TRÁI TIM MẸ:  NƠI CON NƯƠNG NÁU - ĐƯỜNG ĐẾN VỚI CHÚA

"Chúa Giêsu muốn dùng con để làm cho Mẹ được nhận biết và yêu mến"

December 29, 2008 –  Monday in Christmas Octave      DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION: "This child is set for the fall and rising of many" UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S): BETHLEHEM'S DIVINE LIGHT SPREAD OUT OVER ALL THE EARTH; POPE RECALLS STEPHEN, ASKS LIBERATION OF THOSE SEQUESTERED; GIVING WITNESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY URGENT CALL FOR PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND SAINT OF THE DAY St. Thomas Becket  GENERAL MARIOLOGY Mary and the Fathers of the Church The Christian Controversialists DIVINE MERCY On Humility, Humiliation The depth of Jesus' Meekness and Humility  TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION: INSTRUCTION DIGNITAS PERSONAE ON CERTAIN BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS Second Part: New Problems Concerning Procreation Techniques for assisting fertility   Monthly Index

DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION

Monday (12/29): "This child is set for the fall and rising of many" Scripture: Luke 2:22-35 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; 30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in  Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." Meditation: Is your life in tune with the Holy Spirit? Simeon was a man who was just towards others and devout towards God. He gladly accepted the mission God called him to perform with much fervent prayer and with patient expectation. His whole life was in tune with the Holy Spirit.  His was found daily in the temple in prayer and worship and in humble and faithful expectation for the day that the Lord would comfort his people.  As the days and months grew into years he never lost hope. When  Joseph and Mary presented the child Jesus in the temple, Simeon immediately recognized the Lord’s presence in his temple. Through eyes of faith he say the infant Jesus as the fulfillment of all the messianic prophecies, hopes, and prayers of the people of Israel. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he prophesied that Jesus was to be "a revealing light to the Gentiles". Jesus came not only as “light and salvation” for the people of Israel, but for all nations as well. Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God manifested his presence in the “pillar of cloud” by day and the “pillar of fire” by night as he led them through the wilderness. God’s glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). When the first temple was build in Jerusalem God’s glory came to rest there (1 Kings 8). After the first temple was destroyed, Ezekiel saw God’s glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9). That promise is fulfilled when the “King of Glory” himself comes to his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1).  Through Jesus’coming in the flesh and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension we are made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17). Do you recognize that you are God’s temple and that his Spirit dwells within you? Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph and he prophesied to Mary about the destiny of this child and the suffering she would undergo for his sake. There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way. Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? "Lord Jesus, may I recognize your visitation and be prepared for your action today, just as Simeon Anna were prepared and ready to respond to your visitation and action in their day." Psalm 96:1-6 1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.   RETURN TO TOP

UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS

BETHLEHEM'S DIVINE LIGHT SPREAD OUT OVER ALL THE EARTH   VATICAN CITY, 25 DEC 2008 (VIS) - At noon today, the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, the Pope gave his traditional Christmas message and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica.    Extracts of the message are given below:    "Every Christmas crib is a simple yet eloquent invitation to open our hearts and minds to the mystery of life. It is an encounter with the immortal Life which became mortal in the mystic scene of the Nativity ".    "This proclamation of hope - the heart of the Christmas message - is meant for all men and women. Jesus was born for everyone, and just as Mary, in Bethlehem, offered Him to the shepherds, so on this day the Church presents Him to all humanity, so that each person and every human situation may come to know the power of God’s saving grace, which alone can transform evil into good, which alone can change human hearts, making them oases of peace".    "May the many people who continue to dwell in darkness and the shadow of death (cf. Lk 1:79) come to know the power of God’s saving grace! May the divine Light of Bethlehem radiate throughout the Holy Land, where the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians. May it spread throughout Lebanon, Iraq, and the whole Middle East. May it bring forth rich fruit from the efforts of all those who, rather than resigning themselves to the twisted logic of conflict and violence, prefer instead the path of dialogue and negotiation as the means of resolving tensions within each country and finding just and lasting solutions to the conflicts troubling the region".    "This light, which brings transformation and renewal, is besought by the people of Zimbabwe, in Africa, trapped for all too long in a political and social crisis which, sadly, keeps worsening, as well as the men and women of the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in the war-torn region of Kivu, Darfur, in Sudan, and Somalia, whose interminable sufferings are the tragic consequence of the lack of stability and peace. This light is awaited especially by the children living in those countries, and the children of all countries experiencing troubles, so that their future can once more be filled with hope".    "Wherever the dignity and rights of the human person are trampled upon; wherever the selfishness of individuals and groups prevails over the common good; wherever fratricidal hatred and the exploitation of man by man risk being taken for granted; wherever internecine conflicts divide ethnic and social groups and disrupt peaceful coexistence; wherever terrorism continues to strike; wherever the basics needed for survival are lacking; wherever an increasingly uncertain future is regarded with apprehension, even in affluent nations: in each of these places may the Light of Christmas shine forth and encourage all people to do their part in a spirit of authentic solidarity. If people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart".    "Dear brothers and sisters, today, 'the grace of God our Saviour has appeared' (cf. Tit 2:11) in this world of ours, with all its potential and its frailty, its advances and crises, its hopes and travails. Today, there shines forth the light of Jesus Christ".    "God has come to meet us; He has shown us His face, full of grace and mercy! May His coming to us not be in vain! Let us seek Jesus, let us be drawn to His light which dispels sadness and fear from every human heart. Let us draw near to Him with confidence, and bow down in humility to adore him. Merry Christmas to all!".    Following his message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in 64 languages and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" (to Rome and the world) blessing. MESS/URBI ET ORBI/...                                                                 VIS 081229 (630)   POPE RECALLS STEPHEN, ASKS LIBERATION OF THOSE SEQUESTERED   VATICAN CITY, 26 DEC 2008 (VIS) - At noon today, on the Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr, the Holy Father appeared at the widow of his study to pray the Angelus with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.    In the account of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the Pope said, there is a detail that "during this Pauline Year should be highlighted: the note that 'the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul'".    The Holy Father observed, "St. Paul appears here for the first time, with his Hebrew name of Saul, in the role of a zealous persecutor of the Church. ... Shortly after the martyrdom of St. Stephen and still driven by his zeal against Christians, Saul was struck down by a light from heaven, the extraordinary experience in which the risen Christ appeared to him, spoke to him, and changed his life".    "Saul persecuted the Church and had even participated in the stoning of Stephen. He saw him stoned to death but above all had seen the way in which he died, ever like Christ, that is, praying and forgiving his killers. On the road to Damascus Saul understood that in persecuting the Church he was persecuting Jesus who had died and truly risen; Jesus, alive in His Church, was also alive in Stephen who he had seen die but who now certainly lived together with his risen Lord. We can almost say that in Christ's voice he heard that of Stephen and, as well as by his intercession, divine grace touched his heart".    "In St. Stephen", Benedict XVI concluded, "we see come to fruition the first fruits of the salvation that the Nativity of Christ offered to humanity: the victory of life over death, of love over hate, of the light of truth over the darkness of deception. We give thanks to God that this victory still today allows many Christians not to return evil with evil, but to respond with the strength of truth and love".    