Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

49On the Mother of God 97 98Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesfusion. The modus operandi or the mode of effecting of thisunion, the S.O.C. opines, is a mystery because it cannot beexplained by human logic, despite many a theory. It is in theattempt to unravel this mystery that the Christian Church gotsplit up into sects like, Miaphysites as the Jacobites andDyphysites like the Byzantines and the Roman Catholics.The Syrian Antiochaean Patriarch Severius, Bishop JacobBurdaeus, Philoxinose Mabugg were the notable Miaphysiteswho were mistakenly accused of Monophysitism. The councilsof Ephesus and Chalcedon witnessed the internecine fightsof these sects and the consequent mutual anathema. It is asorry and sad plight that the wounds so inflicted have notyet been healed. After all, every Christian shall rememberthat dividing is easy while unification is pretty difficult.3. As this virgin gave birth to Immanuel, the full God and full man,Ref: Is. 7:14... Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear ason, and shall call his name Immanuel. (K.J.V.)CommentThe child that Mary gave birth was Immanuel, which in Hebrewmeans ‘God is with us’. This name was given to Lord Jesusin fulfillment of the prophesy of the great Jewish prophetIsaiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the 8 th century B.C.E. Theterm Immanuel has the following deep theologicalconnotation. It means the immanence of God as distinct fromHis transcendence. This immanent Immanuel or Jesus wasfully God and fully man simultaneously4. The Blessed Virgin is hailed Mother of God. Since Her wombbecame quite suitable to be the throne of the Son of God, andas the Holy Virgin,Ref: Lk. 1:43. Why should this great thing happen to me,that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me? (G.N.B.)CommentThe S.O.C. avows that as the child born of the Blessed Virginhad the full divinity, indissolubly mixed with full humanity in amysterious manner, She is the Mother of God. This is thepoint of distinction from the Nestorians who hail Mary, as theMother of Jesus but not of God. On account of Her humilityand willingness to co-operate with the divine dispensation ofIncarnation, God selected Her womb to be His Throne.5. Never knew man; She remained ever a Virgin.Ref: (a) Jn. 19:26, 27. Jesus saw his mother and the disciplehe loved standing there, so he said to his mother,“He is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Sheis your mother.” From that time the disciple took herto live in his home. (G.N.B.)(b) Ezek. 44:1-3. The man led me to the outer gate at theeast side of the temple area; the gate was closedand the Lord said to me, “this gate will stay closedand will never be opened. No human being is allowedto use it because I the Lord God of Israel, haveentered through it. It is to remain closed...” (G.N.B.)CommentAs St. Mary never knew any man including St. Joseph, thefoster father of Jesus, the S.O.C. asserts that she remainedall throughout Her life a Virgin. She is therefore hailed theever Virgin or technically ‘Sompre Virgo’. She is ever hailedby the S.O.C. as the one filled with divine grace and theVirgin Mother. The latter term sounds paradoxical but forGod everything is possible.6. We shall, in accordance with the annunciation of the Angel giveevery honour to this Holy Mother and desire of her solicitationsfor us.Ref: (a) Lk. 1:28. The angel came to her and said, “Peace bewith you! The Lord is with you and has greatlyblessed you!” (G.N.B.)(b) Lk. 1:48. For he has remembered me his lovelyservant! (G.N.B.)CommentThe justification of the honour or dulia accorded to MotherMary is no mere accident. It is, rather in line with the hailing