Posted on 12/05/2005 4:56:34 PM PST by Rosary
The Mother of Jesus is given a great rememberance in the Catholic Church. She is reverenced as the woman,who said,"Behold the handmaid of the Lord,be it done unto me, according to Thy word". With deep confidence,trust,and faith Mary accepted her destiny as asked of her by St. Gabriel,the Archangel,the messenger of God. Mary,was humble and never asked to be put on a honor list.Mary,was simple and never boasted of her title as Mother of the Son of God. Mary was chosen,amoung thousands of other women to be the Mother of Jesus.Her purity,love and fear of God,her prayers were always that God's will be done in her.Give glory to God for Mary,who whose Immaculate Conception is the reason Jesus came to all mankind. She was Jesus' Mother. She brought forth the God-man for the salvation of all mankind.
The Orthodox veneration of
the Theotokos (Mother of God)
by Blessed Archbishop John Maximovitch
Mother of GodThe Orthodox Church teaches about the Mother of God that which Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture have informed concerning Her, and daily it glorifies Her in its temples, asking Her help and defence. Knowing that She is pleased only by those praises which correspond to Her actual glory, the Holy Fathers and hymn-writers have entreated Her and Her Son to teach them how to hymn Her. "Set a rampart about my mind, O my Christ, for I make bold to sing the praise of Thy pure Mother" (Ikos of the Dormition). "The Church teaches that Christ was truly born of Mary Ever-Virgin" (St. Epiphanius, "True Word Concerning the Faith").
"It is essential for us to confess that the holy Ever-Virgin Mary is actually Theotokos (Birth-giver of God), so as not to fall into blasphemy. For those who deny that the Holy Virgin is actually Theotokos are no longer believers, but disciples of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (St. Ephraim the Syrian, "To John the Monk").
From Tradition it is known that Mary was the daughter of the aged Joachim and Anna, and that Joachim descended from the royal line of David, and Anna from the priestly line. Notwithstanding such a noble origin, they were poor. However, it was not this that saddened these righteous ones, but rather the fact they did not have children and could not hope that their descendants would see the Messiah. And behold, when once, being disdained by the Hebrews for their barrenness, they both in grief of soul were offering up prayers to God - Joachim on a mountain to which he had retired after the priest did not want to offer his sacrifice in the Temple and Anna, in her own garden, weeping over her barrenness -- there appeared to them an angel who informed them that they would bring forth a daughter. Overjoyed, they promised to consecrate their child to God.
In nine months a daughter was born to them, called Mary, Who from Her early childhood manifested the best qualities of soul. When She was three years old, her parents, fulfilling their promise, solemnly led the little Mary to the Temple of Jerusalem; She Herself ascended the high steps and, by revelation from God, She was led into the very Holy of Holies by the High Priest who met Her, taking with Her the grace of God which rested upon Her into the Temple which until then had been without grace. (See the Kontakion of the Entry into the Temple. This was the newly-built Temple into which the glory of God had not descended as it had upon the Ark or upon the Temple of Solomon). She was settled in the quarters for virgins which existed in the Temple, but She spent so much time in prayer in the Holy of Holies that one might say that She lived in it. (Service to the Entry, second Sticheron on "Lord, I have cried,"and the "Glory, Both Now Being adorned with all virtues, She manifested an example of extraordinarily pure life. Being submissive and obedient in all, She offended no one, said no crude word to anyone, was friendly to all and did not allow any unclean thought (abridged from St.Ambrose of Milan, "Concerning the Ever-Virginity of the Virgin Mary").
"Despite the righteousness and the immaculateness of life which the Mother of God led, sin and eternal death manifested their presence in Her. They could not but be manifested: Such is the precise and faithful teaching of the Orthodox Church concerning the Mother of God with relation to original sin and death" (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Exposition of the Teaching of the Orthodox Church on the Mother of God"). "A stranger to any fall into sin" (St. Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on the 118th Psalm), She was not a stranger to sinful temptations. "God alone is without sin" (St. Ambrose, same source), while man will always have in himself something yet needing correction and perfection in order to fulfil the commandment of God; Be ye holy as I the Lord your God am Holy (Leviticus 19:2). The more pure and perfect one is, the more he notices his imperfections and considers himself all the more unworthy.
