By JOHN YOUNG
When the Angel Gabriel appeared to her how much did the Blessed Virgin already know about herself? We know that she was conceived without original sin, that she never committed even the least venial sin, that she was holier than all the angels and saints. But what was her own perception?
We don’t know exactly, but we can form some idea. She must have been aware that she was without any personal sin, yet keenly aware that other people sinned. Nor could she be ignorant of the lukewarmness of most people, in contrast with her own total commitment to God: She had all the virtues perfectly and all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
All faithful Jews had great veneration for the Old Testament, and in Mary’s case her depth of understanding of God’s written Word would have exceeded that of the most learned rabbis, for while she had less formal learning her spiritual gifts far exceeded theirs.
Some theologians and spiritual writers have thought Mary even had the Beatific Vision of God during her life on Earth, at least at times. By surely it would be going too far to make that assertion.
From her question to the Angel Gabriel as to how she could bear a Son, because of her virginity, it is clear that she intended to remain a virgin. Certainly she was already married to Joseph: the Jewish custom was for the couple to marry yet live apart for a time before the marriage was consummated. She and Joseph, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, must have agreed that their marriage would not be consummated.
Mary is sometimes referred to as an unmarried mother, but that is certainly not correct, and indicates a lack of understanding of the Jewish marriage customs. Before Joseph received enlightenment from the angel he had considered divorcing Mary, which makes no sense if they were not married.
Much remained obscure to her, as indicated by her question to the angel and by later events, such as her question to her Son when she and Joseph found Him in the Temple. Despite her great penetration she still lived in the obscurity of faith.
How much did she and Joseph learn from Jesus during the following years? Surely it was a great deal, even though He may not have revealed fully what He intended to do or what would happen to Him.
As Frank Sheed remarks, the Holy Family consisted of two great saints and a Son who was God; so we can’t imagine them sitting around the breakfast table pretending they were just an ordinary family!
Our Lady would certainly have gained light from the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, for her penetration into the meaning of the prophecies must have been profound, even though still obscure. With the passing of the years their meaning would have become clearer, both because of what her Son did and what he must have told her.
In the normal course of events Jesus would have been born in Nazareth, but Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem for the Roman census; and so was fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be born in David’s city, Bethlehem. They would have realized the significance of this as the fulfilment of prophecy, not just a random occurrence.
We can’t fully realize the love and joy in Mary’s heart for her unborn Baby, exceeding that of any other mother, however devoted. Then the fact that they could find no suitable accommodation, and that the Divine Child was to be born in a stable, would have brought to the minds of Mary and Joseph the Old Testament predictions that the Messiah would be a Man of Sorrows.
A miraculous sign occurred in the very birth, for Mary’s body remained that of a virgin, suffering no impairment. And so she had no pain.
The Church calls Mary “Ever Virgin,” meaning not only that she had no sexual relations before the birth or afterward, but that her bodily integrity remained during the birth. This is not some pious opinion, as some Catholics believe, but is infallible Catholic teaching.
On that first Christmas night the world had no inkling that its Savior had just been born, but God revealed it to the shepherds. But far surpassing their awareness of the stupendous event that had taken place was that of the two great saints, Mary and Joseph.
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