S4-Day 22: Mary the Unwed Mother

Reflecting Verses: Read Luke 1:26-38

The liturgical traditions of the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church have various feast days in honour of Mary the mother of Jesus. Popular Christian piety in the third and second centuries elaborated her story which eventually led to progression of theological study of Mary i.e. Mariology. The church elaborated her divinity as well as her virtues as a human being thus making her more acceptable and eventually venerable. 

Thoughtful theological discussions were deliberated to establish whether she should be considered mother of God or mother of Christ, and that she was taken physically and spiritually into heaven to live with her son forever. Exalting her humanity in comparison with other women, the church discussed how she conceived a child without losing her virginity due to a sexual intercourse and continued to be a virgin even after the birth of the child. Even though there may have been difference of opinion in acceptance of Mariological doctrines by different churches yet the ‘virginal conception’ is glorified and celebrated in all the traditions. 

Irrespective of the dogmatic distinction, church has by and large presented Mary as an embodied ideal human perfection of spiritual morality. However, in doing so the more human aspect of Mary, the deliverer of God’s incarnation, has been overlooked or conveniently ignored. Mary was not married when she conceived and delivered baby Jesus. 

The idea of an unwed mother being the carrier of human salvation would have perhaps been too much for the early church to even fathom let alone to proclaim. Inherent misogyny not only placed women lower to men but regarded them to be dirty and impure. So the idea of a woman having a child outside patriarchal control i.e. marriage, would have been abhorrent. Therefore, Mary the ‘woman’ had to be glorified as Mary the virtuous ‘mother’ to be acceptable and further to be venerated. Therefore, virginal conception is held to be an important aspect. 

The scripture emphasises repeatedly that Mary found favour with God (v.28 and v.30) and she is not placed in a context where it would have been more agreeable for the society to accept a child being conceived and delivered. God does not place importance to human created social and moral boundaries. In fact, God places our salvation in the context beyond human conventions of morality. On the other hand Luke, the evangelist places Mary as the first believer, a woman willing to stand against all odds to fulfil God’s will and have faith in God’s reign. 

Mary received the Holy Spirit (v.35) much before the apostles did, God chooses an unwed mother, considered illegitimate and dirty by human standards, to deliver the sinless one. God’s action in and through Mary tell us that out of God’s profound love emanates an incessant work of reconciliation and Mary’s response tells us that fulfilling God’s desire will require courage to challenge the boundaries. 

As we prepare for Christmas let us be encouraged by God’s love to carry on the ministry of reconciliation, make positive effort towards restoring to their rightful place all those women that have been hated, abused, labelled dirty and impure. As we read, enact and reflect upon the nativity let us be inspired by Mary to know and accept God’s will and have the courage to push social and moral boundaries to influence what God values. 

Prayer

God the source of love and grace give us the wisdom to understand your scripture that we may learn to value that which you hold important and the courage to proclaim it, becoming the agents of your reign on earth. Amen. 

Author: Rev. Nitin Cutting 

About the Author: Rev. Nitin is an ordained minister of the Church of North India. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity from the Bishop’s College, Kolkata.