Mary was young. She was flawed: we all are, and the immaculate conception is disproven by the fact that Mary tried to have Jesus put away when he was preaching out of fear for his life and sanity. She understood precisely what he was saying, and what the consequences could be.
The cultus of Mary is a Western aberration. The Orthodox discuss her as the most blessed of woman, the Christ bearer, and honour her for this. They don’t make her more than she was. For she showed courage in accepting this would happen, and bearing the shame, taking the risk that Joseph would put her away, or that she would be stoned as an adulteress.
And courage is doing your duty when you don’t want to, or it terrifies you. Mary is the best of women: and she made these decisions young. She knew her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant in old age. For nothing, for God, is impossible.
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The young of this generation have a different set of problems. Many are swallowing the narrative, and it is a lie. The undermining of fatherhood is, at its core, a heresy: for God is our father and a good father. If the feminist heresiarettes of this generation want to divorce God, the will reap a crop of anger and despair. The little truth they have will be taken from them, and their lies be made known to all.
Since they ban mockery, they will face the fire.
But Mary is an example because she trusted in God. Despite the risks: she was old enough to see them. Despite the tears every mother sheds for her children. Despite the continual worry: despite the loneliness as her son left and started his ministry. Despite the grief as he hung from a cross.
Mary obeyed her husband and God. Imperfectly, true.
But that makes her a burning witness against the theology of the narrative, and a correction for this generation.
The Orthodox believe that Mary, ever virgin, was without sin, just as the Catholics do. They do not like the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception because it is, in their eyes, too technical of an explanation for her immaculate nature. But they certainly don’t make of her any less, in theology or devotion, than the Catholics do.
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