The Virgin Mary, having given Herself entirely up to God, even though She repulsed from herself every impulse to sin, still felt the weakness of human nature more powerfully than others and ardently desired the coming of the Saviour. In Her humility She considered Herself unworthy to be even the servant-girl of the Virgin Who was to give Him birth. So that nothing might distract Her from prayer and heedfulness to Herself, Mary gave to God a vow not to become married, in order to please only Him Her whole life long. Being betrothed to the elderly Joseph when Her age no longer allowed Her to remain in the Temple, She settled in his house in Nazareth. Here the Virgin was vouchsafed the coming of the Archangel Gabriel who brought Her the good tidings of the birth from Her of the Son of the Most High. Hail, Thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed an Thou among women ... The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee: wherefore also that which is to be born shall be holy and shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:28-35).
Mary received the angelic good tidings humbly and submissively. "Then the Word, in a way known to Himself, descended and, as He Himself willed, came and entered into Mary and abode in Her" (St. Ephraim the Syrian, "Praise of the Mother of God"). "As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires" (St. Ephraim the Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41). The Light abode in Her, cleansed Her mind, made Her thoughts pure, made chaste Her concerns, sanctified Her virginity" (St.Ephraim the Syrian, "Mary and Eve") "Once who was pure according to human understanding, He made pure by grace" (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Exposition of the Teaching of the Orthodox Church on the Mother of God").
Mary told no one of the appearance of the angel, but the angel himself revealed to Joseph concerning Mary's miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:l8-25); and after the Nativity of Christ, with a multitude of the heavenly host, he announced it to the shepherds. The shepherds, coming to worship the new-born one, said that they had heard of Him. Having previously endured suspicion in silence, Mary now also listened in silence and kept in her heart the sayings concerning the greatness of Her Son (Luke 2:8-19). She heard forty days later Symeon's prayer of praise and the prophecy concerning the weapon which would pierce Her soul. Later She saw how Jesus advanced in wisdom; She heard Him at the age of twelve teaching in the Temple and everything She kept in Her heart (Luke 2:21-51)
Even though full of grace, She did not yet fully understand in what the service and the greatness of Her Son would consist. The Hebrew conceptions of the Messiah were still close to Her and natural feelings forced Her to be concerned for Him, preserving Him from labours and dangers which it might seem, were excessive. Therefore She favoured Her Son involuntarily at first, which evoked His indication of the superiority of spiritual to bodily kinship (Matt. 12:46-49). "He had concern also over the honour of His Mother, but much more over the salvation of Her soul and the good of men, for which He had become clothed in flesh" (St.John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, Homily 21). Mary understood this and heard the word of God and kept it (Luke 11:27,28). As no other person, She had the same feelings as Christ (Phil. 2:5), unmurmuringly bearing the grief of a mother when She saw Her Son persecuted and suffering. Rejoicing in the day of the Resurrection, on the day of Pentecost. She was clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit Who descended upon Her taught (Her) all things (John 14:26), and instructed (Her) in all truth (John 16:13). Being enlightened, She began to labour all the more zealously to perform what She had heard from Her Son and Redeemer, so as to ascend to Him and be with Him.
The end of the earthly life of the Most Holy Mother of God was the beginning of Her greatness. "Being adorned with Divine glory" (Irmos of the Canon of the Dormition), She stands and will stand, both in the day of the Last Judgment and in the future age, at the right hand of the throne of Her Son. She reigns with Him and has boldness towards Him as His Mother according to the flesh and as one in spirit with Him, as one who performed the will of God and instructed others (Matt. 5:19). Merciful and full of love, She manifests Her love towards Her Son and God in love for the human race. She intercedes for it before the Merciful One, and going about the earth, She helps men.
Having experienced all the difficulties of earthly life, the Intercessor of the Christian race sees every tear, hears every groan and entreaty directed to Her. Especially near to Her are those who labour in the battle with the passions and are zealous for a God-pleasing life. But even in worldly cares She is an irreplaceable helper. "Joy of all who sorrow, and intercessors for the offended, and feeder of the hungry, consolation of travellers, harbour of the storm-tossed, visitation of the sick, protection and intercessor for the inform staff of old age, Thou are the Mother of God on high, O Most Pure One" (Sticheron of the Service to the Hodigitria). "The hope and intercession and refuge of Christians", "The Mother of God unceasing in prayers" (Theotokion of the Third Tone). "She day and night doth pray for us and the sceptres of kingdoms are confirmed by Her prayers" (daily Nocturne).
There is no intellect or words to express the greatness of Her Who was born in the sinful human race but became "more honourable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim." "Seeing the grace of the secret mysteries of God made manifest and clearly fulfilled in the Virgin, I rejoice; and I know not how to understand the strange and secret manner whereby the Undefiled has been revealed as alone chosen above all creation, visible and spiritual. Therefore, wishing to praise Her, I am struck dumb with amazement in both mind and speech. Yet still I dare to proclaim and magnify Her: She is indeed the heavenly Tabernacle" (Ikos of the Entry into the Temple). "Every tongue is at a loss to praise Thee as is due; even a spirit from the world above is filled with dizziness, when it seeks to sing Thy praises, 0 Theotokos. But since Thou art good, accept our faith. Thou knowest well our love inspired by God, for Thou art the Protector of Christians and we magnify Thee" (Irmos of the 9th Canticle, Service of the Theophany).
from The Orthodox veneration of the Mother of God
http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/Veneration.html
Da mihi habenas.
That's one of the most interestng things I seen on this forum in quite a long time.
Salve Regina
Verse 1
Salve Regina coelitum, O Maria!
Sors unica terrigenum, O Maria!
Verse 2
Mater misericordiae, O Maria!
Dulcis parens clementiae, O Maria!
Chorus
Jubilate, Cherubim, Exsultate, Seraphim!
Consonante perpetim: Salve, Salve, Salve Regina.
Pray the First Luminous Mystery
"The Luminous Mysteries remind us to follow Jesus, the light of the world."
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River
Our Father
John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching. "Turn away from your sins and be baptized," he told the people, "and God will forgive your sins." (Mark 1,4)
Hail Mary
Not long afterward Jesus came from Nazareth in the province of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (Mark 1,9)
Hail Mary
Baptism of Jesus - Fra AngelicoAs soon as Jesus came up out of the water, he saw heaven opening and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. (Mark 1,10)
Hail Mary
And a voice came from heaven, "You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you." (Mark 1,11)
Hail Mary
For God so loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. (John 3,16)
Hail Mary
Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mark 16,14)
Hail Mary
Peter said to them, "Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2,38)
Hail Mary
You were baptized into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself. (Galatians 3,27)
Hail Mary
Those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that the Son may be the first among many believers. (Romans 8,29)
Hail Mary
And those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them. (Romans 8,30)
Hail Mary
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
ray the Second Luminous Mystery
"The Luminous Mysteries remind us to follow Jesus, the light of the world."
Miracle at Cana's Wedding Feast
Our Father
The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory... (John 1,14)
Hail Mary
Wedding Feast at Cana - BordoneThere was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. (John 2,1-2)
Hail Mary
When the wine had given out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They are out of wine." "You must not tell me what to do," Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." (John 2,3-4)
Hail Mary
Jesus' mother then told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2,5)
Hail Mary
Jesus said to the servants, "Fill these jars with water." They filled them to the brim, and then he told them. "Now draw some water out and take it to the man in charge of the feast." They took him the water, which now had turned into wine, and he tasted it. He did not know where this wine had come from. (John 2,7-8)
Hail Mary
He called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serve the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now." (John 2,9-10)
Hail Mary
Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believe in him. (John 2,11)
Hail Mary
No longer will you be called "Forsaken," "The Deserted Wife."
Or your land be called "The Deserted Wife." (Isaiah 62,4)
Hail Mary
Your new name will be "God is Pleased with Her."
Your land will be called "Happily Married,"
Because the Lord is pleased with you
And will be like a husband to your land. (Isaiah 62,4)
Hail Mary
Like a young man taking a virgin as his bride,
He who formed you will marry you.
As a groom is delighted with his bride,
So your God will delight in you. (Isaiah 62,5)
Hail Mary
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Pray the Third Luminous Mystery
"The Luminous Mysteries remind us to follow Jesus, the light of the world."
Jesus Preaches the Good News
Our Father
Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom, and healing people who had all kinds of disease and sickness. (Mark 4,23)
Hail Mary
Then Jesus went home. Again such a large crowd gathered that Jesus and his disciples had no time to eat. (Luke 3,29)
Hail Mary
Sermon on the Mount - Fr AngelicoWhen Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6,34)
Hail Mary
Then Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him. "If any of you want to come with me," he told them, "you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me." (Mark 8,34)
Hail Mary
Some people brought their babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. The disciples saw them and scolded them for doing so, but Jesus called the children to him and said, "let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18,15-16)
Hail Mary
"I am the light of the world," he said. "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness." (John 8,12)
Hail Mary
"I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep." (John 10,11)
Hail Mary
"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die." (John11,25)
Hail Mary
"I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22,27)
Hail Mary
"This, then, is what I command you: love one another." (John 15,17)
Hail Mary
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Will you please quit spamming this thread?