After praying the Angelus the Pope gave the following words: "At Christmastime our concern for those who find themselves in conditions of suffering or great difficulty is heightened. I think, among others, of the two consecrated Italian women, Maria Teresa Olivero and Caterina Giraudo, belonging to the Father de Foucauld Contemplative Missionary Movement, who have been held hostage for over a month and a half, together with a group of local members, in the village of El Waq in Northern Kenya. I want them to feel the solidarity of the Pope and all the Church in these moments. May the Lord who, being born, came to give us His love reach the heart of the kidnappers, that they free our sisters so that they might return to their selfless service with our poorest brothers and sisters! I invite you to pray for this without forgetting the many persons held hostage in other places around the world, of whom we do not always have clear news: I am thinking of those held hostage for political as well as other reasons in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa".   ANG/STEPHEN: HOSTAGES/...                                                  VIS 081229 (520)   GIVING WITNESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY   VATICAN CITY, 28 DEC 2008 (VIS) - At noon today, the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the Pope addressed the thousands who had gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus.    The Holy Father affirmed that "the family of Jesus truly merits the title 'holy' because its sole desire was to fulfil the will of God, incarnate in the adorable presence of Jesus. On the one hand, it is a family like all others and as such is a model of conjugal love, collaboration, sacrifice, trust in Divine Providence, industriousness, solidarity, of all those values safeguarded and promoted by the family, contributing in a basic way to the formation of the fabric of every society".    "At the same time", he continued, "the family of Nazareth is unique, different from all others because of its singular vocation tied to the mission of the Son of God. Precisely with this uniqueness it signals to all families, Christian families primarily, the horizon of God, the sweet and demanding primacy of His will, the perspective of heaven to which we are destined".    Benedict XVI then addressed the thousands of persons gathered in Madrid's Plaza de Colon who were participating in a celebration to "pray for the family and dedicate themselves to work in support of it with strength and hope".    The family", he said, "is certainly a grace of God, which allows what He Himself is to be revealed: Love. An eternally gratuitous love that sustains faithfully and without limits, even in moments of difficulty or discouragement. These qualities are eminently incarnate in the Holy Family in which Jesus came to the world and was raised, coming to wisdom with the thoughtful care of Mary and the faithful tutelage of St. Joseph".    "Dear families", he continued, "do not let love, openness to life, and the incomparable bonds that unite your home be corrupted. Ask this continually of the Lord, praying together, that your intentions be illuminated by faith and exalted by divine grace on the path toward holiness. In this way, with the joy of sharing everything in love, you will give the world a beautiful witness of how important the family is for the human being and for society. The Pope is by your side, asking especially of the Lord for those in each family who have the greatest needs of health, work, comfort, and companionship".    The Holy Father concluded, recalling that the 6th World Encounter of Families will take place in Mexico City from 14 to 18 January 2009. "Let us pray for this important ecclesial event, entrusting all family to the Lord, especially those most affected by the difficulties of life and by the wounds of incomprehension and division. May the Redeemer, born in Bethlehem, give to all the serenity and strength of walking united the path of good." ANG/FAMILIES/...                                                                            VIS 081229 (460)   URGENT CALL FOR PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND   VATICAN CITY, 28 DEC 2008 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus today the Pope called for an end to the violence in the Holy Land and asked the international community to do everything possible to help Israelis and Palestinians find a solution to the current conflict.    "The Holy Land, which occupies the thoughts and sentiments of faithful around the world during these days of Christmas", the Holy Father said, "has again seen itself struck by an outbreak of unprecedented violence".    "I am profoundly saddened by the deaths, the wounded, the material damage, the suffering, and the tears of the peoples victim to this tragic recurrence of attacks and reprisals".    "The earthly homeland of Jesus", he exclaimed, "cannot continue being witness to such bloodshed that is repeated without end! I implore an end to the violence, which is to be condemned in all its forms, and the re-establishment of the truce in the Gaza Strip. I ask for a show of humanity and wisdom in all those who have some responsibility in this situation. I ask the international community to do everything possible to help the Israelis and Palestinians out of this dark alley and not to resign themselves - as I said a few days ago in the 'Urbi et Orbi' message - to the twisted logic of confrontation and violence, but to give precedence to the path of dialogue and negotiation".    "We entrust to Jesus, the Prince of Peace", he concluded, "our fervent prayer for these intentions, and to Him, Mary, and Joseph we say: 'Oh family of Nazareth, expert in suffering, grant peace to the world'. Grant it today, above all, to the Holy Land!". ANG/CALL FOR PEACE/HOLY LAND                                        VIS 081229 (270) RETURN TO TOP

DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT

December 29, 2008 St. Thomas Becket (1118-1170)   A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman, a martyr and a saint—that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on December 29, 1170. His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life! Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England, he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral. Thomas Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times. Comment: No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures—against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of life—at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods. Quote: In T.S. Eliot's drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason." RETURN TO TOP

GENERAL MARIOLOGY

Mary and the Fathers of the Church  By Fr. Luigi Gambero, S.M.     The following article is an excerpt from the recently published Marian anthology, Mariology: A Guide for Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, and Consecrated Persons, Seat of Wisdom Books, A Division of Queenship, 2008. Fifteen international Mariology experts contributed to the text. The book features a foreword by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke and has 17 chapters divided into four parts: 1. Mary in Scripture and the Early Church; 2. Marian Dogma; 3. Marian Doctrine; and 4. Marian Liturgy and Devotion. The book is now available from Queenship Publications. To obtain a copy, visit queenship.org. Visit books.google.com and search on "Mariology: A Guide" to view the book in its entirety, or simply click here. Asst. Ed.  (continued) The Christian Controversialists The Christian controversialists of the third century left more powerful works, not only in order to defend Christian faith, but also to attack the errors of its opponents. In doing so, they had the opportunity to explain also the orthodox doctrine of faith. These authors had a more direct and determinative influence in the process, at the outset of Christian theology. The Fathers and the Christian writers of this period began (however infrequently), to write on Mary to deal with her person and her mission in salvation history. Usually they speak of Mary in other contexts, for instance, explaining and commenting on Holy Scripture, dealing with the mystery of the Incarnation or with the person of Jesus Christ, illustrating the life and mission of the Church. Among them St. Irenaeus of Lyons (+ after 178) was foremost, and we concentrate our attention on him. His origins are from Asia Minor, maybe from Smyrna, because in one of his letters he wrote to the Roman presbyter Florinus that in his early youth he had listened to the sermons of Polycarp. Later, for unknown reasons, he left his country and moved to Gaul where he became a presbyter of the church of Lyons and later on bishop, succeeding Photinus who had died as a martyr. His masterpiece is a five-volume work entitled Adversus Haereses, whose original version in Greek is no longer extant, but of which we have a very ancient Latin version made in Northern Africa, probably before 258. He fights heresy, especially the many branches of Gnosticism; but to these heresies he also presents the orthodox teaching of the Church. Another work we have from him, but only in an Armenian version, is the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching (21). The Marian teaching of Irenaeus does not appear like a kerygmatic proclamation, but rather as a true theological and dogmatic reflection. In fact, his development and deepening of the Eve-Mary parallel can be rightly considered the starting point of the theology on Mary. To enter this question, we have to refer to one of the foundations of Irenaeus’ Christology and soteriology, namely the principle of recapitulation (anakephalaiosis). This term, meaning "summing up," is used in its verbal form in Ephesians 1:10, where God is said to sum up all things in Christ. Irenaeus further elaborated on the term and applied it to Christ who, through his obedience, restored fallen humanity to communion with God by taking upon himself all things since the beginning. In other words, God rehabilitates the earlier divine plan of salvation for mankind, which was interrupted by the fall of Adam, and gathers up his entire work from the beginning to renew, to restore, to reorganize it in his Son, who, therefore, through his Incarnation, became the second Adam. This further elaboration is based on other Pauline texts which establish a parallel between Adam and Christ (Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45-49) and presents the work of salvation as a new creation, a repetition of the first one, and the Savior himself as a New Adam. Since by the fall of man the whole human race was lost, the Son of God had to become a man so that the plan of salvation, or the second creation, could be fulfilled in the same way that the first creation was frustrated (22). This recapitulation has two great results: a negative one, consisting in the fact that the effects of the disobedience of the first Adam, namely sin and death, are destroyed (23), because Christ, the second Adam, through his obedience, renewed the ancient conflict against the Devil and overcame him (24). The positive effect is that the whole of mankind was renewed and restored in the second Adam (25). In the framework of the recapitulation of all things in Christ, the role of the Virgin Mary is explained by means of the Eve-Mary parallel. For the first