Mary’s greatest title is “Mother of God”, Mary: Day 137

Last updated on: December 5, 2015 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Mary’s greatest title is “Mother of God”, Mary: Day 137 2015-11-22T13:03:08-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mary’s greatest title is “Mother of God”

St. Alphonsus explains why the saints agree that one of Mary’s titles far exceeds, in greatness and dignity, all the others.

To understand fully the greatness to which Mary was exalted, it would be necessary to understand fully the sublimity and greatness of God. It should be enough, then, to say simply that God made this Blessed Virgin his mother, to understand that God could not have exalted her more than he did exalt her. Arnold of Chartres rightly asserts that God, by becoming the Son of the Blessed Virgin, “established her in a rank far above that of all the saints and angels.”

If this is the case, then we have more than sufficient reason not to be sur- prised when we see that the writers of the sacred Gospels, who have so fully recorded the praises of a John the Baptist and of a Mary Magdalene, yet say so little of the precious gifts of Mary. St. Thomas of Villanova observes that “it was sufficient for them to say of her, ‘the one of whom was born Jesus.’ ”

“What more could you wish the evangelists to have said of the greatness of this Blessed Virgin?” continues the saint. “Isn’t it enough that they declare that she was the Mother of God? In these few words they recorded the greatest, the whole, of her precious gifts. And since the whole was contained in those words, it was unnecessary to go into detail.”

St. Anselm agrees: “When we say of Mary that she is the Mother of God, this alone transcends every greatness that can be named or imagined after that of God.” Peter of Celles, on the same subject, adds: “Address her as Queen of Heaven, sovereign mistress of the angels, or any other title of honor you may please. But you can never honor her so much as by simply calling her the Mother of God.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Have I ever considered that the Gospel writers say so little about Mary, not because she was unimportant, but because her exalted status was revealed in the simple declaration that she was the mother of Jesus?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Germanus: You who are the Mother of God, the lover of men, hear and grant my prayers, and fulfill my petition.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Paul Thigpen and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with Mary

Paul Thigpen

Saint Alphonsus Ligouri

Saint Benedict Press

Previous Post

December 4, 2015

Mary, Mother of God, Mary: Day 136

Next Post

December 6, 2015 Mary, Advocate of Sinners, Mary: Day 138

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz