ANGELICA M. REVIL MS.

DUA
BSN 101

ASSIGNMENT

THE INFANCY NARRATIVES OF JESUS

Matthew 1: 18-25 “The Annunciation”

 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through
the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to
expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.But after he had
considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had
said through the prophet:  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call
him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel
of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  But he did not
consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Luke 1:39-56 “The Visitation”

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth
heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the
Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother
of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child
in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a
fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.'
Luke 2: 1-20 “The Birth of Jesus”
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire
Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of
Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.4 So Joseph also went up from the
town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged
to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be
married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the
baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.8 And there
were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An
angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that
will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to
you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped
in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”15 When the angels had left them and
gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this
thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 So they hurried off and found
Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him,
they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all
these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been
told.

Matthew 2:13-15 

The Flight into Egypt

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to
destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night
and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt
I called My Son.”
Angelica M. Revil Ms. Dua

BSN 101

The Titles of Mary

There are four dogmas stating Mary's  personal relationship with God and her
role in human salvation .

1) Divine Motherhood

Mary's divine motherhood was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in  431.

Various names are used to describe Mary's role as mother of Jesus. She is called
"Mother of God" which translates the more accurately stated greek term
"Theotokos" or "Birthgiver of God."

The Council of Ephesus (431) attributed to Mary the title, Mother of God. This
needs to be read against the Council's declaration that in Christ there are two
natures, one divine and one human, but only one person. Indeed, according to
the Council the holy virgin is the Mother of God since she begot according to the
flesh the Word of God made flesh. This decision was further explained  by the
Council of Chalcedon (451) which says with regard to Mary's divine motherhood:

"...begotten from the Father before the ages as regards his godhead, and in the
last days, the same, because of us and because of our salvation begotten from
the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, as regards his manhood; one and the same
Christ, Son, Lord, only-begotten..."

Mary's Divine Motherhood was not the object of an independent or exclusive

dogmatic declaration. The statement is embedded in texts defining the person
and natures of Jesus Christ. Thus, the dogma of Divine Motherhood becomes an
integral part of the christological dogma. This does not diminish its definitive and
binding character. The dogma of Divine Motherhood is generally accepted by all
Christian denominations.

2) Perpetual Virginity

The expression perpetual virginity, ever-virgin, or simply "Mary the Virgin" refers
primarily to the conception and birth of Jesus. From the first formulations of
faith, especially in baptismal formulas or professions of faith, the Church
professed that Jesus Christ was conceived without human seed by the power of
the Holy Spirit only. Here lies the decisive meaning of expressions such as
"conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary," "Mary's virginal conception," or
"virgin birth." The early baptismal formula (since the 3rd century) state Mary's
virginity without further explaining it, but there is no doubt about its physical
meaning. Later statements are more explicit. Mary conceived "without any
detriment to her virginity, which remained inviolate even after his birth" (Council
of the Lateran, 649).

Although never explicated in detail, the Catholic Church holds as dogma that
Mary was and is Virgin before, in and after Christ's birth. It stresses thus the
radical novelty of the Incarnation and Mary's no less radical and exclusive
dedication to her mission as mother of her Son, Jesus Christ. Vatican II
reiterated the teaching about Mary, the Ever-Virgin, by stating that Christ's birth
did not diminish Mary's virginal integrity but sanctified it . The Catechism of the
Catholic Church ponders the deeper meaning of the virgin bride and perpetual
virginity (499-507). It also maintains that Jesus Christ was Mary's only child.
The so-called "brothers and sisters" are close relations.

3) Immaculate Conception

The solemn definition of Mary's Immaculate Conception is like Divine

Motherhood and Perpetual Virginity part of the christological doctrine, but it was
proclaimed as an independent dogma by Pope Pius IX in his Apostolic
Constitution "Ineffabilis Deus" (December 8, 1854). Though highlighting a
privilege of Mary it in fact stresses the dignity and holiness required to become
"Mother of God." The privilege of the Immaculate Conception is the source and
basis for Mary's all-holiness as Mother of God.

More specifically, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception states "that the most
Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular
grace and privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ,
was kept free of every stain of original sin."

This dogma has both a "negative" and a "positive" meaning which complement
each other. The "negative" meaning stresses Mary's freedom from original sin
thanks to the anticipated or retroactive (here called preventive) grace of Christ's
redemptive act. By the same token, the dogma suggests Mary's all-holiness.
This "positive" meaning is the consequence of the absence of original sin. Mary's
life is permanently and intimately related to God, and thus she is the all-holy.

Although difficult to explain, original sin provokes disorderliness in thought and

behavior, especially with regard to the primacy of God's presence in our life.
Consequently, in declaring Mary immaculately conceived, the Church sees in
Mary one who never denied God the least sign of love. Thus, the dogma declares
that from her beginning Mary was exceptionally holy and in constant union with
the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit.

4) The Assumption

This marian dogma was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950 on
his Encyclical Munificentissimus Deus. A distinction needs to be made between
Ascension and Assumption. Jesus Christ, Son of God and Risen Lord, ascended
into heaven, a sign of divine power. Mary, on the contrary, was elevated or
assumed into heaven by the power and grace of God. The dogma states that
"Mary, Immaculate Mother of God ever Virgin, after finishing the course of her
life on earth, was taken up in body and soul to heavenly glory." This definition
as well as that of the Immaculate Conception makes not only reference to the
universal, certain and firm consent of the Magisterium but makes allusion to the
concordant belief of the faithful. The Assumption had been a part of the Church's
spiritual and doctrinal patrimony for centuries. It had been part of theological
reflection but also of the liturgy and was part of the sense of the faithful. This
dogma has no direct basis in scripture. It was nonetheless declared "divinely
revealed," meaning that it is contained implicitly in divine Revelation. It may be
understood as the logical conclusion of Mary's vocation on earth, and the way
she lived her life in union with God and her mission. The assumption may be
seen as a consequence of Divine Motherhood. Being through, with, and for her
Son on earth, it would seem fitting for Mary to be through, with, and for her Son
in heaven, too. She was on earth the generous associate of her Son. The
Assumption tells us that this association continues in heaven. Mary is
indissolubly linked to her Son on earth and in heaven. In heaven, Mary's active
involvement in salvation history continues: "Taken up to heaven, she did not lay
aside her salvific duty... By her maternal love she cares for the brothers and
sisters of her Son who still journey on earth" (LG). Mary is the "eschatological
icon of the Church" (CCC 972), meaning the Church contemplates in Mary her
own end of times. The definition of the dogma does not say how the transition
from Mary's earthly state to her heavenly state happened. Did Mary die? Was
she assumed to heaven without prior separation of soul and body? The question
remains open for discussion. However, the opinion that Mary passed through
death as her Son did, has the stronger support in tradition.
Glorified in body and soul, Mary is already in the state that will be ours after the
resurrection of the dead.