time, Irenaeus gives a theological content to this analogy, so that in it we find the first and most ancient theological reflection on the Mother of God. In his writings, we find three passages asserting this parallelism. By reading the three texts in chronological succession we can better understand the progressive development of his thought. In the first text the Bishop of Lyons does not touch the parallel casually, as Justin did, but he rather makes of it a source for deep theological reflection. We notice that the parallelism between Eve and Mary is perfectly constructed in the form of a sharp antithesis. Eve and Mary were still virgins when they received God’s message, though they already had a husband. Eve disobeyed God; Mary obeyed; and so Eve’s disobedience became the cause of death both to herself and to the whole human race, whereas Mary’s obedience became the cause of salvation (causa salutis) both to herself and to all mankind. Eve’s disobedience tightened knots around our liberty; Mary’s obedience set us free from such knots. Eve’s disobedience follows from her unbelief; Mary’s obedience is caused by her faith: Even though Eve had Adam for a husband, she was still a virgin…. By disobeying, she became the cause of death for herself and for the whole human race. In the same way, Mary, though she also had a husband, was still a virgin, and by obeying, she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race. … The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience. What Eve bound through her unbelief, Mary loosed by her faith (26). In the second passage, the Eve-Mary antithesis is set side-by-side with the Adam-Christ parallel. From the antithetic role of Christ in regard to Adam and that of Mary in regard to Eve, Irenaeus draws the conclusion that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve, balancing by her obedience the disobedience of Eve, as Jesus through his correction amended the sin of Adam. Thus Irenaeus not only puts the role of Mary within Christ’s redemptive plan, but he also clearly explains that Mary has a function strictly joined with Christ’s function, as Eve did with Adam: Eve was seduced by the word of the (fallen) angel and transgressed God’s word, so that she fled from him. In the same way, (Mary) was evangelized by the word of an angel and obeyed God’s word, so that she carried him (within her). And while the former was seduced into disobeying God, the latter was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve. And just as the human race was bound to death because of a virgin, so it was set free from death by a Virgin, since the disobedience of one virgin was counterbalanced by a Virgin’s obedience. If, then, the first-made man’s sin was mended by the right conduct of the first-born Son (of God), and if the serpent’s cunning was bested by the simplicity of the dove (Mary), and if the chains that held us bound to death have been broken, then the heretics are fools; they are ignorant of God’s economy, and they are unaware of his economy for (the salvation of) man (27). We also notice that the role of Mary does not only parallel the role of Eve; much more, it interferes in the plan of Eve, since Mary directly overcomes the guile of the serpent with her simplicity. The third text comes from the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching. Here Irenaeus stresses the concepts both of death and life. Death comes from the disobedience of Eve, life from the obedience of Mary: Adam had to be recapitulated in Christ, so that death might be swallowed up in immortality, and Eve (had to be recapitulated) in Mary, so that the Virgin, having become another virgin’s advocate, might destroy and abolish one virgin’s disobedience by the obedience of another virgin (28). Further on, Irenaeus justifies the fact that the Lord took his body from the Virgin Mary, a descendant of Adam, instead of becoming incarnate in a creature extraneous to us, because the work of salvation had to be achieved within the same human race. Irenaeus’ insistence on this parallelism ought to be explained by his concern to refute the error of Tatian, a Christian apologist of Gnostic tendency, former disciple of St. Justin and founder of the sect of the Encratites. He is the author of the Diatessaron, a kind of synopsis of the four gospels. Irenaeus argues against him that Adam and Eve, after their sin, recovered grace and the friendship of God. He could not accept that our ancestors were damned, and accused Tatian of being guilty of this heresy. Irenaeus wants to demonstrate that both Adam and Eve were saved by Christ, in anticipation of his redemptive work, in which Mary had her own role to play. In this economy the human race receives a new progenitor, in place of the first Adam. But since the first woman was also implicated in the fall by her disobedience, the work of salvation starts also by the obedience of a woman. Giving life to the New Adam, she becomes the New Eve, the true Mother of the living. Therefore Irenaeus says that Mary is causa salutis, as antitype of Eve who was causa mortis. According to Irenaeus, in the economy of salvation Mary’s function as second Eve is not limited to a merely negative and physiological cooperation as Virgin and Mother. Her cooperation involves activities of the moral order. Her obedience to the word of God was conscious and free. Moreover, her consent had a soteriological character, because she knew that the Incarnation of the Son of God was in view of the redemption of mankind. In the other two passages