1803143. Catholic Lesson 98-105. Virgin and Mother, Mary * The mystery of Christ * The hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth.

* 98-100: Virgin and Mother, Mary 

* 101-103: The mystery of Christ

* 104-105: The hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth 

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98. What does the virginal conception of Jesus mean?

The virginal conception of Jesus means that Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin solely by the power of the Holy Spirit without the intervention of a man. He is the Son of the heavenly Father according to his divine nature and the Son of Mary according to his human nature. He is however, truly the Son of God in both natures since there is in him only one Person who is divine.

Further reading: CCC 496-498, 503

99. In what sense is Mary "ever Virgin"?

Mary is ever virgin in the sense that she "remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin" (Saint Augustine). Therefore, when the Gospels speak of the "brothers and sisters of Jesus", they are talking about the close relations of Jesus, according to the way of speaking used in Sacred Scripture.

Further reading: CCC 499-507, 510-511

100. In what way is the spiritual motherhood of Mary universal?

Mary had only one Son, Jesus, but in him her spiritual motherhood extends to all whom he came to save. Obediently standing at the side of the new Adam, Jesus Christ, the Virgin is the new Eve, the true mother of all the living, who with a mother's love cooperates in their birth and their formation in the order of grace. Virgin and Mother, Mary is the figure of the Church, its most perfect realization.

Further reading: CCC 501-507, 511

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101. In what sense is the life of Christ a Mystery?

The entire life of Christ is a revelation. What was visible in the earthly life of Jesus leads us to the invisible mystery of his divine sonship: "whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Furthermore, even though salvation comes completely from the cross and the resurrection, the entire life of Christ is a mystery of redemptionbecause everything that Jesus did, said, and suffered had for its aim the salvation of fallen human beings and the restoration of their vocation as children of God.

Further reading: CCC 512-521, 561-562

102. How did God prepare the world for the mystery of Christ?

God prepared for the coming of his Son over the centuries. He awakened in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming and he prepared for it specifically through the Old Testament, culminating withJohn the Baptist who was the last and greatest of the prophets. We relive this long period of expectancy in the annual liturgical celebration of the season of Advent.

Further reading: CCC 522-524

103. What does the Gospel teach about the mysteries of the birth and infancy of Jesus?

At Christmas the glory of heaven is shown forth in the weakness of a baby; the circumcision of Jesus is a sign of his belonging to the Hebrew people and is prefiguration of our Baptism; the Epiphany is the manifestation of the Messiah King of Israel to all the nations; at thepresentation in the temple, Simeon and Anna symbolize all the anticipation of Israel awaiting its encounter with its Savior; the flight into Egypt and the massacre of the innocents proclaim that the entire life of Christ will be under the sign of persecution; the departure from Egyptrecalls the exodus and presents Jesus as the new Moses and the true and definitive liberator.

Further reading: CCC 525-530, 563-564

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104. What does the hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth teach us?

In the course of his hidden life in Nazareth Jesus stayed in the silence of an ordinary existence. This allows us to enter into fellowship with him in the holiness to be found in a daily life marked by prayer, simplicity, work and family love. His obedience to Mary to Joseph, his foster father, is an image of his filial obedience to the Father. Mary and Joseph accepted with faith the mystery of Jesus even though they did not always understand it.

Further reading: CCC 533-534, 564


105. Why did Jesus receive from John the "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Luke 3:3)?

To inaugurate his public life and to anticipate the "Baptism" of his death, he who was without sin accepted to be numbered among sinners. He was "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29). The Father proclaimed him to be "his beloved Son" (Matthew 3:17) and the Spirit descended upon him. The baptism of Jesus is a prefiguring of our baptism.

Further reading: CCC 535-537, 565

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