The Hidden Mother
THE HIDDEN MOTHER
Now, when we turn to the Gospels, I think everyone must feel some surprise that we are not told more about the Blessed Virgin than we find there. After the circumstances of Christ’s birth and infancy, we hear little of her. Little is said in praise of her. She is mentioned as attending Christ to the cross, and there committed by Him to St. John’s keeping, and she is mentioned as continuing with the Apostles in prayer after His ascension. Then we hear no more of her. But here again in this silence we find instruction, as much as in the mention of her.
It suggests to us that Scripture was written, not to exalt this or that particular Saint, but to give glory to Almighty God. There have been thousands of holy souls in the times of which the Biblical history treats, whom we know nothing of, because their lives did not fall upon the line of God’s public dealings with man. In Scripture we read not of all the good men who ever were, only of a few, viz. those in whom God’s name was especially honored. Doubtless there have been many widows in Israel, serving God in fasting and prayer, like Anna. Yet, she alone is mentioned in Scripture, as being in a situation to glorify the Lord Jesus. She spoke of the Infant Savior “to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Nay, for what we know, faith like Abraham’s, and zeal like David’s, have burned in the breasts of thousands whose names have no memorial; because, I say, Scripture is written to show us the course of God’s great and marvelous providence, and we hear of those Saints only who were the instruments of His purposes, as either introducing or preaching His Son.
Christ’s favored Apostle was St. John, His personal friend. But how little do we know of St. John compared with St. Paul—and why? because St. Paul was the more illustrious propagator and dispenser of His Truth. As St. Paul himself said, that he “knew no man after the flesh,” (2 Cor. 5:16), so His Savior, with somewhat a similar meaning, has hid from us the knowledge of His more sacred and familiar feelings, His feelings towards His Mother and His friend.
When a Saint is seen working towards an end appointed by God, we see him to be a mere instrument, a servant though a favored one; and though we admire him, yet, after all, we glorify God in him. We pass on from him to the work to which he ministers. But, when anyone is introduced, full of gifts, yet without visible and immediate obedience to God’s designs, such a one seems revealed for his own sake.
Therefore, many truths are, like the “things which the seven thunders uttered,” (Rev. 10:4). “sealed up” from us. In particular, it is in mercy to us that so little is revealed about the Blessed Virgin, in mercy to our weakness, though of her there are “many things to say,” yet they are “hard to be uttered, seeing we are dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11).
Other saints are but influenced or inspired by Christ, and made partakers of Him mystically. But, as to St. Mary, Christ derived His manhood from her, and so had an especial unity of nature with her. For, truly, she is raised above the condition of sinful beings; she is brought near to God, yet is but a creature. Hence, following the example of Scripture, we had better only think of her with and for her Son, never separating her from Him, but using her name as a memorial of His great condescension in stooping from heaven, and not “abhorring the Virgin’s womb.” And, with this caution, the thought of her may be made most profitable to our faith; for nothing is so calculated to impress on our minds that Christ is really partaker of our nature, and in all respects man, save sin only, as to associate Him with the thought of her, by whose ministration He became our brother.
–Parochial and Plain Sermons, II