THE LOVE BETWEEN JESUS AND MARY AN INSEPARABLE LOVE

INTRODUCTION

The unique inseparability of the love between Jesus and Mary in the plan of redemption and salvation cannot be fathomed. The love between Jesus and Mary is a love between a  and a son, united with one bond and affection. Mary loved Jesus deeply as her son, but she learned to love Him first and foremost as her Savior and Lord. In the rest of the Gospels, we see her as a disciple among the disciples at the foot of the or a prayer meeting after the resurrection.

Therefore, this paper tends to elucidate more on the love between Jesus and Mary an inseparable love.

ETYMOLOGY OF LOVE

Love is from the Greek word "philo" meaning love. The roots of the word "love" can be traced back to the Indo-European root leubh, meaning "to care" or "to desire". Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure.  St.  Paul emphasizes the greatest gift, that gift is love, and all can possess love because it has been poured into our hearts by the spirit[1]. Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant[2]. Love must impregnate all the other gifts, for it is love that unites, serves and builds up.

WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew-Aramaic word Yeshua, meaning “Yahweh [the Lord] is salvation.” The name Christ is a title for Jesus. It comes from the Greek word “Christos,” meaning Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem by order of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, for claiming to be the King of the Jews. He resurrected three days after his death, appeared to his disciples, and then ascended into heaven “the Anointed One,” or “Messiah” in Hebrew[3].

WHO IS MARY?

Mary (in English) Miriam (in Hebrew) or Maryam (in Arabic) was born into the Jewish community around 20BC in Nazareth, Galilee.  Mary is known from biblical references, which are, however, too sparse to construct a coherent biography. The development of the doctrine of Mary can be traced through titles that have been ascribed to her in the history of the Christian communions ]guarantee of the Incarnation, virgin mother, second Eve, mother of God, ever virgin, immaculate, and assumed into heaven. She has several feast days in various Christian traditions, several of which are holy days of obligation for Roman Catholics[4].

LOVE BETWEEN JESUS AND MARY AN INSEPARABLE LOVE

Today, the Church lifts for us the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, who ushered in a new beginning for all humanity and whose “soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord”[5].  “Whenever we look to Mary,” Pope Francis has said, “we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness”[6]

Mary loved God as Jesus’ mission from His heavenly Father gets clearer.  She loved him dearly as her earthly son, but as we see His ministry progressing and His crucifixion nearing, Mary’s relationship with her son changes.  The Victor Bible Commentary speaks of this in relation to the wedding in Cana.  “Jesus is about to perform the first of His miraculous signs; a sign that will reveal His glory and move His disciples to put their faith in Him.”  When Mary comes to Him and interacts with Him as her earthly son in her usual way, “gently, Jesus rejects Mary’s importunity, and shows her that now no earthly relationship can bind Him, since He is truly setting out on His Father’s business.”  Jesus is now subject to the Father alone.

With maternal concern, Mary the Mother of God who is also Mother of the Church looks out for us and accompanies us in our pilgrim journey.  Our Blessed Mother is also the supreme model of what our faith should be.  We should want to have that same faith as she who believed that “nothing will be impossible for God”[7] and be able to say “yes” to God all the time.  If we were each to fully cooperate with God’s power and grace, like Mary, imagine all the light and love there would be in the world.

CONCLUSION

According to Father Paul K. Raftery O.P. states that the bond of relationships between Jesus and Mary goes far beyond that of any other believer and even also Mary's involvement with the blessed Trinity. She will forever have a relationship with God, especially the son of God that far surpasses the relationships of any other believer[8].

According to Pope St. John Paul II; in the history of salvation; Jesus and Mary are inseparable and united, and this definitive alliance is integral to the Church's doctrine concerning our redemption to her piety and liturgical celebration of God's saving action in the Paschal mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection and to her pastoral pedagogy in the ways of faith and holiness of life.

Bibliography

1. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete in Domino (9 May 1975), 22: AAS 67 (1975).
2. Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 1: AAS 98 (2005)
3. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (8 December 1975), 80: AAS 68 (1976)
4. Fairchild, Mary. "Get to Know Jesus Christ, the Central Figure in Christianity." Learn Religions, (Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/profile-of-jesus-christ-701089).
5. Evangelii Gaudium, No.  288.
6. Theology of laity retrieved on 7th  2023 from Wikipedia; https:// rosarycenter.org/theology-for-the-laity

Rev. Fr. JosephMartins Edebeatu SHL 

Former Local Superior Sons of Two Hearts of Love, Ikot Ekpene Community, Nigeria.