What prompted Our Lady to express a resolution of virginity

Dear Father Bellon,

Merry Christmas!

For some years now, during the Advent preaching, I have heard that Mary, at the greeting and announcement of the Archangel, would have had a moment of doubt, even of “resistance”, but immediately accepting the will of God above her.

Now, according to a correct interpretation of the dogma of original sin, one of the consequences of Adamite sin is the constant doubt, intellectual confusion, weakness of faith, inner tortuosity of the human mind.

Mary is, however, the Immaculate Conception. Therefore, original sin had no influence on the intellectual integrity of her person, except for the structural, creaturely limits and ignorance of human beings even in the state of innocence.

I don’t remember exactly which authors (I should look for them but I’m writing at night), Mary’s amazement, her “I don’t know man” is, more correctly, interpreted as “I have consecrated my virginity to God and I intend to persevere along this path; may my becoming a mother not go against divine will, breaking the vow of virginity. Will this announcement come from Heaven or not?” The acceptance of the announcement would therefore follow the heavenly revelation that God does not intend to break the vow of virginity, on the contrary!

Therefore, Mary’s attitude would not be the result of fear, opposition, or personal interests but rather of a deeper desire and need not to go against God, to serve Him rigorously.

It seems to me that today’s sermons often use a language, in good faith, a little confusing and dangerous, which risks not rendering exactly the nature and consequences (even soteriological) of the Immaculate Conception. In short, the faithful risk not understanding that Mary is truly “full of Grace” in.

What do you think?

God bless her, best wishes!

Francesco Gabriele

Response from the priest

Dear Francesco Gabriele,

1. the words spoken by Mary do not manifest a doubt, but a question.

If they had expressed any doubt, she should have been punished like Zechariah. The latter, when the Angel announced that he would have a son, responded by saying that he was old and his wife sterile.

Mary, as you well observe, had long since expressed her purpose of virginity.

2. She had been driven to this, not only by divine inspiration, but also by her most ardent love for the Lord.

If so many women and men throughout history have wanted to love God with an undivided heart and choose the state of virginity or consecrated chastity, how could we not think that this also happened in Mary, whose desire to be united with the Lord without distraction surpassed that of not only all virgins in history, but also all martyrs and saints?

The fullness of grace, as you rightly point out, led Our Lady to this choice that the Church celebrates on November 21st in the feast of the Presentation.

3. But another reason would also have pushed Our Lady to the point of virginity: her humility.

This unparalleled humility was also the fruit of the fullness of grace and therefore also of the gifts of the Holy Spirit with whom she was adorned in an excellent manner from the first moment of her conception.

She knew that the coming Messiah would not simply be a great man or a great prophet. Isaiah’s words were clear: “He will be called an admirable counselor, a strong God, a Father forever, and a prince of peace” (Is 9:5).

Precisely for this reason she considered herself unworthy of running towards the motherhood of the Messiah. In her humility she let the other girls in Israel run.

Not only that, but on the subject of virginity out of humility, she also pushed her future husband, whom God was already preparing.

4. In the catecheses on Mary John Paul II expressed more or less the same beliefs as us.

He said verbatim: “It must be considered that it was an exceptional inspiration of that same Holy Spirit who, throughout the history of the Church, will push many women on the path to virgin consecration that guided Mary towards the ideal of virginity.

The singular presence of grace in Mary’s life leads us to conclude that the young woman is committed to virginity. Filled with exceptional gifts from the Lord since the beginning of her existence, she is oriented towards a dedication of all herself –soul and body– to God in the virgin offering.

Furthermore, the aspiration to the virgin life was in harmony with that «poverty» before God, to which the Old Testament places great value. By fully committing herself to this path, Mary also renounces motherhood, a woman’s personal wealth, so appreciated in Israel. In this way «She excels among the men and the poor of the Lord, who confidently await and receive salvation from him» (LG, 55). But, presenting herself to God as poor, and aiming for a fertility that is only spiritual, the fruit of divine love, at the moment of the Annunciation Mary discovers that her poverty is transformed by the Lord into wealth: She will be the Virgin Mother of the Son of the Most High. Later she will also discover that her motherhood is destined to extend to all the men the Son has come to save (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 501).

5. I emphasize the Pope’s statement, which coincides with yours: “at the moment of the Annunciation Mary discovers that her poverty is transformed by the Lord into wealth: She will be the Virgin Mother of the Son of the Most High”.

Not only that, but her desire for spiritual motherhood will be fulfilled in an inenarrable manner when at the foot of the cross Christ constitutes her mother of all men in the order of grace.

I greet you.

I remind you of the Lord and bless you.

Father Angelo

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