we have quoted, Irenaeus applies to Mary the title of advocate. It is the first time in the history of ancient Christian literature that this word is attributed to the Blessed Virgin (29). In what sense can Mary be termed Eve’s advocate? Here, Mary did the opposite of what Eve did; and in that way she removed the lamentable effects of Eve’s disobedience. So Eve will not be condemned anymore as responsible for the ruin of humankind, because this ruin was removed by means of Mary’s obedience. In conclusion we might affirm that the current doctrine of Mary’s universal mediation and cooperation in redemption has its most ancient roots in the teaching of the Bishop of Lyons. Many years ago J.M. Bover had already seen in St. Irenaeus a clear defender of the doctrine on Marian mediation (30), and more recently other scholars have come to the same conclusion (31). Evidently modern terminology (mediatio, mediatrix, coredemptio, co-redemptrix) was not known by Irenaeus; but their content, that is the true doctrine on Marian mediation and collaboration in the salvific economy, seems to have been clearly taught by the Bishop of Lyons. Irenaeus of Lyons considered the Virgin Mary not only as the subject of a dogmatic formula, but as a person with a specific identity. She is the woman who has to counterbalance Eve, and repair the damages caused by the latter. Theological reflection on the Virgin Mary brought to light some questions regarding her person. Questions were raised about Mary’s perpetual virginity, and the reality of her perpetual virginity was quickly affirmed by the Fathers, with the exception of Tertullian. The belief in this truth was transmitted through different traditions: liturgical, dogmatic, apologetic, and also apocryphal. In any case, all these traditions agreed in their purpose of defending Mary’s perpetual virginity. People denying this truth became more and more rare in the Church, and by the time of Origen (+c.253), only heretics refused to accept Mary’s perpetual virginity. A few authors, following the Protoevangelium of James, identified the "brothers of the Lord" with children born of a former marriage of Joseph. Others gave more credit to the explanation of Hegesippus, a Christian author of the second century, whose fragments are quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea, and whose explanation seems to be closer to Palestinian traditions. Hegesippus said that the brothers of the Lord must be identified with his cousins. If the virginitas ante partum and in partu could directly affect the person of Jesus, the virginitas post partum seemed more directly related to the person of Mary, to her glorification and to the desire of the faithful, who liked to look at Mary as a perfect pattern of virginal life. In the third century, and especially in the fourth, several elements testify that Mary was indeed the object of devotion in earlier times. One of these elements would be the famous prayer, Sub Tuum Praesidium. This prayer, known for many centuries in a Latin version, was originally believed to belong to the Middle Ages; but in 1917 the original Greek text, probably of the third century, was discovered in a papyrus acquired by the John Rylands Library of Manchester. Many are the documents testifying that the Mother of God was already venerated in previous centuries, such as the numerous accounts of the virgin birth, the symbols and pictures found in the Roman catacombs, and the homilies of the Fathers of the Church. All these elements cannot be interpreted as a sudden phenomenon. Certainly they presume a preceding tradition. Reflecting on the personal and special relationship between Mary and her Son, ecclesial tradition also became aware of her special association with God’s salvific economy. On this particular point the writings of Justin and Irenaeus opened a long tradition lasting up to our day. The Fathers of the Church usually came to this conclusion by considering three facts. First, Mary’s personal relationship with the Redeemer required a partnership with him in his work, as Eve was Adam’s partner in sin. Secondly, the Adam-Christ parallelism led to the opposing of Eve with another woman whose attitude and behavior would neutralize Eve’s attitude and behavior, the cause of our sin. Thirdly, the Fathers saw Jesus’ virgin birth as the type of our new birth in Christ through the sacrament of Baptism. Hence, Mary was not a mere passive instrument for the Incarnation. The active and responsible aspect of Mary’s cooperation in the redemptive work of Jesus, which was intuited by Justin and Tertullian, was clarified and deepened by Irenaeus, whose doctrine exerted a tremendous influence on future generations. In the famous Alexandrian school of theology, the great Origen is renowned, even for his Marian thought. He shared in the New Testament teaching on the Virgin Mary as Mother of God and ever-Virgin. But he formulated a curious theory about Mary’s holiness. He understood Christian sanctity as a continual journey that makes progress toward higher forms of the spiritual life. According to this dynamic concept of Christian perfection, he thought that Mary could not have been totally holy from the beginning of her life; she also had to make progress in holiness. For this reason Origen incorrectly posited that Mary had some defects and imperfections; for instance, she suffered doubt and scandal on Calvary (32). However, the great thinker of the Alexandrian school did not avoid exalting Mary’s sanctity and virtues. (to be continued)  RETURN TO TOP

