role in the Christacirc;euro;trade;s incarnation,Acirc; and her assumption into heaven.Acirc; As stated in the first, what the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illuminates in turn its faith in Christ.Acirc; Five key doctrines, rooted explicitly or implicitly in the Bible, that reveal the truth of who Mary is.Acirc; This discussion continues through these truths.At the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE, the Church proclaimed that Mary is acirc;euro;oelig;the Mother of God.acirc;euro;Acirc; This term has a very specific meaning.Acirc; It does not mean that Mary gave to Jesus his divine nature.Acirc; The Son was, is and always will be one God acirc;euro;ldquo;the Holy Trinity. The Catholic Church does not teach that Mary is divine.Acirc; She is no goddess but a creature like us.Acirc; Acirc; Her womb is where Jesus received his human nature.Acirc; When the Son of God became man acirc;euro;ldquo;the Incarnation,Acirc; he did so through Mary.Acirc; She is the mother of Jesus.Acirc; Jesus is God.Acirc; Mary is the Mother of God.Maryacirc;euro;trade;s virginity is a sign of her singular devotion and total gift of herself to God. She is virgin not because sex is evil or incompatible with holiness.Acirc; Sex is good and created by God in the beginning and sanctified by Christ in the sacrament of Matrimony.Acirc; Acirc; Acirc; The ancient belief in Maryacirc;euro;trade;s perpetual virginity acirc;euro;ldquo;before, during and after Jesusacirc;euro;trade; birthacirc;euro;ldquo; is affirmed at the Lateran Council in 64p CE.Acirc; As virgin and mother, she is an exemplary realization of the Churchacirc;euro;trade;s vowed acirc;euro;ldquo;married and celibate.Mary is absolutely unique and special because she is the woman out of all of history who was chosen by God the Father to give human flesh and blood to his divine Son. Throughout history, God calls mere human beings to participate in the realization of salvation.Acirc; The angel Gabriel announces to Mary Godacirc;euro;trade;s intention and records her consent, sought by God and freely given by Mary.Acirc; The angelacirc;euro;trade;s greeting says who Mary is and what God has done for her acirc;euro;ldquo;the fullness of grace received at her Immaculate Conception.Acirc;Preserved from sin since the first moment of her conception, Mary does not suffer the consequences of original sin acirc;euro;ldquo;death.Acirc; Rather, at the end of her life, God assumed her body and soul into glory.Acirc; Acirc; Acirc; We believe she lives now in glory raised up by God who first chose her and revealed to her the way of salvation.Acirc; We give her the title, acirc;euro;oelig;Queen of Heaven,acirc;euro; because we believe so fervently that she shares in her sonacirc;euro;trade;s resurrection.Acirc; This event is called the dogma of the acirc;euro;oelig;Assumption.acirc;euro;Our discussion concludes having considered Maryacirc;euro;trade;s unique role in salvation and so in the Church.Acirc; Why we want to copy her faith, obedience and charity seems clear. As does our reverence for her as a means of grace which guides our journey acirc;euro;ldquo;all the while without diminishment of Christacirc;euro;trade;s role, who alone is Lord.Acirc; More on Mary from the the Cathecism