#The testament of mary play full#

Mary gives birth to God the Son made man, and thus, as one ancient antiphon states, a wonderment of nature takes place, for a creature gives birth to her Creator. The Nativity of Jesus (Lk 2:4-20): Mary вЂњbrought forth her first-born Son and wrapped him in swaddling clothesвЂќ (Lk 2:7). Mary then, inspired by the same Holy Spirit, proclaims her вЂњMagnificatвЂќ or song of praise glorifying the Lord, in which she rightly prophesies that all generations will call her blessed (Lk. In bringing the unborn Jesus into the presence of Elizabeth, two events of grace take place: Elizabeth prophesies by the Holy Spirit and the unborn John is sanctified in ElizabethвЂ™s womb: вЂњWhen Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe in her womb leapt, and she was filled with the Holy SpiritвЂќ (Lk 1:41). The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56): Mary immediately departs for the hill country to serve her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary freely and actively participates in God becoming man, and is thus immediately the unique cooperator (or Co-redemptrix) with the Redeemer, a cooperation that will continue unto Calvary and for the rest of her earthly life.

#The testament of mary play full#

The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary (Lk 1:26-38): вЂњHail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.вЂќ When Mary gives her вЂњfiatвЂќ or вЂњlet it be done to meвЂќ to the angelвЂ™s invitation directed to her as вЂњfull of grace,вЂќ the Virgin of Nazareth becomes the Mother of Jesus and all the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah are brought to life and fulfillment. Let us now survey the principal Marian references in the New Testament, with a greater treatment of their inspired meanings as they relate to the respective dogmas and doctrines: From her вЂњyesвЂќ which brings us our Redeemer, to the prophecy of the piercing of her heart by Simeon, to her intercession for the newly married couple at Cana, to her united suffering with her Son for the worldвЂ™s Redemption at Calvary, the New Testament reveals not a woman in Scripture, but The Woman of Scripture.

Mary was to be the perpetual example of hidden holiness, of interior sanctity-a model for Christians of all future ages.ДЇor these reasons, it was very fitting that Mary, as the humble handmaid of the Lord, not receive a more developed treatment in the New Testament, so as not to diminish the primacy of her Son and the efficient preaching of the Good News.ДЄt the same time, the New Testament manifestation of the Mother of Jesus remains a revelation of the greatest creature in human history who participates more than any other creature in the mission of the Savior. Moreover, it was important that during MaryвЂ™s lifetime her humility was rightly respected and protected. Since it was commonplace for many pagan religions of the time to deify woman in representing a particular virtue or power, the revelation of the roles and virtues of Mary had to be revealed both in truth and in humility. An immediate full revelation of all the extraordinary prerogatives and roles of JesusвЂ™ Mother could inadvertently encourage seeing her as a goddess along side Jesus himself. Of great importance in the appropriate biblical revelation of Mary was the avoidance of anything that would support any perception of her as a goddess. MaryвЂ™s obscurity protected and focused the attention of the Apostolic Church towards the single primacy of Jesus and his heavenly origins. In other words, to avoid concluding that the вЂњwise, pure and holyвЂќ Jesus was simply the product of a very вЂњwise, pure and holyвЂќ mother. Her honor, of course, arises first and foremost from her being the Mother of Jesus.ДЇurther, the comparative obscurity of Mary was important to avoid any rash conclusion of an all too human conception of Jesus. The proper adoration of Jesus had to be established before any secondary veneration of Mary would be appropriate or fitting. The complete attention of the faithful in the infant years of the one Church of Christ had first to be directed pre-eminently to Jesus Christ himself. The question may be asked, вЂњWhy is there not a greater quantity of references or degree of development concerning Mary in the New Testament?вЂќ For several reasons, the New Testament revelation of the Mother of Jesus had to be both profound and concise. The greatest events of the New Testament, in particular the Incarnation and the Redemption, manifest the central role played by Mary in intimate cooperation with and under her Divine Son in the historic work of human salvation. The New Testament reveals the fulfillment of the woman prophesied in the Old Testament in ways beautiful, mysterious, and profound.