Pray the Fourth Luminous Mystery
"The Luminous Mysteries remind us to follow Jesus, the light of the world."
The Transfiguration
Our Father
Jesus took Peter, John , and James with him and went up a hill to pray. While he was praying, his face changed in appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white. (Luke 9,28-29)
Hail Mary
Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in heavenly glory and talked with Jesus about the way in which he would soon fulfill God's purpose by dying in Jerusalem. (Luke 9, 30-31)
Hail Mary
Transfiguration - Fra AngelicoPeter and his companions were sound asleep, but they woke up and saw Jesus' glory and the two men who were standing with him. (Luke 9,32)
Hail Mary
As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, how good it is that we are here. We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Luke 9,33)
Hail Mary
While he was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow; and the disciples were afraid as the cloud came over them. (Luke 9,34)
Hail Mary
A voice said from the cloud, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen -- listen to him!" (Luke 9,35)
Hail Mary
When the voice stopped, there was Jesus all alone. The disciples kept quiet about all this and told no one at the time anything they had seen. (Luke 9,36)
Hail Mary
See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children --and so, in fact, we are. (1 John 3,1)
Hail Mary
We are God's children now, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. (1 John 3,2)
Hail Mary
But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. (1 John 3,2)
Hail Mary
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
No, Blessed Mary wasn't special! She was just picked out of how many billions of women to be the vessel of our Salvation. Billions upon billions, yet she merits no consideration beyond the consideration one would give to a stranger. Blessed Mary gave back what Eve took away. No! No future generations will call her blessed, you'd think that was Scriptural or something!
Now that I've got that off my chest, I wonder if anyone remembers Leonard Cohen's Song of Bernadette? This song is part of Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat CD. It's simple and beautiful, and I really love it.
There was a child named Bernadette
I heard the story long ago
She saw the Queen of Heaven once
and kept the vision in her soul
No one believed what she had seen
no one believed what she had heard
that there were sorrows to be healed
and mercy, mercy in this world
So many hearts I find
broke like yours and mine
torn by what we've done and can't undo
I just want to hold you
won't you let me hold you
like Bernadette would do
We've been around, we fall, we fly
we mostly fall, we mostly run
and every now and then we try
to mend the damage that we've done
Tonight, tonight I just can't rest
I've got this joy here inside my breast
to think that I did not forget
that child, that Song of Bernadette
So many hearts I find
broke like yours and mine
torn by what we've done and can't undo
I just want to hold you
come on let me hold you
like Bernadette would do
I just want to hold you
won't you let me hold you
like Bernadette would do
Even that old troubador Cohen gets it. God Bless Leonard and may the Blessed Mother keep an eye on him too.
Pray the Fifth Luminous Mystery
"The Luminous Mysteries remind us to follow Jesus, the light of the world."
Institution of the Eucharist
Our Father
When it was evening, Jesus and the twelve disciples sat down to eat. During the meal Jesus said, "I tell you, one of you will betray me." (Matthew 26,20-21)
Hail Mary
The disciples were very upset and began to ask him, one after the other, "Surely, Lord, you don't mean me?" (Matthew 26,22)
Hail Mary
Judas, the traitor, spoke up. "Surely, Teacher, you don't mean me?" he asked. Jesus answered, "So you say." (Matthew 26,25)
Hail Mary
First Eucharist - Fra AngelicoWhile they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. "Take and eat it," he said, "this is my body." (Matthew 26,26)
Hail Mary
Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them. "Drink it, all of you," he said; "this is my blood, which seals God's covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26,27)
Hail Mary
"I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty." (John 6, 35)
Hail Mary
"Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day." (John 6,54)
Hail Mary
"There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am." (John 14,3)
Hail Mary
"Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid." (John 14,27)
Hail Mary
"My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them." (John 15,12-13)
Hail Mary
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Tempus meum tero.
Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert.
I don't think I ever heard it...wow...I do like Leonard Cohen.
I'll Sing A Hymn To Mary
Verse 1
I'll sing a hymn to Mary,
The Mother of my God,
The Virgin of all virgins,
Of David's royal blood.
O teach me, Holy Mary,
A loving song to frame,
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
To love and bless thy name.
