SOLEMNITY OF MARY THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD.

 

SOLEMNITY OF MARY THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. 

When the fullness of time had come (according to Saint Paul's letter to the Galatians 4: 4-7), "God sent his son born of a woman to... redeem us" from slavery to sin so that we may gain sonship with him, in order that we can call God 'ABBA' Father. While on the cross completing the mission for which he was born, he said to the disciple he loved "Behold thy mother". He shared not just his father with us but also his mother, so that like him we will be Children of God and of Mary. 

THE ROLE OF MOTHERS IN THE CHURCH

 

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH

The world population statistics as at the 16^th of July 2021, 9:05pm, shows that there are about 7.9 billion persons in the world, made up of about 3.98 billion men and 3.91 billion women. Although the number of men is slightly above that of women, but more men die early enough than women as they approach the advancement of years.[1] The imminent query is: if a woman is naturally a home maker, the backbone of the home and by extension the society, and if a woman would by nature live longer than her male counterpart, what then is happening to our society? Why is the society sick from the absence of the womanness in our women? Where has the home-making spirit in our women fled to? The heart throbbing question is: where is the womanhood in our women? What are the recalcitrant problems besieging motherhood? Do our mothers still realize that when they are feeding, nurturing, soothing hurts, cleaning up the messes at home, they are doing the most important jobs on earth, which is rearing the next generation[2]? Or do they now see these menial tasks as below their dignity?

I think it would make quite some sense to begin this exploration of our topic from the role of women in the larger sphere of humanity. 

The Issue of Mortal Sin and Fundamental Option: COMMENT ON NUMBER 70 OF VERITATIS SPLENDOR

 

The heated debate and seemingly apparent dichotomy between human freedom which plays itself out in some erroneous conceptions of the autonomy of reason in our world today, and the demands of the moral law which is an expression of divine wisdom, formed the basis for the encyclical of the holy father. He would state quite clearly that the autonomy of human reason by which man expresses his freedom of choice in no way suggests that man is the creator of moral norms. Rather, it suggests that man has been endowed with the rational and practical capacities to do the good and avoid evil. Bestowed thus with these capacities, man expresses his fundamental freedom- something which is more foundational, deeper and divergent from the freedom of choice in particular-singular acts, in what is aptly called a fundamental option.

THREE REASONS WHY HUMAN RIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT IN THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH.

 

INTRODUCTION

In the briefing paper which was the result of a research carried out by the Center for Reproductive Rights in October 2011, while trying to defend the position that women have a right to decide what happens to their body as regards abortion, stated that “International law guarantees women the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.[1]” While we seek to present some of the very many reasons why human rights are so vital in the church’s teachings, it is also important we understand that not only the church, but also the secular society, upholds the right of every human person. Although, this latter sometimes tends towards a dangerous humanism, the point remains that every human possesses an indispensable and fundamental right to life, association, religion, expression and so on.

MARY'S APPROACH

 There is a striking approach to troubling events that can be observed in Mary. Mary seemed, according to the Bible passages, to be untroubled by the various issues that should have ordinarily troubled her. Look at the peaceful response at Gabriel’s message (Lk. 1:38), the peaceful pondering at Simeon’s warnings (Lk. 2:51), the calmness at Cana(Jn. 2:4), the submission at the Cross (Jn. 19:27) and the patience at the upper room (Acts. 1:14). Mary shows an attitude towards things that may not be referred to as abnormal but uncommon amongst the Children of Adam.