The Holy Names of Mary

[Guest guest]

www.catholictradition.org/Mary/marys-name.htm

 

by Mark Alessio

 

" O name of Mary! Joy in the heart, honey in the mouth, melody to the ear of

Her devout clients! "

-----St. Anthony of Padua +1231

 

 

Pondering the Meaning of " Mary "

 

In Hebrew, the name Mary is Miryam. In Our Lady's time, Aramaic was the

spoken language, and the form of the name then in use was Mariam. Derived

from the root, merur, the name signifies " bitterness. "

 

Miryam was the name of the sister of Moses; and the ancient rabbinical

scholars perceiving in it a symbol of the slavery of the Israelites at the hands

of the Egyptians, held that Miryam was given this name because she was

born during the time of the oppression of her people. The Old Testament,

chronicling as it does the " Time of Expectation " of the Redeemer, is filled with

" types, " or foreshadowings of people and events which would be made

manifest during the " Time of Redemption, " when. Christ walked the earth.

Jesus Mary and Joseph, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Eucharist, the

Sacrifice of Calvary, etc., are all foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but we

view them there " through a glass darkly, " so to speak, under the guidance of

the Catholic Church, which alone possesses the authority to interpret the

sacred texts.

 

Miryam, the sister of Moses is a " type " of the Blessed Virgin. Miryam was a

prophetess who sang a canticle of thanksgiving after the safe crossing of the

Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh's army; Mary prophesied in Her

Magnificat that all generations would honor Her, and She sang of how God

would topple the proud and raise the lowly. Miryam supported her brother,

Moses, the liberator of his people; as the Co-Redemptrix who united Her

sufferings to those of the One Mediator on Calvary, Mary labored alongside

the Redeemer, the true Liberator of His people. Just as Jesus was the

" antitype " [i.e., fulfillment] of Moses, so was Our Lady the " antitype " of

Miryam,

the fullest realization of the courageous woman standing beside, and laboring

with, the one who comes to free captives.

 

Throughout the centuries, Saints and scholars have put forth different

interpretations for the name " Mary. " A mixture of etymology and devotion has

combined to produce an interesting array of meanings:

 

" Mary means enlightener, because She brought forth the Light of the world. In

the Syriac tongue, Mary signifies Lady. " [st. Isidore of Seville +636]

 

" Let me say something concerning this name also, which is interpreted to

mean Star of the sea, and admirably suits the Virgin Mother. " [st. Bernard

+1153]

 

" Mary means Star of the sea, for as mariners are guided to port by the ocean

star, so Christians attain to glory through Mary's maternal intercession. " [st.

Thomas Aquinas +1274]

 

" This most holy, sweet and worthy name was 'eminently fitted to so holy,

sweet and worthy a virgin. For Mary means a bitter sea, star of the sea, the

illuminated or illuminatrix. Mary is interpreted Lady. Mary is a bitter sea to

the

demons; to men She is the Star of the sea; to the Angels She is illuminatrix,

and to all creatures She is Lady . " [st. Bonaventure +1274]

 

" God the Father gathered all the waters together and called them the seas or

maria [Latin, seas]. He gathered all His grace together and called it Mary or

Maria . . .This immense treasury is none other than Mary whom the Saints call

the 'treasury of the Lord.' From Her fullness all men are made

rich; " [st. Louis de Montfort +1716]

 

The hallowed title, " Star of the Sea, " dates back to St. Jerome [+420]. It has

been said that the great Doctor had originally used the phrase Stilla Maris to

describe Mary as a " drop of the sea, " the sea being God. A copyist's error,

then, could have resulted in stilla [drop] being written down as stella [star].

Of

course, the hallowed title, " Star of the Sea, " suits Our Lady perfectly:

 

" 'And the Virgin's name was Mary.' Let us say a few things about this name,

which can be interpreted to mean Star of the sea, an apt designation for the

Virgin Mother. She is most beautifully likened to a star, for a star pours forth

its

light without losing anything of its nature. She gave us Her Son without losing

anything of Her virginity. The glowing rays of a star take nothing away from its

beauty. N either has the Son taken anything away from His Mother's integrity.

 

" She is that noble star of Jacob, illuminating the whole world, penetrating from

the highest heavens to the deepest depths of Hell. The warmth of Her

brilliance shines in the minds of men, encouraging virtue, extinguishing vice.

She is that glorious star lighting the way across this vast ocean of life,

glowing

with merits, guiding by example.

