11. Born to save us

11. Born to save us Born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus brings new life to the world Compendium 98-105 Ephesians 1:3-14 1. The eternal Son of the Father was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This was a "new beginning" for humanity. Jesus Christ is unique and unparalleled in history, all others pale in his presence. 2. Jesus is the only Savior of the entire human race. Including those who seek God with a sincere heart even without knowing Jesus. 3. He is truly the Son of God in both his human and divine natures because he is only one Person, who is divine. No one else can make that claim. 4. He is the Son of God in his divine nature and son of Mary in his human nature. 5. Mary's pure love and spiritual motherhood are extended to all who are saved and she has an essential role in God's plan of redemption. She is the ultimate model of the Church in her purity and motherly love. Mary, spouse of the Holy Spirit and mother of Jesus, the Son of God, for this reason remained a perpetual virgin and his "brothers and sisters" were actually close relatives. We do not think of Mary as the mother of God the Father or God the Holy Spirit but only as the mother of Jesus, who is fully God and fully man, one and the same person with two inseparable natures. His human nature began at the Annunciation while his divine nature always was. Mary is not the mother of his divine nature but she is the Mother of the child she named Jesus, who is always God. That is why we can call her the mother of God. She has a unique role as the new Eve, just as Jesus is the new Adam. Jesus assumed our humanity thereby making us his brothers and therefore true children of Mary. 6. Joseph is the Patron (protector) of the Church just as he was the Patron of the Holy Family. Joseph was informed by the Angel Gabriel that the Holy Spirit was the true spouse of Mary. He understood that Mary could have no other spouse and that he would be the legal guardian of Jesus and Mary and that Mary would remain a virgin always and spouse of the Holy Spirit. 7. We can learn much by meditating on the"hidden life" of the Holy Family in its simplicity, purity and obedience. The joyful mysteries of the rosary and the flight into Egypt serve this purpose. Mary is the Mother of God in the same sense that we are children of God. We are children of God because Jesus, our brother, is God. Mary is Mother of God because she is the mother of Jesus, who is God. Mary is the daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son and spouse of the Holy Spirit. She is the new Eve and crushes the head of the serpent who deceives us. 8. Jesus received the baptism of repentance by John the Baptist, although he was sinless, he identified with us, sanctified the waters and prefigured our baptism by the Holy Spirit and water through which we begin to participate in the eternal life Jesus won for us by his life, death and resurrection. 9. Jesus is not only the center of history, he is the one who gives it meaning and purpose and promises ultimate triumph. By becoming our brother, he not only saves us but also makes us co-heirs to his Kingdom and enables us to share the intimacy he has with the Father and the Holy Trinity. 10. Jesus is unique among all religions in that he is the victim, the scapegoat, who takes upon himself our guilt and sins and expiates us from punishment. He is not the fierce God of condemnation but reveals the true God to be infinitely merciful and forgiving, a father who loves unconditionally and inexhaustibly. Jesus shows us that the way to peace and harmony is not to blame and condemn others but rather to shoulder together our defects and failings. He does not call us to be assassins. He calls us to be brothers and sisters of the one Father in one Holy Family.