Divine Motherhood of Mary - St. Cyril of Alexandria

The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly Theotokos, Mother of God   St. Cyril of Alexandria Early Church Father and Doctor of the Church   Saint Cyril was born in 370 and lived a monastic life. He was ordained a priest and succeeded his uncle as bishop of Alexandria in 412. He had a preeminent role at the ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431); he fought bravely against the doctrines of Nestorius, and wrote many learned works explaining and defending the Catholic and orthodox faith. Cyril died in 444.  This statement (Pist. 1: PG 77, 14-18, 27-30) strongly defending the divine motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos or God-bearer, appears in the Roman Catholic office of readings for the liturgical memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria on June 27th.   That anyone could doubt the right of the holy Virgin to be called the Mother of God fills me with astonishment. Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him! Our Lord's disciples may not have used those exact words, but they delivered to us the belief those words enshrine, and this has also been taught us by the holy fathers.   In the third book of his work on the holy and consubstantial Trinity, our father Athanasius, of glorious memory, several times refers to the holy Virgin as "Mother of God." I cannot resist quoting his own words: "As I have often told you, the distinctive mark of holy Scripture is that it was written to make a twofold declaration concerning our Savior; namely, that he is and has always been God, and that for our sake in these latter days he took flesh from the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and became man." Again further on he says: "There have been many holy men, free from all sin. Jeremiah was sanctified in his mother's womb, and John while still in the womb leaped for joy at the voice of Mary, the Mother of God." Athanasius is a man we can trust, one who deserves our complete confidence, for he taught nothing contrary to the sacred books. The divinely inspired Scriptures affirm that the Word of God was made flesh, that is to say, he was united to a human body endowed with a rational soul. He undertook to help the descendents of Abraham, fashioning a body for himself from a woman and sharing our flesh and blood, to enable us to see in him not only God, but also, by reason of this union, a man like ourselves. It is held, therefore, that there are in Emmanuel two entities, divinity and humanity. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ is nonetheless one, the one true Son, both God and man; not a deified man on the same footing as those who share the divine nature by grace, but true God who for our sake appeared in human form. We are assured of this by Saint Paul's declaration: When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. Prayer Father, the bishop Cyril courageously taught that Mary was the Mother of God. May we who cherish this belief receive salvation through the incarnation of Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.   For further reading on Mary, Theotokos, be sure to check out this reading from St. Cyril of Alexandria.     Click here to download, print and share Divine Motherhood of Mary - St. Cyril of Mary!   For more Catholic resources to feed your faith, visit the Crossroads Initiative Homepage.     To sign up for our free weekly e-mail with Dr. D'Ambrosio's commentary on the Sunday readings, liturgical feasts, updates on where Dr. D will be speaking, a chance to WIN a FREE CD and MORE, CLICK HERE!   Check out even more wonderful resources on S*A*L*E!! Only while supplies last, so order today! How Mary and the Rosary Can Change Your Life by: Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio   Talk 1:  The Virgin Mary: Model of Faith Some Christians seem to neglect her; others seem overly preoccupied with her.  What is the true role of Mary in God's plan, her intended role in our lives now, and the proper form of devotion to her?  In this talk, Dr. D'Ambrosio provides enlightening and inspiring answers to these questions from Scripture, common sense and the teaching of the Church.   Talk 2: A Fresh Look at The Rosary  There is something here for everyone-- those who have problems with the rosary, and those who've read every book on the subject.  Drawing from scripture, history, Church teaching and personal experience, Dr. D'Ambrosio shares insights in this talk that will forever change the way you look at and experience this traditional devotion.   Retail CD - $18.00                            Retail Audio Tape - $18.00   The Everything Mary Book While Catholics have long admired and honored Mary, other Christian denominations are now devoting special Bible study groups to her as well. The Everything Mary Book explores the often-debated place of Mary in Christianity, as well as her role in the broader world, both secular and religious. With this comprehensive and entertaining biography, you’ll unravel the mysteries of one of the Bible’s most intriguing and misunderstood women.   The Early Church Fathers A society characterized by the loss of respect for life, violence, exotic religious cults, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and even pedophilia. Sound familiar?   The Early Church Fathers succeeded in bringing a Pagan society to Christ. 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