 

" When you find yourself tossed by the raging storms on this great sea of life,

far from land, keep your eyes fixed on this Star to avoid disaster. When the

winds of temptation or the rocks of tribulation threaten, look up to the Star,

call

upon Mary! " [st. Bernard, Second Homily on the Missus Est]

 

The interpretation " Lady " for Mary was also proposed by St. Jerome, based on

the Aramaic word, mar, meaning " Lord " . This would render the meaning

" Lady " in the regal or noble sense [as in " Lord and Lady. " ] Catholic

sensibility,

however, recognizing in Mary the simple dignity of a Mother, as well as the

grandeur of a Queen, did not hesitate to add an affectionate touch to this

majestic title. Mary is not just " Lady; " She is " Madonna, " Notre Dame-----i.e.,

She is Our Lady. This aspect of Mary ----- " Lady " or " Mistress " -----is close to

Our Lord's Heart. We read in the Scriptures how, for a time, the youthful Christ

made Himself " subject " to Her and St. Joseph, an act of Divine condescension

which caused St. Bernard to wonder:

 

" Which shall we admire first? The tremendous submission of the Son of God,

or the tremendous God-given dignity of the Mother of God? Both are marvels:

both amazing. When God obeys a woman, it is humility without precedent.

When a woman commands her God, it is sublime beyond measure. " [First

Homily on the Missus Est]

 

It is not difficult to see why these various interpretations of the name " Mary "

should have been proposed and cherished, for they encapsulate many of our

Marian doctrines and beliefs. " Bitter sea [mara = bitter; yam = sea], " for

instance, in addition to the interpretation given by St. Bonaventure, also calls

to mind Our Lady's Seven Sorrows and the sword which " pierced " Her soul on

Calvary, recalling the lamentation of the mother-in-law of Ruth, who had lost a

husband and two sons: " Call me not Noemi, [that is, beautiful,] but call me

Mara, [that is, bitter,] for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness

[Rt. 1:

20]. " Maror are " bitter herbs, " such as are found on the seder plate at

Passover.

 

The " Illuminated " points us to St. John's apocalyptic image of the " Woman

clothed with the Sun, " a dual image encompassing both the Catholic Church

and Mary, the Mother and Image of the Church. In addition, the " Illuminated "

has also been rendered as the " Enlightener " and, like St. Bernard, St. Aelred

[+1167] combines this meaning with that of the Stella Maris in a powerful

passage:

 

" Therefore a certain Star has risen for us today: Our Lady, Saint Mary. Her

name means Star of the sea; no doubt the Star of this sea which is the world.

Therefore, we ought to lift up our eyes to this Star that has appeared on earth

today in order that She may lead us, in order that She may enlighten us, in

order that She may show us these steps so that we shall know them, in order

that She may help us so that we may be able to ascend. And therefore it is a

beautiful thing that Mary is placed in this stairway of which we are speaking,

there where we must begin to climb. As the Evangelist says, Jacob begot

Joseph, the husband of Mary, so immediately at the very moment of our

conversion She appears to us and receives us into Her care and enlightens

us in Her light and accompanies us along this laborious path. " [sermon 24,

For the Nativity of Holy Mary]

 

There is another interpretation for the name " Mary " which is quite interesting

in that it relates to the Church as well. This supposes the name to be derived

from the Hebrew verb mara, meaning " to be fleshy or robust. In the East, such

descriptions implying corpulence were used to indicate beauty and fecundity.

Here, then, Our Lady's name would indicate " The Beautiful One, " quite fitting

for the Immaculate Conception. [Tota Pulchra Es, M aria!----- " You are all

beautiful, Mary! " ] The Psalms prophetically describe the Church in this

manner, all alluding to the fruitfulness and spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost:

 

" The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain . .

.. A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell. " [Ps. 67:16-17]

 

This image resonates with the prophecy of Isaias concerning the New

Dispensation [and the Church], and with the words of Our Lord:

 

" And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared

on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all

the

nations shall flow unto it [is. 2: 2] . . . You are the light of the world. A

city that is

set on a mountain cannot be hid. " [Mt. 5: 14]

 

It is here that the Psalms intersect with St. John's Apocalyptic vision, to

present the maternal function of the Church, a virginal maternity mirroring that

of Our Lady, which begets new " brethren " of Christ, new sons and daughters

of Mary [ " the rest of Her seed, " as Catholics are called by St. John in his

Apocalypse] and new children of God the Father:

 

" But as many as received Him, He gave them power to be made the sons of

God, to them that believe in His name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the

will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " [Jn. 1: 12-13]

 

" The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains: The Lord loveth the gates

of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob. Glorious things are said of Thee, O

city of God . . . Shall not Sion say: This man and that man is born in Her? And

the Highest Himself hath founded Her. " [Ps. 86: 1-3, 5]

 

