Apparitions Of Mary

Considerable publicity has been given in recent years to claims that Mary the mother of Jesus has appeared to devotees as far apart as Bosnia and Colorado.

In Bosnia the apparitions are said to have begun about 1981, some peasants claiming that the virgin Mary has been imparting messages each evening for ten years. Until the outbreak of civil war in Yugoslavia more than ten million people had made pilgrimage to the region where these visitations were said to take place. More recently thousands have been flocking to the Mother Cabrini Shrine near Denver, where it was claimed by a local housewife that Mary appeared to her four times within seven weeks.

Apart from these claimed sightings there appears to be a marked revival of religious devotion towards Mary world-wide, and millions are flocking to her shrines. Four and a half million people make pilgrimage each year to the shrine in Fatima, Portugal, where an appearance before three children was claimed in 1917. The present Pope has twice visited the Fatima shrine, once on the tenth anniversary of the attempt to assassinate him in St. Peter's Square, Rome. At Fatima he bowed in thahksgiving before a statue of Mary, for he believes that her

personal interecession at that time saved him from death.

Indeed this Pope's influence has doubtless stimulated the current trend of religious infatuation with Mary. When made a bishop in 1958 John Paul had a golden M emblazoned on his coat of arms; and he chose as his Latin motto, "Totus Tuus", meaning "All Yours", referring to Mary, not to ChrisL In the course of extensive travels as pope he has visited countless Marian shrines, and he invokes aid from Mary in nearly every prayer or discourse he delivers.

However dismissive we may feel about reported apparitions, the more serious fact remains that the cult of Mary is deeply embedded in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. It is traditionally held by them that Mary led a perfect life on earth and now reigns as queen of heaven. There she intercedes for those who pray to her for help, just as one might seek favour from a powerful ruler through the influence of his mother. Yet Scripture declares:

For there is one God, one mediator

also between God and men, Himself

man, Christ Jesus (1 Ti~ 2:5).

There is no suggestion in New Testament teaching that either Mary or any other person could share with the Lord Jesus His unique mediatory role.

Three Roman Catholic doctrines about Mary call for brief comment:

Her "immaculate conception"

It was formally defmed by Pope Pius IX in 1854 that "from the moment of her conception the Blessed Virgin Mary was ... kept free from all stain of original sin". This is of course without any support in Scripture. Mary's outpouring of adoration in Luke 1:4655 includes the words, "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour". She identified with sinful mankind in her personal need of the promised Redeemer.

Her "perpetual vfrginity"

This means that Mary never knew physical union with her husband Joseph, her only child Jesus being conceived "of the Holy Spirit" (Mat. 1:18). The brothers and sisters mentioned in such passages as Matthew 13:55-56 are in this view regarded as the Lord's cousins. Again this dogma rests on church tradition, not on Scripture. If Mary had indeed been "ever virgin", would not Scripture have said so? Matthew 1:25

would rather seem to imply normal marital relations between Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus.

Her "bodily assumption"

This is the belief that Mary, "having completed her earthly life, was in body and soul assumed into heavenly glory". Although this concept was widely known and believed from the fourth century onwarils, it was not until 1950 that Pope Pius XII defined the doctrine and it became officially part of the Church's teaching. It is an extraordinary assertion, raising many questions. Why is Scripture silent on the point? What divine purpose could be served if it were true? Was the idea prompted by the need to strengthen the claim that Mary is "queen of heaven" and actively mediating on behalf of her devotees on earth?

Scripture references to Mary the mother of Jesus reveal her as humble and God-fearing, a woman of deep faith and spiritual contemplation. She is last mentioned by name as among the disciples who waited in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). Nowhere does God's Word give any suggestion that Mary should be elevated to the status and functions ascribed to her by unbiblical religious tradition.

unknown | Jul 1993
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