“Merciful Father, as you have sent the Holy Spirit on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to write all that You wished and wanted, we pray You, send the same Holy Spirit on us, so that we may understand, appreciate Your Word, and make it our plan of life. This we ask for the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
40 …. What does Virginal Conception mean?
For Mary, herself, it was not an end in itself but a ‘sign’. It shows, it reveals, it indicates that:
· This time, He who is to be born in this world, was not just an ordinary, usual baby, not just one of the millions that are born all round the world, for THIS baby was GOD Himself who took upon Himself a human nature.
· The Virginal Conception is also a sign of the ‘new birth’ of all those who believe. We find this in the words of St.John, 1,11-13:
“…… to them that believe in His name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Mary remained a Virgin during birth.
The Catholic Church, remaining faithful to the whole Scripture, always taught, and keeps teaching that Mary is ALWAYS Virgin. This means that even during the process of giving birth to her baby, Jesus, she remained a Virgin. The Blessed Mother lost nothing of her Virginity. In other words, baby Jesus being born, did not cause his mother to lose her Virginity, rather He beautified, He gave more value to Mary’s Virginity.
Do stop and ponder, think, meditate on this extraordinary happening, and try to savour, certainly not to understand, the beauty, the greatness, the magnificence of this happening. Unfortunately we take too many things forgranted in life….even in the reading, or listening to the Word of God. Do NOT take the Word of God forgranted, NEVER. Taste, savour, every single word of the Holy Text. There are myriads, of messages, of thoughts in one single word. This is a case in point: a Virgin became pregnant, without participating in any human relationship, the Virgin gave birth, and in the process remained a Virgin, … and, as we shall see later, remained a Virgin ‘after’ birth’.
“O God of wonder, is anything impossible for You? How fortunate I am, what bountiful gifts, graces have you bestowed, showered upon me. You have declared me, though unworthy as I am, as your adopted child. You have given me, as my mother, Your OWN Mother.
Why, I sometimes wonder, almighty Father, why have you included me, a poor human, miserable weakling, in your Divine Family? What an honour to be a member of the family of the gods. BUT what a greater honour to be a member of the Family of the One, True God. Could more love be shown than this act of adoption? Yet, You were not satisfied; You wanted to walk the human life and write Your Testament in my favour, you have bequeathed everything in my favour… You have signed that Testament, not on a desk, but, on a Cross, a Testament of Love written in indelible red, in your own blood.
How often I wonder; ‘Do I deserve all this? What have I done to deserve such treatment?’ The Holy Spirit prompts the answer in my heart, in my mind and on my lips: “Yes, you do deserve it because you are God’s adopted child.” I adore You and thank You, Lord, dumbfounded…because no words can translate what the loving heart feels. Amen.”
Emmanu-El, yes God IS with us, as prophesied hundreds of years before the fifteen year old maiden from Nazareth, Mary, was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, conceived and gave birth to God in human nature. Thank you Mary for your acceptance. As St.Bernard said, the world held its breath for those moments of silence, waiting for Mary to open her mouth and give consent. THANK YOU MARY. /41
Certain Information taken, with kind permission, from the book “Who is Mary” by H.G.Mons. Sylvester Magro ofm, Bishop of Benghazi. A very dear friend.
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