Vugt: Our devotion to the Blessed Virgin

LAST August 15 we celebrated Mary’s Assumption into heaven. There is nothing in the doctrine that says Mary did not die. Of course she did – she was a human being. The Eastern Church celebrates the feast of Mary’s Dormition, of her falling asleep. The doctrine holds simply that Mary’s body did not know the corruption of the grave. It is, however, another death that can reawaken our devotion to Mary.

We can only pray with Mary at times like this because she knows what it is like to bring a child into the world and claim his dead body in her arms.

Now is not the time for us to throw out devotion to Mary, but to reclaim a relationship with her under whatever title works best: mother, first among the saints, prophet, friend, companion in faith. If we are in touch with the fact that we are poor in spirit, we know she meets us there and always journeys with us to her Son: now, at the hour of our death.

On Sept.8 we celebrate the feast of the Birth of Mary. We must understand that we are in solidarity with Christ first of all through human ties. The history of the present time, as well as the history of our families, prepares the second coming of Christ to humankind.

Those short and almost bashful do not dare to unveil the mystery of Mary, the virgin through whom life on earth touches God and offers itself as an oblation. A messenger breaks through the night and speaks with silent words: the world is open to the active presence of God.

Mary was engaged. Engagement gave to the Jewish people practically every right of marriage, especially conjugal rights. The only difference was that women continued to live under the parents’ tutelage and in their parental home. The Jews were markedly a ‘macho’ society. A woman necessarily belonged to a man, either to her father, her husband, or her son. Mary was already the wife of Joseph, but she could not be under his authority until he brought her to his home.

With reference to the virginity of Mary, see Luke 1:26. The virginity of Mary was not in keeping with the Jewish mentality that gave first place to fecundity. It was not so unusual that Joseph would accept such a situation. At this time certain Jews belonging to the party of the Essenes lived celibacy, as did the monks.

Joseph made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. The Gospel is not precise as to his reasons for so doing. In any case it is unthinkable that people might have doubted Mary’s fidelity.

The intervention of the Angel in the Gospel is not to reassure Joseph but to inform him of "Jesus", and you will receive him as your son. Joseph was a “descendant of David”. Most probably Mary did not even belong to the tribe of Judah, which was that of David, but like her cousin Elisabeth, she belonged to a family of priests of the tribe of Levi.

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(For your comment email: nolvanvugt@gmail.com)

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