Just Like A Woman

It's all of 48 years ago now, but I still remember it and probably always shall, as long as I am able to remember anything.

I was in Seminary, in Dogma class, studying Mariology (Mary). Our professor was conducting one of his occasional spot checks to see if we had been paying attention. I was on my feet.

He had asked about the role the Assumption of Mary into heaven played for the church. I knew the exact phrase he was looking for as I had noticed how much he liked it when he first mentioned it. Could I recall it? No way, not then when it mattered in any case. In shame and confusion, I was told to sit down. I had failed the test.

The phrase my teacher wanted to hear was, "Our Lady is the eschatological icon of the church". It means that by the grace of God, Mary was the image of everything the Church could become by remaining faithful to the grace of God. It's put rather well in the preface of the Mass of the Assumption. If you haven't noticed before now, try reading it privately.

But that is the thing about the Church and Mary. The great doctrines we think of as connected with Mary, are actually about Christ and his church, and therefore also about US.

The Immaculate Conception, which by the way has nothing to do with the presence or absence of sexual intercourse, points to the preparation of Mary for her forthcoming role as the Mother of Jesus.

The Virgin birth likewise teaches us that Jesus is a direct gift from God and not the product of human sperm. And now that you know it, please don't you forget that the Assumption is about Mary being the Eschatalogical icon of the Church!

All this is very fine and worth knowing for it helps us to a true (and orthodox) grasp of Church doctrine, BUT....

I can't help thinking that Mary also reminds us of something else also very important to our being Christians. It's there in the opening line of the Gospel passage we use in the Mass of the Assumption."Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth." Luke 1: 39.

And there you have it, one hugely exciting truth about Mary and about all of us too, especially women.

Ask yourself why Mary, having so recently become pregnant herself, set out on that long trip into the hills. The people at mass here the other day had no doubt. "It's what women do, Father". And he was right, it is. Mary was obeying something else God had given her, her womanly instinct to show concern and kindness to one who might need it. Most women seem blessed with this instinct and obey it easily enough, even at the risk of being exploited.

We don't have to travel far to discover the great things God has done for us, they are written clear enough in our better human instincts. Obeying these instincts even at the risk of being exploited may not teach us much about the great doctrines of the church, but they will surely ensure that we will share her Assumption with Mary in heaven.