St Ignatius of Antioch wrote, Mary’s virginity and giving birth, and even the Lord’s death escaped the notice of the prince of this world; these three mysteries worthy of proclamation were accomplished in God’s silence. ‘Today, with the great feast of Christmas Day just around the corner, we urge you to find some peace and quiet to reflect in prayer and silence on one of these mysteries, the mystery of Jesus’ birth.
The Virgin Birth is beyond human understanding. That a human being could be conceived without human seed and by the Holy Spirit defies nature and stands before us as one of the most amazing and incredible miraculous interventions of God in human affairs. Faith in the virginal conception of Jesus has always been met with opposition, mockery, and incomprehension from many quarters. The Church has from the beginning confessed and proclaimed that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
When he came to earth, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity became a human being just like us. Turning once again to St. Ignatius of Antioch, we affirm with a hearty Amen that we too ‘are firmly convinced about the Lord, who is truly of the race of David, according to the will and power of God, truly born of a virgin…he was truly nailed to a tree for us in his flesh under Pontius Pilate…he truly suffered, as he is also truly risen.’
As we ground ourselves in our faith, we will become increasingly more certain of the truth that Jesus was born of the Virgin. We will also grow in our understanding that while Jesus is Mary’s only son, her spiritual motherhood extends to all humankind. God is our Father. Mary is the spiritual mother of all believers, and we strive with all our heart, soul and strength during Advent & Christmas tide to imitate her.