The inspired texts prophesy that the Church will be " exalted " -----It shall be

exalted above the hills, and all the nations shall flow unto it. So, too, will

be

the Mother of the Church, She who prophesied that " all generations shall call

Me blessed. " Another proposed meaning for the Blessed Virgin's name

reflects this exaltation, the majesty of the Queen of Heaven. It derives from

ancient Canaanite literature, where the word mrym [pronounced somewhat

like Maryam] means " height " [sharing the same derivation as marom, the

Hebrew word for " height " ]. This would render Mary's name as " Highness " or

" The Exalted One. "

 

This fascinating-----and very, very Catholic-----desire to explore the meaning

and depths of the holy name of " Mary " is not merely a pious pursuit, unrelated

to any theological concerns. In the various interpretations set forth, a wealth

of

Marian doctrine is made manifest, not in the clinical language of theology , but

in rich, colorful meditations on Our Lady's name, and sacred truths are

explored and taught in language easily comprehended and appreciated by

all.

 

In his fine book, The Wondrous Childhood of the Most Holy Mother of God, St.

John Eudes [+1680] offers meditations on seventeen interpretations of the

name " Mary, " taken from the writings of " the Holy Fathers and by some

celebrated Doctors. " Among these are " God born of my race, " [st.Ambrose]

" Rain of the sea, falling at convenient time and season, " [st. Peter Canisius]

" Myrrh of the Sea, " [st. Jerome] and " The hope of those who voyage on the

stormy sea of this world. " [st. Epiphanius] It is quite clear-----from

Scripture,

Tradition and history-----that the Church owes so much to Mary, the Mother of

the Redeemer and our Mother " in the order of grace. " How does the gratitude

and affection of Her spiritual children manifest itself in the beautiful Feast

of

the Holy Name of Mary,and what does this cherished name mean to those

who love and venerate the Mother of God?

 

The Virtue and Power of Our Lady's Name

 

A balanced view of salvation history will grant to the Blessed Virgin Her

proper place in both the Incarnation of the Second Divine Person and in the

Kingdom won by Him on Calvary. Therefore, She is venerated with

thanksgiving as both the one who, in union with the Blessed Trinity, gave

Jesus to the world, and as the one who stood by Him during His Passion,

uniting Her " Com-Passion " to His Salvific Passion for the restoration of fallen

mankind to the friendship of God. It was prophesied in Eden that the Mother of

Christ would be given a share in the work of the One Mediator and, because

of this, a unique share in His glory. As had been prophesied by Simeon in the

Temple, the soul of the Co-Redemptrix was pierced beneath the Cross on

Calvary. The Mother of the Church, who experienced no physical labor pains

during the birth of the Incarnate God at Bethlehem, did undergo unimaginable

spiritual 'labor pains' as Her Son hung on the Cross, dying the cruelest death

imaginable. And God, in His wisdom, has decreed that these sufferings of

Mary count for something, and something indescribably precious, in the

economy of salvation. They were not the sufferings which redeemed

humanity, like those of Jesus. They were not needed in order to augment or

complete the superabundant Sacrifice of Jesus, which alone could and did

atone for all the sins of the world. Yet, God decreed that Our Lady unite Her

Sufferings to those of Jesus, the Woman of Genesis standing beside Her

Seed during the restoration of the world.

 

Our Lady did this-----suffered as She did-----for us, for the spiritual progeny

bequeathed to Her by Jesus in the person of St. John: " Woman, behold Thy

son! " Therefore, we truly are brethren of Jesus, " the rest of Her seed: "

 

" And a great sign appeared in Heaven: A Woman clothed with the sun, and

the moon under Her feet, and on Her head a crown of twelve stars: And being

with child, She cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered . . .

And

She brought forth a man Child, Who was to rule all nations with an iron rod:

and Her son was taken up to God, and to His throne . . . And the dragon was

angry against the Woman: and went to make war with the rest of Her seed,

who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus

Christ. " [Apoc, 1-2, 5,17]

 

The Woman prophesied in Eden . . . The Virgin prophesied by Isaias . . . The

Beautiful One of the Canticles . . . When the time had finally come, the world

knew Her name at last: " And the Virgin's name was Mary. " This woman

uniquely honored with the title, Co-Redemptrix, was rewarded by Her Lord

and Redeemer with a queenly crown in His Kingdom . . . and with the role of

Mediatrix of All Graces, to dispense those graces which had cost Her Son so

dearly on the Cross.

 

And so, we call out to this Mother and Queen in confidence: Ave Maria . . .

Salve Regina . . . Ave Maris Stella . . . Ave Regina Caelorum. Because of this,

we honor, respect and set aside in our hearts a special place for Her Holy

Name, " Mary, " for it was the beacon of our redemption. During the nine

months that Jesus rested in His Mother's womb, no one encountered Christ

except through Mary, as did the infant St. John the Baptist in the womb of St.

