Summary of the Week and a Reflection (8th & 9th March)

MARY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Bro.Liyumba Exuperius OFM.Cap. 

In the last week lecture we looked at Mother Mary in the New Testament. The aim was to trace and understand the person of Mary from the New Testament and the tradition. We know very little about Miriam of Nazareth as an actual historical person. Mary stands altitudes of men and women through centuries-especially the poor whose lives are not considered worth recording.

Mary mother of Jesus (mk. 6:8, Mt. 5:5, Acts 1:4) is not figured largely in the NT.

In this lecture the lecturer tried to view all the Synoptic Gospels, John’s Gospel and the letter of St Paul to the Galatians to see how they explained and how they understand Mary.

Gal 4:4, mentioned Mary as woman: `when the time had to come, God send forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law’. That means, God send His son born in woman’s body, given birth as human but in God rule-law-through the Holy Spirit. Paul explicit references a Jewish woman giving birth to the Messiah under the law of Judaism. Mary mother of Jesus (Theotokos- in Greek). Mary is the place through which the Son of God entered human history.

In Mk.4:31-35, the Scribes called Jesus Belzebul, the king of the devils because He was driving evil spirits, and they accused him of using the power from devil. In fact from the beginning the Scribes did not believe in Jesus, they believed that nothing good could come from Him.

Therefore in Mk. 4:31-35 Jesus said His mother, brothers and sisters are those who believed in Him and did the will of God. Here we learned that Jesus did not deny His family, but in that context Jesus offsets family ties, and possibly the selfish concerns of His brothers and sisters. He spiritualizes the whole situation by emphasizing on doing the will of God.

Matthew chapter one, is about Jesus’ infancy narrative: That means from Abraham to David. In this chapter Matthew counted14 generations including Mary (the mother of Jesus). She is in the list of the patriarchs, why? Because Jesus took our humanity being born through Mary’s body under Gods rule and through the Holy Spirit. So in relation to the humanity Mary was the one through whom Jesus was born without a human father. Mary was the lawful wife of Joseph. However the manner in which the Messiah was to be born was through the Spirit. This is why Matthew included Mary among the ancestors of Jesus.

Luke. 1:26-38. The annunciation.

The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth where Mary lived .The Angel greeted Mary: The God be with you that means you’re chosen with the special task to do.

The Greek word chaire-means full of grace, Mary through the grace of God was chosen to be the mother of Jesus (God). Mary was chosen without the original sin.

The acceptance of Mary to bear the son of God, is a significant act of Obedience and of faith.

As the sign of Holy Spirit Mary praised God by singing the magnificat.

Mary rejoices-sang Gods praise.

Jesus presented in the temple.Lk.2:41-52. According to the Jews tradition the first male child was to send to the Lord as a gift, so that he may do the Lords work as Mary and Joseph did to Jesus. In this occasion we found also the prophetic message from Simon who was an upright devout man and the Holy Spirit rested in him.  Prompted by the Holy Spirit He came to the temple.

Simon said to the parent “the son is destined for the fall and rise many……….and you Mary a sword will pierce your soul too”, then He blessed the son. Simon was prophesying the passion and death of Jesus, Mary was to suffer as a mother. Therefore Simon gave His Lord glory by singing the Nunc Dimittis.

In Luke 2:41-52, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem during the Jewish feast, His parents thought that He was lost, they went back and found Him in the temple discussing with the Jewish elders and doctors. He told his parents Mary and Joseph “I must be in the house of my father” Mary put all this in her heart, which means deeply meditating on them.

Mary Identified as: Mother and virgin, Holy, Faithful, servant, obedient, perfect disciple and blessed one.

John chapter 2:1-11, is about the wedding in Cana of Galilee. They had no wine, they asked Mary to tell Jesus about the issue but Jesus told Mary “woman My hour has not came”. This means His hour which will given by the Holy Spirit, the hour of His passion.

The significance of the wedding is a union between God and His people.

Wine means Holy Spirit.

Hour also means the time to go to back to His father-Heaven.

Six stone jars filled by wine mean the sign of glory.  

Mary seat of wisdom, Pray for us!