Mary as Warrior.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel. (Genesis 3: 15).

Saturday 13th February 2021, in the 5th Week in Ordinary Time.

#1. Who is the woman in our key Scripture?
#2. Who are "they"?
#3. How does the woman fight?
#4. What is the witness of history to the woman's place in the history of the Church?

#1. Although Christian tradition has speculated endlessly as to the identity of the "woman". In this reflection, we follow many Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church in saying that the woman in question is Mary, Mother of the Redeemer. She is full of grace whose Son Jesus will redeem the world from sin. No surprise that Christians see Genesis 3: 15 as Protoevangelium, the Gospel-in-Genesis.

#2. Following #1 above, we can identify "They" as Jesus and Mary. Mary is the perfect disciple of Jesus and the only person who witnessed the unfolding of the Gospel from the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel to the Crucifixion to the birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday. And this is no accident.

#3. How does Mary wage war against the sworn enemy of mankind? The humble Virgin of Nazareth fight with the weapons provided by God: "The weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments" (2 Corinthians 10: 4).

Mary has been honored in the Church as: Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of Angels, Queen of Martyrs, Tower of David. She is a seasoned warrior in the fight against Satan and evil. The weapons she uses are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses of Evil.  (Cf 2 Corinthians 10: 4). They are the weapons the Church uses and recommends:

Prayer, Word of God, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Examination of Conscience, Spiritual Reading, Faith sharing.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com