Fr. Paul D. Scalia: Mary’s Question

By Fr. Paul D. Scalia, The Catholic Thing, Dec. 24, 2023 

Fr. Paul Scalia is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, where he serves as Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Pastor of Saint James in Falls Church. He is the author of That Nothing May Be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion and the editor of Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul.

Now here is a curious thing. The Blessed Virgin Mary – the epitome of humility, faith, and obedience – does something that we do not typically associate with those virtues. She asks a question: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Of course, the whole point is that she asks the question in all humility, faith, and obedience. In so doing, she teaches us how to question and, thus, how to think properly about our faith.

And we have to think about our faith. Not to do so would be a disservice to the faith itself. God’s revelation is addressed to rational creatures and must be received and responded to by such. Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s revelation, is the Logos – the word, idea, and or thought – made flesh. God is our “reasonable worship.” (Romans 12:1) ….