DIVINE MERCY

Dairy from St. Faustina On Humility, Humiliation  The depth of Jesus' Meekness and Humility Jesus gave me to know the depth of His meekness and humility and to understand that He clearly demanded the same of me (Diary, 758). The Lord, so very great though He is, delights in humble souls. The more a soul humbles itself, the greater the kindness with which the Lord approaches it (Diary, 1092). RETURN TO TOP

CATHOLIC  TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH INSTRUCTION DIGNITAS PERSONAE ON CERTAIN BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS (continued) Second Part: New Problems Concerning Procreation   11. In light of the principles recalled above, certain questions regarding procreation which have emerged and have become more clear in the years since the publication of Donum vitae can now be examined. Techniques for assisting fertility 12. With regard to the treatment of infertility, new medical techniques must respect three fundamental goods: a) the right to life and to physical integrity of every human being from conception to natural death; b) the unity of marriage, which means reciprocal respect for the right within marriage to become a father or mother only together with the other spouse;[19] c) the specifically human values of sexuality which require “that the procreation of a human person be brought about as the fruit of the conjugal act specific to the love between spouses”.[20]  Techniques which assist procreation “are not to be rejected on the grounds that they are artificial. As such, they bear witness to the possibilities of the art of medicine. But they must be given a moral evaluation in reference to the dignity of the human person, who is called to realize his vocation from God to the gift of love and the gift of life”.[21] In light of this principle, all techniques of heterologous artificial fertilization,[22] as well as those techniques of homologous artificial fertilization[23] which substitute for the conjugal act, are to be excluded. On the other hand, techniques which act as an aid to the conjugal act and its fertility are permitted. The Instruction Donum vitae states: “The doctor is at the service of persons and of human procreation. He does not have the authority to dispose of them or to decide their fate. A medical intervention respects the dignity of persons when it seeks to assist the conjugal act either in order to facilitate its performance or in order to enable it to achieve its objective once it has been normally performed”.[24]  And, with regard to homologous artificial insemination, it states: “Homologous artificial insemination within marriage cannot be admitted except for those cases in which the technical means is not a substitute for the conjugal act, but serves to facilitate and to help so that the act attains its natural purpose”.[25] 13. Certainly, techniques aimed at removing obstacles to natural fertilization, as for example, hormonal treatments for infertility, surgery for endometriosis, unblocking of fallopian tubes or their surgical repair, are licit. All these techniques may be considered authentic treatments because, once the problem causing the infertility has been resolved, the married couple is able to engage in conjugal acts resulting in procreation, without the physician’s action directly interfering in that act itself. None of these treatments replaces the conjugal act, which alone is worthy of truly responsible procreation. In order to come to the aid of the many infertile couples who want to have children, adoption should be encouraged, promoted and facilitated by appropriate legislation so that the many children who lack parents may receive a home that will contribute to their human development. In addition, research and investment directed at the prevention of sterility deserve encouragement. (to be continued)   RETURN TO TOP

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