ACC ~ Mark 3 v35

WHETHER MARY WAS CLOSER TO HIM AS PARENT OR BELIEVER

AUGUSTINE: What else does he here teach us, than to prefer to kinship “after the flesh” our descent “after the Spirit.” [1] He teaches that persons are united by nearness of spirit to those who are just and holy, and that by obeying and following they cleave to their teaching and conduct. Therefore Mary is more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. For to the one who said, “Blessed is the womb, which bore you!” he himself answered: “Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.” [2] Concerning his own brothers, his own relatives after the flesh, who at first did not believe in him, [3] he found dubious advantage in being their kin. As for Mary, her nearness as a mother would have been little help for her salvation if she had not borne Christ in her heart in a more blessed manner than in the flesh. [4] ON VIRGINITY 3. [5]

[1] Cf. Rom 8:1-5; Gal 4:29.

[2] Lk 11:27-28.

[3] Jn 7:4.

[4] Mt 3:8-10; Lk 11:27-28; Rom 9:1-8.

[5] Cetedoc 0300, 3.237.5; GMI 74**.

THE GROUND OF MARY’S BLESSEDNESS

AUGUSTINE: She did the Father’s will. It was this in her that the Lord magnified, not merely that her flesh gave birth to flesh. … When he said, “Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it,” [1] he was in effect saying: “My mother whom you have called blessed is blessed for the reason that she keeps the Word of God, not that the Word was made flesh in her and dwelt among us, [2] but that she keeps the very Word of God through which she was made and which was made flesh in her.” TRACTATE ON JOHN 10.3.2. [3]

[1] Lk 11:28, in response to the exclamation “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you.”

[2] Jn 1:14.

[3] Cetedoc 0278, 10.3.8; FC 78:214**.