Hermeneutics for Mary

“All human beings desire to know,” This opening sentence of Aristotle’s metaphysics brings out the peoples’ innate longing for truth. The task of hermeneutics is the service to the text and going beyond the text. On the other hand, returning to the text is an indispensible step for meaningful hermeneutics. Hermeneutics clears the way towards a more holistic approach to the ‘being’ and ‘understanding’ of humans and their world. Hermeneutics is an awareness of the truth that cannot be encapsulated in proportions but a truth that constantly and critically draws our attention. I have chosen to speak of the doctrine rather than the dogma, and this calls for hermeneutical comment. All I want to do is to try out some new ideas, new ways of looking at the dogma of the immaculate conception, in the hope that this may contribute to a clear understanding of the universal dialogue. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception invites us to take a deeper look, to turn towards the divine mystery that will shape our life. Mary is presented as a model. Mary is a door to the mystery. The Biblical picture of Mary invites us to take again this concept into account in our Marian Hermeneutics, piety and doctrine.

Mariology, far from being peripheral in the totality of revelation, is rather the meeting-place for a great many Christian doctrines. Anthropology, Christian theology, Ecclesiology and the mystery of salvation are among the doctrines associated with Mariology. Mariological doctrines, such as the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, throw new light on the truths of faith from which they have been derived and strengthened the coherence and unity of the many elements, which together constitute the Christian faith. The second Vatican council, in choosing to portray Mary as the model of the Church, opened the way to new interpretations. With Mary, we begin to understand the depth, fullness and mystery of humankind. The Marian dogmas are seen as specifically symbolizing the created freedom and the final transformation of the world for which humans hope. Here I analyze the dogma on the basis of an anthropology that is human-centered and unifying. Marian dogmas, which exalt Mary, immaculately conceived, reflect our own human destination. The task is to recognize the potential of this dogma in order to give meaning to our life and to human destiny for our times.

Let me begin my interpretation……there is one privilege, in particular, that we consider fitting to treat here is her Immaculate Conception. The Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of sin was solemnly defined in 1854 by Pope Pius IX in these words. We declare and define that the most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God and in view of the merits of Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

 The most Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved immune from all sin. This means that her whole being is included in God’s grace. She becomes the symbol of the redeemed world.

 From the first moment of her conception. In this, she differs from John the Bapist who was sanctified in his mother’s womb at the greeting of Mary.

 By the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, she is sanctified by God before making a personal decision. In this, we find an analogy in infant baptism.
 In view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, it is Christ Jesus who redeems her by preserving her from original sin.

It is commonly accepted today that the term ‘original sin’ is to be understood not only as the sin committed by Adam, but also as the sinful state in which the world exists now. Every person that comes into the world becomes part of this world of sin and his life is going to be subjected to that movment of deviation away from God. By the sacrament of Baptism, the Christian is inserted into the new world of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. He acquires a new relationship with God in Christ and a new relationship in Christ to the human community. It is important to note here that there is a relationship, which is ontologically realized, that is, by the action of God. Applying the above concept of original sin and its removal to Mary, we will be able to trace a more appropriate picture of the doctrine of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Mary was born into the world of sin. If this was not the case she would have no part with Jesus Christ in saving the world, and consequently she would not form part of the history of salvation. As such, we may say that she is also the daughter of Adam. This is clearly shown in the genealogies of the gospels.

o Immaculte Conception is entirely an action of God on Mary, to which Mary had to give her personal response all through her life. But as far as God was concerned, it was a reality that was done once and for all at the first moment of her human existence. But as far as Mary was concerned, it was to be realized through a daily struggle of fidelity.

o Immaculate Conception did not free her from all the consequences of belonging to a sinful world. She had to experience the weight of sin, not because she committed them, but bacause she had to struggle against them. It is in this Mary becomes the model of the Church.

o Mary’s Immaculate Conception is a privilege, which carries with it also a service. It is also a service through suffering and struggle. Mary’s Immaculate Conception initiates her into a constant battle against evil through suffering and sorrow, thus becoming the New Eve, collaborating with the New Adam in the building up of the new human community.

o Mary’s Immaculate Conception, by initiating her into the world of Christ, already from the beginning of her life, makes her life become a life of apostolic witness.

o The Immaculate Conception breaks down the stuctures that stand on the way of the coming of the Kingdom. When God’s love is fully translated into human love, we have the kingdom of God.

The only obstacles to it are the kingdom that we have built, in continuation of the effort of the first man to beomce like God through longing for power. “You will be like God” (Gen 3:5). The sinful structures of today are the outcome of the wrong interpretation of the kingdom by the evil one. Mary, instead, understands the kingdom of God in the correct way and collaboration with God in building it up by her constant effort to build up a community of love.

Dear friends, Mary is not a static or plastic model to be merely admired or imitated. She is a dynamic person who is present to us today through her glorification. If she is with God, she is also with us, in our pilgrimage towards the kingdom of God. The word “spiritual” here should be understood as the action of the Holy Spirit operating in the whole person. The Immaculate Conception is a reality that affected the whole person of Mary. Mary is an active model of liberation. Let us become like her a full collaborator in the liberating mission of Christ.

This is a Sermonette given by Cl. Robert Iniyasi thought it sort of captured my mind and so here it is.