Expert: Sal - 7/8/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello Mr Sal..

Why is Mary held in such high esteem in Catholic teachings, since even Jesus didn't?

Luke 11: 27  ¶And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
 28 But he said, Nay rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Thank You
Lawrence

ANSWER: Dear Lawrence:

“While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed’ But he said, ‘On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it’" (Luke 11:27-28).

In this passage Jesus is rebuking the woman who believes Mary is blessed for giving birth to and nursing Jesus. Here Jesus is saying that blessedness is not restricted to her who gave him birth. It is open to all who hear and obey God. Jesus is rebuking the woman for attempting to restrict blessedness. Jesus is not saying that his mother is not blessed. He is actually giving the most important reason for her blessedness, i.e. she heard the word of God and obeyed it. “And Mary said, ‘Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38). If Mary were not blessed then there would be a contradiction with Luke 1:41-45.

“When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’"

So rather then being a negative statement about Mary Jesus is actually holding Mary up as a model for all Christians. Therefore, Catholics honor Mary as our model.  

Thanks for the great question,
Sal


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: "Rebuking the woman for *restricting* blessedness?" Sal! Rather Jesus was *defining* blessedness! As He did again, in this scripture.

Matt.12:46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.  
47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.”*
48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”  
49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.  
50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

How is He holding Mary up as a model, as He points to His disciples.  All who hear and do, are his mother/sister/brother! That is His statement, plain and simple.  Why would one read that Mary held a higher blessedness? When *blessed* simply means "fortunate", spoken well of, an attribution of good fortune! Grk.2127,3106,3107

Sal, God doesn't show partiality in the sense you are portraying Mary,{James3:17.But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.} and Jesus didn't either. He includes *all* who hear, and do. As the Holy spirit also had James write..
James 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  

The New testament doesn't hold anyone up above another, but Jesus Christ. And He exhorts all, to be doers of His Word, not just Mary! I was hoping you might *see* that!

Mary was chosen as a vessel the Lord would use, the same as Judas was chosen for the purposes of the Lord. The same as Pharaoh was chosen, same as Moses, and all the OT peoples were chosen to fulfill Gods purposes, as examples for us New testament folk to learn.

To honor Mary for some greatness, is to contravene this precept Sal. Hopefully you will see the reason of no partiality with Him.

1Cor.12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

I'm sure Mary came to understand why Jesus didn't show her more blessed than the others He loved. Yet even today, we still honor those who make the highest marks, the highest salaries, the highest achievements, when God would show honor to those who study and come from a C-, to a B. Or those who made $2/hr, and worked hard to come up to $8/hr. Somehow the church has got the things of God backwards.

Regards
Lawrence.

Answer
Dear Lawrence:

Please don't get so upset. I agree with you that Mary is not the only one blessed. She is our example because she believed God and obeyed, and so should we. I'm not arguing that Mary was shown more blessedness than others. I'm arguing that Luke 11:27-28 doesn't show Jesus in anyway whatsoever rebuking or belittling Mary. You stated, "The New testament doesn't hold anyone up above another, but Jesus Christ. And He exhorts all, to be doers of His Word, not just Mary! I was hoping you might *see* that!" Well, your hope has been answered as I do see that we should all be doers of His word. Isn't that the very point I made? I wrote, "In this passage Jesus is rebuking the woman who believes Mary is blessed for giving birth to and nursing Jesus. Here Jesus is saying that blessedness is not restricted to her who gave him birth. It is open to all who hear and obey God." I think you might benefit from calmly and without bias rereading my previous answer to you.

God Be With You,
Sal