A Down To Earth Mary

As a clergy, I cannot speak something heretical. When I was writing my annual research paper on Transsexualism before ordination, I told myself, "You had better speak your mind as much and as openly as possible in your thesis. After ordination, you won't have a chance." But I am a rebel, am not a disciplined soul. Like a naughty student, I always want to test the limits. I do not reject dangerous ideas. I trust in God who will deliver me and turns evil into goodness. To prevent some weaker souls from my contamination, this article will have English version only.

At the back of my mind, I always entertain the idea that it is OK for the BVM to have sex and give birth to brothers and sisters of Jesus. It was understandable for the Church to promote virginity and there were grave reasons to promulgate the dogma of Perpetual Virginity of the BVM in order to defend the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. But for pastoral reasons, I feel it less appealing to uphold a Mary too holy and other worldly to imitate or to implore. Of course, if you need her protection, she must be perfect in order to give you a sense of security. However, for ordinary women suffering in the society, a more down to earth Mary is more approachable. Moreover, God's glory is manifested when He transforms evil to virtue. God is glorified when down-trodden women are elevated to sainthood.

I can imagine an unwed teenage mother facing an extremely difficult and hazardous prospect ahead. She did not fully understand God's plan in making her pregnant, but she had faith in God her Saviour (Luke 1:47). Christians in later generations have painted too rosy a picture of the Holy Family. But it was also possible that this young woman might reject this child from unwanted pregnancy. The mother-son relationship might be very bumpy, not to mention the tensions in the husband-wife relationship too. According to Church tradition, Joseph never had sex with Mary. Poor Joseph! How he had to handle his libido! Perhaps he sublimed it to superb carpentry. Once Fr. Fedrigotti, SDB, my respected professor in HKCBI, explained that Joseph dared not to touch Mary because she was God's woman (not his exact wording, but my interpretation and exaggeration!). Joseph understood that he was the custodian of Mary and Jesus. Of course, this understanding works in the Roman Catholic Church, but not in the other Christian denominations. I don't care how other Christian denomination challenge the Catholic tradition. I only wonder how victims of domestic violence would be able to accept consolations from a holy blessed virgin who never knew men (1:34). Sex education has long been a taboo topic in Catholic schools which simply do not know how to talk about it when all the icons and language of the Church is so immaculate in sexuality. The Theology of Body by the late Pope St. JPII is a good beginning in providing the language. But still, it is too holy.

Returning to Jesus who had grown up as a rejected child, what sorts of mentality would he develop? Blood lineage might not be important anymore. He had to look for establishing relationship elsewhere. He discovered that God would be his ultimate life-line even though the whole world rejected him. He identified God as his Father in heaven. Therefore, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? ... For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother, my sister and my mother." (Matthew 12:48, 50) makes sense. The paradox is that this statement confirms that the BVM was the mother of Jesus. Who could surpass the BVM in doing the will of God, even under the most unfavourable circumstances?

May God be glorified. Amen.