Born of a Woman

MOTHER OF GOD

But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 4, 4

Since apostolic times, Catholics have believed, and the Church has taught, that the Blessed Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God, or, in ancient Greek, Theotokos, meaning“God-bearer.” This honorable designation means Mary is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man by having conceived and given birth to the Divine Logos in his sacred humanity (Jn 1:1,14). Surely, Mary did not create the divine person of Jesus who existed with the Father for all eternity. Still, she did provide all the genetic material that was needed to allow God to become a man by the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). He is the “seed” or offspring of the woman whom God put in enmity with the serpent (Gen 3:15). Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled at the Annunciation once Mary gave her joyful consent in response to the good news that was brought to her by the angel Gabriel: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son whose name shall be Emmanuel” (7:14). The Hebrew name means “God with us” (Mt 1:23).

Mary’s cousin Elizabeth deferentially acknowledged the singular blessing conferred on her kinswoman when she asked her, “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord (Κυρίου/Kyrios) should come to me?” (Lk 1:43). The divine title Adonai ( אֲדֹנָי, lit. “My Lords”) is the plural form of the Hebrew word adon (“Lord”) along with the first-person singular pronoun enclitic. As with Elohim, Adonai’s grammatical form is usually explained as a plural of majesty. In the Hebrew Bible, it is used nearly 450 times to refer to God. The divine name YHWH was increasingly regarded as too sacred to be uttered; it was thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word Adonai (“My Lord”), which was translated as Kyrios (“Lord”) in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures. Hence, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God Himself in His divine person and as such the Hebrew God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob incarnate.

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Colossians 2, 9

The phrase “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” from Colossians 2:9 underscores the profound concept of the complete and unabridged presence of divine nature residing in Jesus Christ. This theological assertion asserts that Jesus embodies the entirety of God’s essence—His attributes, authority, and holiness—within His human form. This understanding is crucial for comprehending the dual nature of Christ, who is both fully divine and fully human, a concept foundational to Christian belief.

Furthermore, this doctrine underscores the profound significance of Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus Christ. By giving birth to the Incarnate Word, Mary does not merely witness the unfolding of divine mystery; she actively participates in it, embodying the essential human response to God’s call. Her acceptance of the angelic message— “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38)—demonstrates her unwavering faith and willingness to cooperate with God’s plan of redemption.

In the context of Mary’s divine maternity, this verse illuminates the profound and unique relationship she shares with the divine. By bearing Jesus, who embodies both full divinity and complete humanity, Mary becomes the sacred vessel through which the Godhead enters human history in a transformative way. Her role in the Incarnation transcends mere biological function; it represents a significant spiritual and theological event that is central to Christian belief. This act of accepting God’s call not only fulfills ancient prophecies but also signifies the union of heaven and earth, revealing the depth of divine love and God’s accessibility to humanity. Mary’s acceptance, characterized by her ‘fiat’—her willingness to embrace God’s plan—highlights her pivotal position in salvation history. As the Mother of God, her life and actions serve as a model of faith and obedience for all believers, underscoring her role in the divine narrative.

Additionally, Mary’s motherhood symbolizes a profound and sacred connection to the divine essence of God. As the Theotokos, or “God-bearer,” she occupies a singular and pivotal role within the Christian tradition, highlighting the intricate mystery of the Incarnation—the moment when God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. This concept emphasizes not only her unique status but also the extraordinary nature of her relationship with the divine. The fullness of the Godhead residing in her Son serves as a powerful testament to the divine authority and sovereignty of Jesus, which Mary embodies through her life and actions. Her acceptance of this role reflects deep faith and obedience, exemplifying humility and grace. Thus, Mary’s life serves as a living example of how humanity can coexist with and reflect divine purposes, thereby further enriching our understanding of both motherhood and divinity within the context of Christian theology.

EARLY SACRED TRADITION

St. Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 110)
To the Ephesians, 7

“There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made
and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of
God; first possible and then impossible, even Jesus Christ our Lord.”

St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (A.D. 262)
On the Holy Mother of God

“Holy and wise in all things was the all-blessed Virgin; in all ways peerless among all nations, and unrivalled among women. Not as the first virgin Eva, who being alone in the garden, was in her weak mind led astray by the serpent; and so took his advice and brought death into the world; and because of that hath been all the suffering of saints. But in her alone, in this Holy Virgin Mary, the Stem of Life hath shot up for us. For she alone was spotless in soul and body.”

St. Alexander of Alexandria (A.D. 324)
Epistle to Alexander, 12

“After this, we receive the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, of which
Jesus Christ our Lord became the first fruits; Who bore a Body, in truth,
not in semblance, derived from Mary the mother of God in the fullness
of time sojourning among the race, for the remission of sins: who was
crucified and died, yet for all this suffered no diminution of His Godhead.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. A.D. 350)
Catechetical Lectures, X:19

“Many, my beloved, are the true testimonies concerning Christ. The Father bears witness
from heaven of His Son: the Holy Ghost bears witness, descending bodily in likeness
of a dove: the Archangel Gabriel bears witness, bringing good tidings to Mary: the Virgin
Mother of God bears witness: the blessed place of the manger bears witness.”

St. Epiphanius of Salamis (A.D. 374)
The man well-anchored, 75

“He reshaped man to perfection in Himself,
from Mary the Mother of God
through the Holy Spirit.”

St. John Cassian (A.D. 430)
The Incarnation of Christ, II:2

“And so you say, O heretic, whoever you may be, who deny that God was born of the
Virgin, that Mary the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ ought not to be called Theotocos,
i.e., Mother of God, but Christotocos, i.e., only the Mother of Christ, not of God. For no
one, you say, brings forth what is anterior in time. And of this utterly foolish argument
whereby you think that the birth of God can be understood by carnal minds, and fancy that
the mystery of His Majesty can be accounted for by human reasoning, we will, if God
permits, say something later on. In the meanwhile we will now prove by Divine testimonies
that Christ is God, and that Mary is the Mother of God.”

St. Cyril of Alexandria (A.D. 430)
To Nestorius, Epistle 17:11

“But since the Holy Virgin brought forth after the flesh God personally
united to the flesh, for this reason we say of her that she is Theotokos, not as
though the nature of the Word had its beginning of being from the flesh, for
he was in the beginning, and the Word was God, and the Word was with
God…but, as we said before, because having personally united man’s nature
to himself…”

Council of Ephesus (A.D. 430)
Anathemas Against Nestorius, I

“If anyone will not confess that the Emmanuel is very God, and that therefore the Holy
Virgin is the Mother of God (Theotokos), inasmuch as in the flesh she bore the Word of
God made flesh [as it is written, ‘The Word was made flesh’: let him be anathema.”

AVE MARIA