On Mary's Christmas Virginity

Mary's conceiving of Christ, by the power of God the Holy Spirit alone and her consent, without the intervention of any male, is a truth of faith essential to the Gospel of today's Ordinary Form Mass of the forth week of Advent. It is the miraculous sign promised by Isaiah the prophet to the House of David:

"...[T]he Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel." Isaiah 7:14

This essential truth of the Incarnation is acknowledged by most of the people of the world: all Christians (Catholic, Orthodox, and every manner of Protestant, Evangelical, etc.) and all Muslims. And all Jews confess it as the sign of the Messiah who would come from heaven to save God's people from their sins. That miracle, confessed by the whole world of believers (i.e. all believers in the one true and living God) is, according to the prophet, the proof that Jesus Christ is Lord. Most of humanity on earth today (55.5%)* believes this, the proof of God in the world, in the Virgin Mother Maria!

Furthermore, the Catholic (and Orthodox) faith of the Church, from antiquity, holds that Mary is perpetually virgin. Here are a couple of relevant texts from the Extraordinary Form Breviary which are the Church's official commentary on, and making more explicit, the intention of perpetual virginity meaning of Mary's response to the angel.

"Mary said: 'What manner of salutation do you think this is, for my soul is troubled, and I shall bear the King who will not break the seal of my virginity?'"

(Matins Ant. 8)

"Receive, O Virgin Mary, the word which is sent you from the Lord by the angel: 'You shall conceive and shall bring forth God and man together, That you man be called blessed among all women. You shall bring forth a son, and remain a virgin undefiled: you shall be with child, and shall be a mother ever a virgin.'"

(Resp. to first reading of Matins for Monday of the first week of advent)

The Mother (puerpera) brought forth the King, Whose name is called The Eternal; the joy of a Mother was hers, remaining a Virgin unsullied; neither before nor henceforth hath there been or shall be such another, alleluia. Lauds, Ant. 2.

N.B. Puerpera = A woman who has just given birth.

The Christmas responsory for the final Marian antiphon of Compline (for the forty days of Christmas, i.e from the 24th of December through the 1st of February (the eve of the Presentation).

Post partum, Virgo, inviolata permansisti.

Dei Genetrix, intercede pro nobis.

In that Marian antiphon itself (the Alma Redemptoris Mater, for Advent and Christmas seasons) we sing "Virgo prius, ac posterius!"

"Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matt. 1:22-23

This Christmas marks the 2018th annual celebration of Mary's Perpetual Virginity.

Merry Christmas, for the Virgin has indeed conceived and borne us a Son, Who is Christ the Lord! This is indeed the sign of God for us and for the whole world!

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