Oscar Martinez II’s Reviews > Mary, Mother of God's Word Made Flesh > Status Update

Mary's sacrificial offices. How mankind can be bound to both God and the devil according to Aquinas. How Mary cooperated when it comes to redemption. How the wills of the Father, Son, and Mary all align. The Holy Spirit unites Mary's will with the Son and Father.

The fathers on Mary's cooperative role in salvation. Aquinas on Mary as vessel of grace. St. Thomas on how others can be mediators. Ascending + descending aspects of Mary's mediation. Mary mediates not because of a lack on the part of Christ but a superabundance. This is the same principle behind the intercession of the saints. Objective vs subjective salvation. Christ's 2 natures contribute to meriting salvation.

Three reasons by Christ was unable to sin: 1) divinity, 2) beatific vision, 3) full of grace. Being unable to sin is a perfection not a weakness. Mary could feel pain but not in childbirth. Mary at her conception had more grace than all angels and saints combined. Mary is most like Christ and so like him she draws close to all others. Evil fractures by nature.

3 objections to Mary's virginity and their corresponding answers. Mary is the ultimate woman being both true virgin and mother. Mary's motherhood is twofold: the manger and the foot of the cross. 3 views on Mary's sinlessness. How the human appetite can go wrong. Fomes peccati.

What the birth pangs in revelation actually mean. Aquinas' 4 reasons for the perpetual virginity of Mary. St. Jerome's argument for the perpetual virginity. Freedom is for the Lord. What is God's "rest"? Adam + Eve → Jesus + Mary typology. Mary's fiat never ends. Mary's total dedication/preparation of her body to the Lord is a reason for her assumption into heaven.

There are at least 11 reasons why the virginal conception of Jesus was more fitting than otherwise. 4 by Aquinas, 2 given by the author of the book, and 5 given by Matthias Scheeben.

There are two kinds of deposits within the one deposit of faith. The closer you are to Christ, the more like Him you become. Some doctrines need to be more fully articulated before others can even arise as questions in need of clarification. This is the case with the Immaculate Conception. The dogma of the IC is an example of a doctrine needing theological faith. Don't be scared of the fact that the IC was disputed.

The immaculate conception sees Mary being saved in a more perfect way, not that she didn't need salvation. The proof-texts commonly used against the IC from Romas and Psalms are not talking about what IC opponents argue. Paul is talking about humanity as such and the psalm would lead to a contradiction if taken in the anti-IC sense. The IC can be argued by fittingness, free consent, and superiority to angels.