Historical theology tidbit of the day: the amazing woman we don't talk about
I'm going to tell you a story.
The story centers around a young woman who is said to have lived around 2,000 years ago.
Before the woman was born, her parents had longed for a baby, but had been unable to conceive for years. When they learned that her mother was pregnant, they were overjoyed, and their daughter was their pride and joy.
The girl was a very sweet and obedient child, but also proved to have extraordinary intellectual prowess. By a very young age (possibly as young as three) she was fluent in the Hebrew of the Jewish scriptures and could quote them chapter and verse. Her parents encouraged her in her studies, and sent her to be educated at the local temple, where she could have proper teachers and training. She was very taken by the temple, and swore to spend the rest of her life there, in order to learn how best to serve her god.
When she was fourteen, the custom of her community dictated that she should be married, but she resisted, for marriage would conflict with the path she had chosen for herself. The community elders were displeased, but found that they could not argue with her, because she bested them all in her understanding of the theology by which she was living her life. Eventually she did marry, but she only agreed to do so when she met a man who shared her values and respected her wishes for herself. The couple lived happily together, and she was free to pursue her own dreams.
Now, God had taken special notice of this young woman, for many reasons - her virtuous lifestyle, particularly her humility and graciousness, her devotion to him, and her exceptional intelligence. He chose the young woman to help carry out his plan for humanity, and gave her an extraordinary responsibility - she would carry the child who would grow into the living incarnation of God's wisdom (logos). However, God, being a gentleman, gave the young woman a choice. One could argue that part of why he selected her is that he knew she would say yes, but the option was there for her to say no. And only after thoughtful consideration of God's reason for choosing her, what this would mean for her, and whether or not she could trust these visions at all did she say yes.
When she realized how blessed she had been, the woman wrote a song about the experience. Later, the part of her story most discussed would be that she had a child while remaining a virgin, but from what she wrote, that was clearly the furthest thing from her mind. Instead, she expressed her gratitude that she, the humble creature that she was, had been chosen to help God lift up the poor and suffering and bring the mighty down a peg. Indeed, even in later centuries, some of her devoted priests would admonish those who thought they could raise themselves to her level only through chastity, saying that instead they ought to emulate her kindness, thoughtfulness, and humility.
The woman did carry out her part in God's plan. She had the child, raised him and loved him, and stayed by his side through his rise, fall, and even his execution. After his death, she continued her work on his behalf, and became the beloved and admired mother figure to those who had been his friends. When she died, they celebrated her life and her work, and she ascended bodily into heaven to be again with her son. Since then, her legend has only grown, with stories of her doing extraordinary things (such as blocking a sword with her bare hands) for those who showed loyalty to her family.
***
As you have no doubt figured out by now, this is the (legendary) life and times of Mary of Nazareth, also known as the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the story of her life as cobbled together from the Gospel of James, the Gospel of Luke, the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine, Nicholas Love's Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, and the sermons of Bernard of Clairvaux. And what I have gleaned from it is that Mary was freaking awesome.
Why don't we talk about Mary anymore? When did she get relegated to nothing more than Jesus's mom, who just kind of gave birth to him and that was the long and short of it? Why isn't she celebrated anymore for what her character really represents - a strong and quick-minded young woman who was rewarded for her good life beyond her wildest dreams? This, keep in mind, is the medieval depiction of her. You'd think her PR team could do better, given another 600 years to think about it.
I understand that the new Pope is advocating a new focus on Mary in Catholic theology. I hope it actually happens, because I want to see a lot more of her in modern times.
The story centers around a young woman who is said to have lived around 2,000 years ago.
Before the woman was born, her parents had longed for a baby, but had been unable to conceive for years. When they learned that her mother was pregnant, they were overjoyed, and their daughter was their pride and joy.
The girl was a very sweet and obedient child, but also proved to have extraordinary intellectual prowess. By a very young age (possibly as young as three) she was fluent in the Hebrew of the Jewish scriptures and could quote them chapter and verse. Her parents encouraged her in her studies, and sent her to be educated at the local temple, where she could have proper teachers and training. She was very taken by the temple, and swore to spend the rest of her life there, in order to learn how best to serve her god.
When she was fourteen, the custom of her community dictated that she should be married, but she resisted, for marriage would conflict with the path she had chosen for herself. The community elders were displeased, but found that they could not argue with her, because she bested them all in her understanding of the theology by which she was living her life. Eventually she did marry, but she only agreed to do so when she met a man who shared her values and respected her wishes for herself. The couple lived happily together, and she was free to pursue her own dreams.
Now, God had taken special notice of this young woman, for many reasons - her virtuous lifestyle, particularly her humility and graciousness, her devotion to him, and her exceptional intelligence. He chose the young woman to help carry out his plan for humanity, and gave her an extraordinary responsibility - she would carry the child who would grow into the living incarnation of God's wisdom (logos). However, God, being a gentleman, gave the young woman a choice. One could argue that part of why he selected her is that he knew she would say yes, but the option was there for her to say no. And only after thoughtful consideration of God's reason for choosing her, what this would mean for her, and whether or not she could trust these visions at all did she say yes.
When she realized how blessed she had been, the woman wrote a song about the experience. Later, the part of her story most discussed would be that she had a child while remaining a virgin, but from what she wrote, that was clearly the furthest thing from her mind. Instead, she expressed her gratitude that she, the humble creature that she was, had been chosen to help God lift up the poor and suffering and bring the mighty down a peg. Indeed, even in later centuries, some of her devoted priests would admonish those who thought they could raise themselves to her level only through chastity, saying that instead they ought to emulate her kindness, thoughtfulness, and humility.
The woman did carry out her part in God's plan. She had the child, raised him and loved him, and stayed by his side through his rise, fall, and even his execution. After his death, she continued her work on his behalf, and became the beloved and admired mother figure to those who had been his friends. When she died, they celebrated her life and her work, and she ascended bodily into heaven to be again with her son. Since then, her legend has only grown, with stories of her doing extraordinary things (such as blocking a sword with her bare hands) for those who showed loyalty to her family.
***
As you have no doubt figured out by now, this is the (legendary) life and times of Mary of Nazareth, also known as the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the story of her life as cobbled together from the Gospel of James, the Gospel of Luke, the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine, Nicholas Love's Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, and the sermons of Bernard of Clairvaux. And what I have gleaned from it is that Mary was freaking awesome.
Why don't we talk about Mary anymore? When did she get relegated to nothing more than Jesus's mom, who just kind of gave birth to him and that was the long and short of it? Why isn't she celebrated anymore for what her character really represents - a strong and quick-minded young woman who was rewarded for her good life beyond her wildest dreams? This, keep in mind, is the medieval depiction of her. You'd think her PR team could do better, given another 600 years to think about it.
I understand that the new Pope is advocating a new focus on Mary in Catholic theology. I hope it actually happens, because I want to see a lot more of her in modern times.