Mary, The Mother of God - Theotokos

Today we celebrate the beautiful solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.  In reality, this solemnity allows us to reflect upon the essential reality of our Catholic Faith: Jesus, the Christ, is one person with two distinct natures: divine and human.  This union of the two natures in the one person of Jesus is called the hypostatic union. 

Thus, the Church, at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD) defined Mary as the Theotokos, the Mother of God. 

“Called in the Gospels ‘mother of Jesus,’ Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as ‘the mother of my Lord.’  In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity.  Hence, the Church confesses that Mary is truly ‘Mother of God’ (Theotokos)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 495). 

A long period of tumultuous theological controversies surrounded the question of Jesus’ divine and human natures, and how the role of Mary was to be understood.  People like Arius and Nestorius were infamous proponents of heterodox Christological teachings. 

By studying the history of the first four Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church (Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon) we can better understand the significance of today’s celebration. 

Aside from the theological and historical significances, I would like us to enter the mystery of the Theotokos by looking at this mystery through the eyes of Saint Joseph. 

What did he see as he pondered all that was happening to Mary? 

During this past Advent, a priest friend of mine brought my attention to a fascinating reflection on the Gospel of Matthew in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. 

Why did Joseph want to divorce Mary?   The answer to this question, in my view, gives us a glimpse as to how Joseph considered Mary, the Theotokos.

But, before we can consider the question of the divorce, we need to understand what it means in the Sacred Scriptures that Joseph and Mary were betrothed.  

A betrothal in the ancient Jewish world was not the same as our contemporary understanding of an engagement. 

Betrothal was a period of time, usually up to one year, before the actual covenant of marriage took place.  Although a couple would not live together, they were considered to be married.  Thus, a betrothal could only be ended by divorce or death. 

“This is how Jesus Christ came to be born.  His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally” (Matthew 1: 18-19).

So, let us go back to the question as to why Joseph decided to end his marriage with Mary. 

There are two theories proposed by the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. 

First, there is the suspicion theory.  “This view holds that Joseph suspected Mary of adultery when he discovered she was pregnant.  The troubling news led him to seek a divorce in accordance with Deuteronomy 24: 1-4, although he wished to do this secretly to avoid subjecting Mary to the rigorous law of Deuteronomy 22: 23-24, which mandates capital punishment for adulterers” (page 18).

Second, there is the reverence theory.  “This view holds that Joseph, already informed of the divine miracle within Mary, considered himself unworthy to be part of God’s work in this unusual situation.  His resolve to separate from Mary is thus viewed as a reverent and discretionary measure to keep secret the mystery within her” (page 18).

My dear friends, when I discussed this with my priest friend over lunch, “the reverence theory” certainly had what we might call the “wow effect.”  We had never thought of “the reverence theory” and it makes perfect sense.  How beautiful!

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 20-21).

Reverence and awe: like Saint Joseph, this is how we are to treat the Christmas mystery and all of the mysteries of our Catholic Faith. 

Do we treat Mary with reverence and awe? Let us ask Saint Joseph to show us how to do this.  How do we pray the Rosary?  How do we cherish and celebrate her feast days?  Do we please her and honor her by the way we live our lives?

Do we treat Jesus with reverence and awe?  Let us ask Saint Joseph to show us how to do this.  How do we receive Holy Communion?

“Domine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.  Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed” (Roman Missal, Third Edition).

In an age where the banal and the crass are the order of the day, let us turn to Saint Joseph and ask him to teach us how to treat the things of God with a renewed sense of mystery, reverence and awe.