How to approach the Blessed Virgin Mary

It is clear to me that the Bible refers to her as Blessed and a Virgin. The early church was sure she was ever Virgin so I go with that. I don't ask for her intercessory prayers but hold her a touch higher than a standard saint or divine because she is the Theotokos.

 

I think 'Blessed' is appropriate and supported by scripture no less. Luke 1:48. No valid reason to not exercise the faith that she was a virgin before the birth of Jesus but after would be truly miraculous, given the way human beings come into the world using the same passage as most of them are conceived through. Unless it is speculated that Christ was delivered by Caesarian Section and Mary had no further children. There is also scriptural evidence that Mary had children after Jesus, all younger brothers and sisters to him, unless some came from a previous marriage of Joseph's. Mark 3:20-21, Mark 6:3.

The pious notion that Mary was forever a virgin springs more from wrong theological assumptions about her, concerning sex, birth and purity. Some squeemishly pious folk can't cope with the Theotokos having sexual intercourse at any time in her entire life but I can see no reason whatever that she shouldn't have had, just like any other saintly Matron.
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I am content to retain the traditional ascriptions of perpetual virginity for devotional purposes provided they can be understood metaphorically. It is interesting to me that the Reformers weren't willing to let that go.

 

And it’s been helpful to me to be reminded of St Augustine’s guide to a proper understanding of Mary, which goes against the RC view of her:

He said that it was not Mary’s womb or her person, but her faith in Christ, that made her blessed…

Whereas the RC’s minimize (or omit altogether!) her faith, and maximize her womb, fabricating her immaculate conception, making her into the queen of the universe

it really interferes with a good christian who’s just trying to offer a devoted thought to our wonderful Mary

Indeed Mary, Miriam… such model of ideal femininity, what a great person in sacred history

 

All believers/followers of the Lord are blessed. See Romans 4:7-8, and the Sermon on the Mount. Reading more than that basic connotation into the verse is unwarranted. Recall that Jesus called Peter "blessed," and moments later Jesus told him, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" (Matt. 16)

We are counseled to be like Christ, but the Bible never says 'be like Mary.'

 

Perhaps not in those exact words, but the fact that the Magnificat has been part of the daily cycle of prayers throughout Christendom for centuries says a lot about how our faith should be manifested.

 

Well the Bible does say in the Magnificant that all generations will call me blessed. So I go with the Bible can call her blessed

 

We commemorate specific saints because we seek to emulate them.

 

But contextually the word 'blessed' is more about what she received, than anything she was. Whereas most people who refer to The 'blessed' VM are attributing to her some special holy attribute, rather than acclaiming the 'blessing' for mankind implanted in her womb.
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Newman had some interesting things to say about this in his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine:

 

That might be but as for me she is the Theotokos and so is special because of that and the Bible says all generations will call me blessed so I refer to her as that.

 

I had no intention of gainsaying your devotional praxis. Who am I to say what you should do or what you should think?
Being Jesus's mum puts the BVM in an exulted position as far as I'm concerned too. I just make no wild assumptions, as to exactly how she joined her ancesters.

 

I think it quite clear God gave mary an exalted status. He chose her to be the Theotokos. It would seem throughout history she has been considered as highly favoured by God. I believe she is worthy of the adjectives 'Blessed' and 'Virgin'.

 

Why "approach"?

 

"Approach" is often a by-word for the manner in which we think or speak about a subject.

 

For me it sounds very much like "how to walk up to her to wish her a Good Morning!"

 

That's how to approach Mary!

 

The first stanza is scripture, quoted. The second is in contradiction to Article 22.

 

In Latin and in English:


Latin:
Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui,
Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

English:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

What article from where?
And what does it say?