Verse 2
O Lily of the Valley,
O Mystic Rose, what tree,
Or flower, e'en the fairest,
Is half so fair as thee?
O let me, tho' so lowly
Recite my Mother's fame.
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I'll love and bless thy name.
Verse 3
O noble Tower of David,
Of gold and ivory.
The ark of God's own promise,
The gate of Heav'n to me.
To live and not to love thee
Would fill my soul with shame.
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I'll love and bless thy name.
The absolute purity of Mary
Patristic writings on Mary's purity abound.
* The Fathers call Mary the tabernacle exempt from defilement and corruption (Hippolytus, "Ontt. in illud, Dominus pascit me");
* Origen calls her worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, most complete sanctity, perfect justice, neither deceived by the persuasion of the serpent, nor infected with his poisonous breathings ("Hom. i in diversa");
* Ambrose says she is incorrupt, a virgin immune through grace from every stain of sin ("Sermo xxii in Ps. cxviii);
* Maximum of Turin calls her a dwelling fit for Christ, not because of her habit of body, but because of original grace ("Nom. viii de Natali Domini");
* Theodotus of Ancyra terms her a virgin innocent, without spot, void of culpability, holy in body and in soul, a lily springing among thorns, untaught the ills of Eve nor was there any communion in her of light with darkness, and, when not yet born, she was consecrated to God ("Orat. in S. Dei Genitr.").
* In refuting Pelagius St. Augustine declares that all the just have truly known of sin "except the Holy Virgin Mary, of whom, for the honour of the Lord, I will have no question whatever where sin is concerned" (De naturâ et gratiâ 36).
* Mary was pledged to Christ (Peter Chrysologus, "Sermo cxl de Annunt. B.M.V.");
* it is evident and notorious that she was pure from eternity, exempt from every defect (Typicon S. Sabae);
* she was formed without any stain (St. Proclus, "Laudatio in S. Dei Gen. ort.", I, 3);
* she was created in a condition more sublime and glorious than all other natures (Theodorus of Jerusalem in Mansi, XII, 1140);
* when the Virgin Mother of God was to be born of Anne, nature did not dare to anticipate the germ of grace, but remained devoid of fruit (John Damascene, "Hom. i in B. V. Nativ.", ii).
* The Syrian Fathers never tire of extolling the sinlessness of Mary. St. Ephraem considers no terms of eulogy too high to describe the excellence of Mary's grace and sanctity: "Most holy Lady, Mother of God, alone most pure in soul and body, alone exceeding all perfection of purity ...., alone made in thy entirety the home of all the graces of the Most Holy Spirit, and hence exceeding beyond all compare even the angelic virtues in purity and sanctity of soul and body . . . . my Lady most holy, all-pure, all-immaculate, all-stainless, all-undefiled, all-incorrupt, all-inviolate spotless robe of Him Who clothes Himself with light as with a garment . ... flower unfading, purple woven by God, alone most immaculate" ("Precationes ad Deiparam" in Opp. Graec. Lat., III, 524-37).
* To St. Ephraem she was as innocent as Eve before her fall, a virgin most estranged from every stain of sin, more holy than the Seraphim, the sealed fountain of the Holy Ghost, the pure seed of God, ever in body and in mind intact and immaculate ("Carmina Nisibena").
* Jacob of Sarug says that "the very fact that God has elected her proves that none was ever holier than Mary; if any stain had disfigured her soul, if any other virgin had been purer and holier, God would have selected her and rejected Mary". It seems, however, that Jacob of Sarug, if he had any clear idea of the doctrine of sin, held that Mary was perfectly pure from original sin ("the sentence against Adam and Eve") at the Annunciation.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm
In Genesis 3:15, Satan is told that emnity will be placed between "him and the woman" and the woman here must refer to Mary because there was obviously no emnity between Satan and Eve as she has already been seduced; and the SAME emnity will be between her (Mary's) Seed (our Lord) and Satan's seed. The emnity between Christ and Satan is without question Eternal and Immaculate, so if the same emnity is between the Blessed Mother and Satan, it too is Eternal and Immaculate.
All Christian tradition (including protestant) refers to Mary's response to Elizabeth as the "Magnificat" because Mary declare that her "soul magnifies the Lord." The word magnify is not used by chance, but rather by design to convey very simple illustration: a soul that is blemished with the stain of sin CANNOT magnify God, a stained soul can only obscure God.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.