Mariology of Matrimony: Mary and Christian Marriage
Mariology of Matrimony: how Mary illuminates the theology and spirituality of the Christian sacrament of marriage.
Mariology of Matrimony: introduction
The Mariology of Matrimony is the branch of Marian theology that studies the relationship between Mary and the sacrament of Matrimony. The Mariology of Matrimony shows how Mary, spouse of Joseph and mother of Jesus, illuminates the whole Christian spousal vocation and shapes the life of families.
I. Mary, spouse of Joseph
The foundation of the Mariology of Matrimony lies in Mt 1:18-25 and Lk 1:26-27: Mary is betrothed to Joseph. The marriage of Mary and Joseph is a true marriage, even though lived in virginity. The Mariology of Matrimony explores this mystery in depth: fidelity, trust, the sharing of the mission, the silence of Joseph, the obedience of Mary.
II. Cana and the Mariology of Matrimony
The episode of the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11) is central to the Mariology of Matrimony. Jesus begins His signs at a wedding feast, and He does so through Mary’s intercession: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). The Mariology of Matrimony reads in this sign Mary’s care for Christian spouses and her maternal intercession on behalf of every family.
III. The Mariology of Matrimony and the Holy Family
The Holy Family of Nazareth is the cell in which the Mariology of Matrimony becomes concrete. In Nazareth, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus live the ideal of Christian marriage: prayer, work, obedience, communion. The Mariology of Matrimony draws its inspiration from Nazareth to propose the gospel of the family spoken of in the exhortation Familiaris Consortio.
IV. The Mariology of Matrimony in conjugal spirituality
The Mariology of Matrimony sustains conjugal spirituality: the Rosary prayed as a family, the consecration of families to the Immaculate Heart, pilgrimage to Marian shrines, the entrusting of one’s own spousal vocation to Mary. Many holy couples (Louis and Zélie Martin, for example) lived this Mariology of Matrimony.
V. The Mariology of Matrimony and the recent Magisterium
The recent Magisterium (from Paul VI to Francis) has taken up the Mariology of Matrimony in documents such as John Paul II’s Familiaris Consortio and Francis’s Amoris Laetitia. The Mariology of Matrimony is, today, a response to the challenges facing the Christian family. Explore further in Familiaris Consortio.
Deepen your studies: explore the Mariology portal, Marian Theology, and the spirituality of the Holy Family at Locus Mariologicus.
Postgraduate Program in Mariology
Would you like to deepen your formation in Mariology? Discover the Postgraduate Program in Mariology of Locus Mariologicus, an academic formation that unites theological rigor, spiritual life, and the living tradition of the Church.
Would you like to study Mariology seriously?
This article grows out of the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Postgraduate Program in Mariology takes you to the same source, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary questions.
Responses