Theological Foundations new file

147 Marian Character mother when “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1, 41) because joy is the fruit and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth cannot contain this joy in herself and filled with the Holy Spirit cries out to Mary: “Blessed are you among women” (Lk 1, 42). She, too, gives us an example of humility for even though she had been filled with the Holy Spirit, she did not swagger above Mary: the blessed one among women. Such an attitude is appropriate for a heart dedicated to God; it recognizes others and forgets itself. 19 In his further reflections upon Mary’s life, the author addresses the peculiar matter of her virginity and motherhood. He recalls the witness of the Evangelist: “When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1, 18). Father Stanislaus advises his readers not to scru- tinize but rather to admire how profound this mystery of unity between virginity and motherhood is. He encourages us to ponder it because this grace was given for the salvation of all people. The Virgin remains intact and yet, she is a mother. She has a spouse and yet, she is a virgin. Both spouses carry the lily of virginity even as they both adore their Son. It is a wondrous and glorious mystery. The Virgin never knew her husband, yet she carries in her womb the one who is both God and Man — God eternally begotten of the Father, without a mother, the Man fashioned within the Mother by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no other mystery that should be more venerated, admired and wondered at. 20 There was, however, a difficult moment in this wonderful union between Mary and Joseph, the moment when Joseph “resolved to divorce her quietly” (Mt 1, 19). Even the saints may be distrustful of other saints when some outward cause exists. Who is more holy than Joseph and more pure than the Most Holy Virgin?And yet, Joseph want- ed to leave her. He was a saint, therefore, he wanted to do it wisely. He did not want to disgrace her, he wanted to leave secretly in order to pre- serve her good name. There was something he did not understand in this whole situation, but he did not want to act against his conscience or to tarnish Mary’s good name. By being so righteous he earned an explana-