~by Susi Pittman

Mary did not win the lottery.

She was not a “lucky” number drawn by God out of the cosmos to be the one to receive God’s overshadowing.

Mary was first given a singular grace. In the Church’s doctrine on The Immaculate Conception, it is stated:

In the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary ‘in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin.’

Mary was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin at the first moment of her animation, and sanctifying grace was given to her before sin could have taken effect in her soul. The immunity from original sin was given to Mary by a singular exemption from a universal law through the same merits of Christ, by which other men are cleansed from sin by baptism. Mary needed the redeeming Saviour to obtain this exemption, and to be delivered from the universal necessity and debt (debitum) of being subject to original sin.

(New Advent.org; APA citation. Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved November 27, 2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm)

Mary especially created and redeemed is the new Eve who brings forth the new Adam and for the New Testament, she is the New Ark of the Covenant whose womb was home to the Incarnate Word. Ladies, she is spiritually different than you and I and that is a good thing and she is as unique a creature as God has ever created on this earth!

God rectifies all things. As Eve failed in loving God and brought forth loss and death for all, Mary succeeds in loving God and brings forth God’s only begotten Son to redeem all.

Don’t you know that really ticked Satan off! God used (and I use this in the holiest sense) a woman to rebuke Satan’s actions in the Garden of Eden with Eve. Aiii-Eeee!

The New Testament drama of Mary traveling pregnant to visit her elderly relative Elizabeth relates how Sacred Scripture shared the announcement and recognition of the coming Messiah. Women would minister to one another and to the world. As they embrace in greeting, Elizabeth proclaims:

“Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb! And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, the moment that the sound of thy greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who has believed because the things promised her by the Lord shall be accomplished.”

To which Mary responded:

“My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because He That is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His Name. And His mercy is from generation unto generation, to them that fear Him.

He hath shown might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their thrones, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy: as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”

It is here that I find my dignity as a woman in my Roman Catholic faith. It is here that I take the example of these two holy women and allow them to mentor me in the presentation of my life. Mary led a simple life devoted to her God and her family. Such a vocation is sorely in need.

If God thought it so very important that women work in ministering the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to their families and communities, than I too embrace that role! I bask in it as I sit upon the footstool of my Creator.

I have seen throughout the Bible the continuous support and cooperation that holy women have given to God and to men. I believe in the beauty of playing a supporting role to both.

I don’t see the rather ludicrous demand for women priests to be anything but a throw-back to the early days of the fight for women’s equality in this country, except that it is in a clerical arena….we certainly know what fruits the earlier one netted for us!

Thank you Father for making me a woman, created to share in the great dignity that you have given every woman who loves the Lord. Thank you for the perfect model in Mary the Mother of Jesus!

May Mary, the Mother of God-Jesus the Savior, dwell in your hearts and in your homes, blessing you with heavenly love, joy and peace as you move in prayerful celebration to the upcoming Birth of Jesus the Christ.

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Susi Pittman is founder of CatholicStewardsofCreation.com and Owner-President of Twin Oaks Publishing; she is author of Animals in Heaven? Catholics Want to Know!; an advocate for the Florida Catholic Conference; a member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Council of Women in Jacksonville, Florida; an Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Augustine;a member of the Florida Publishers Association, Independent Book Publishers Association, the National Association of Professional Women, the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and the National Audubon society.