The real Nativity story
Guess we have all read about the movie, "The Nativity Story." I have not seen it, but what people say about it, that it misrepresents the Blessed Virgin Mary, sounds accurate and true.
Scripture makes it clear what God thought of Mary from all eternity. I will not cover all the bases here about that, but one or two points will do.
For one thing, no one else in Scripture does an angel, let alone an Archangel, address with such respect and such an exalted title. "Hail, Mary, full of grace!"
For another thing, others in Scripture who encounter an angel are terrified and awestruck, but we do not see that in Mary.
By the way, someone wrote that the movie does not have the Blessed Virgin Mary say the first part of the Magnificat. How on earth, and why on earth, could or would anyone leave that out, unless to try to diminish Mary's image in the minds of the viewers?
Also, it is clear from Catholic doctrine and tradition that Mary did not give birth to Jesus in pain, as the movie is said to portray.
What else do you think the movie got wrong?
What do you think the movie got right?
Have you heard a good homily about the Blessed Mother lately, and where?
posted by Quintero at 12:13 AM
6 Comments:
I saw the movie. I rather liked most of the St.Joseph portrayal and the costumes.
But the portrayal of Mary was dismal. She is a frowning teenager who throws a little fit of defiance when her folks arrange a marrage for her with Joseph. She is not sweet or loveable as Our Lady is in this portrayal.
And there is the birth scene with labor pains and 'Joseph' lifting her skirt to deliver the baby...
See www.AirMaria.com for a good review from Fr. Angelo.
Ave Maria!
For a great homily on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in audio, which addresses this issue, you can go here
http://www.live365.com/stations/sfcr?site
That homily is also trnscribed and can be found here
http://www.semperficatholic.com/page13.html
Anon (the first one):
I saw the movie too. Upon being presented with her betrothal to Joseph, Mary was hesitant at first, yes. But pious tradition held that she had consecrated herself to God for life even prior to the angel's appearance, and this would have naturally taken her aback. But in the end, she agreed to her parent's wishes.
There are no shortage of portrayals of Mary as "sweet and lovable," often at the expense of credibility.
Yes, of course Joseph lifted her skirt to help her give birth. What did you expect him to do, wait outside the cave for the Stork to arrive?
Dear Everyone,
Here are some comments from http://www.cathtruth.com/catholicbible/virbirth.htm
"...This supernatural influence of the Holy Ghost extended to the birth of Jesus Christ, preserving Mary's integrity and causing Christ to pass through the barriers of nature without injuring them. The doctrine of the virginal conception and birth of Christ is found in the Nicene Creed as well as in the oldest forms of the Apostles' Creed. It has always been the constant and uniform tradition of the Church, and is taught explicitly by Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Justin Martyr, Aristides and St. Ignatius. It is formulated in the Roman Catechism, in some Protestant Confessions and apparently in the Catechism of the Socinians, which considers the birth of Christ miraculous without explicitly declaring the virginity of Mary...
"The supernatural activity of the Holy Ghost extended to the birth of Christ. As a ray of light penetrates a crystal without injuring it, as the risen Christ entered into the midst of the disciples through closed doors, so He also came forth from His mother's womb without any injury to her virginity. His birth was accompanied by no injury to Mary's organs, no pangs nor throes of childbirth. It did not introduce those physiological conditions which would place Mary - at least materially - in a state of non-virginity, conditions which presuppose and follow from natural conception. In affirming the doctrine of the Virgin Birth, the Fathers appeal to the following passage in Isaias: "A virgin shall conceive and bear a Son" (Isaias 7:14); in this passage "virgin" is the subject of both verbs - Mary was a virgin in the birth of Christ as well as in the conception of Christ. The Purification (Luke 2:22) offers no difficulty to this doctrine. The sacred writer cites a provision of the Mosaic Law to which Mary in all humility and obedience submitted..."
David Alexander, re: "often at the expense of credibility.", how about REALITY. That reality was taught for over 1500 years until a couple of sex craved "Catholics" Henry and Martin decided to change it. Actually even they did not try to change that, that came later. That reality is that Our Blessed Mother NEVER sinned, not even venial!
Kenneth M. Fisher
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