Elizabeth. Men and women still, and always will, go to Jesus through Mary:

 

" Considering things as they are, because God has decided to begin and

accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He

created Her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time

to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His

way of acting. " [True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin]

 

Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anne . . . She is not a goddess, not a

mythological warrior-queen, not a curious, elusive character recalled through

the mists of antiquity. She is a person, a uniquely blessed and honored

individual, but a person still. " When you approach the time for reading about

Mary Immaculate, " wrote St. Maximilian Kolbe [+1941], " always remember that

you are entering into contact with a living, loving person. " No wonder, then,

that Catholics [members of Christ's Mystical Body and, therefore, the " rest " of

Mary's seed] should hold their Blessed Mother's name in such esteem. It

reminds us of God's goodness, of His mercy and generosity to struggling

mankind:

" The name of Mary is a name of salvation for those who are regenerated; it is

the insignia of virtue, the honor of chastity, the sacrifice agreeable to God,

the

virtue of hospitality, the school of sanctity, a name altogether maternal. " [st.

Peter Chrysologus +450]

 

Of course, in a proper understanding of doctrine and Scripture, such a

declaration will not be misinterpreted as any contradiction to the words of St.

Paul concerning Our Lord and His sacred Name:

 

" For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name

which is above all names: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of those that are in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth: and that every

tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the

Father. " [Phil. 2: 9-11]

 

St. Peter Chrysologus did not say that the name of Mary is a " name of

salvation. " He wrote that " the name of Mary is a name of salvation for those

who are regenerated. " A person who wishes to follow Christ, yet denies the

Mother given to him by Jesus on Calvary, is fooling himself. Through the

inspired Gospels, Our Lady has been presented to the world as Advocate and

Mediatrix [in the Visitation and Wedding at Cana episodes], and as Spiritual

Mother [on Calvary]. Because there are no empty shows or meaningless

displays with God, then we are bound to understand Mary's advocacy and

spiritual maternity as active, vital components in the life of the soul, for it

is the

good of souls that moved God to ordain the Incarnation:

 

" For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son; that whosoever

believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting [Jn. 3: 16] . .

..

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. " [Lk. 19:

10]

 

The Blessed Virgin, then is a Divine bestowal, a gift bequeathed to the

Church by Her dying Savior. And Her name? Her name will become more

than a name It will be a sign of Our Lord's solicitude, a pledge of His love . .

..

and a prayer unto itself:

 

" We scarce remember now that once this name was spoken softly in a time

before the Aves rang. Perhaps across some threshold it was said, so casually,

by one who called to Her, 'Mary.' Then, She might have turned and come,

obedient from where the children played together in the dusk: and no one

knew that more was said than just a young girl's name. "

[Fr. John W. Lynch, A Woman Wrapped in Silence]

 

The Introit for the Mass of the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, taken from

Psalm 44, is an eloquent testimony to the reason we celebrate this beautiful

name:

 

" All the rich among the people shall entreat Thy countenance: after Her shall

virgins be brought to the King: Her neighbors shall be brought to Thee in

gladness and rejoicing . . . My heart hath uttered a good word: I will speak my

works to the King. "

 

We are presented to Christ by His Mother. She presents our needs and

petitions to Him; She is the instrument of His mercy and of the disposition of

the " Treasury of Grace " won by Him for us on Calvary; She consoles our

hearts and through Her maternal care, imparts to Her children whatever

peace or happiness we can know in this vale of tears-----nothing less than the

peace of Christ. We may struggle to maintain this peace in our bruised and

weary hearts, but Our Lady is always ready and eager to share it with us

again and again. Yes, the name of Mary, this brief, simple name, speaks

volumes to us. " There is hidden in that Divine name [of Mary] a spell so

potent, " wrote Abbé Orsini, " and of such marvelous sweetness, that merely to

pronounce it softens the heart, merely to write it beautifies the style. " St.

Bonaventure declared the the name of Mary " cannot be pronounced without

bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly. "

 

 

Reprinted from the September 2001 Issue of Catholic Family News.

[Guest guest]

, " nicole_bougantouche "

<nicole_bougantouche wrote:

>

>

>

> www.catholictradition.org/Mary/marys-name.htm

>

> by Mark Alessio

>

> " O name of Mary! Joy in the heart, honey in the mouth, melody to

> the ear of Her devout clients! " -----St. Anthony of Padua +1231

>

>

> Pondering the Meaning of " Mary " .....

>

> St. Bonaventure declared the the name of Mary " cannot be pronounced

> without bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly. "

>

>

> Reprinted from the September 2001 Issue of Catholic Family News.

>

 

 

HI , U really Surprized me, because my name is Mariam too, Jai shri

Adishakti, Shri Mataji

[Guest guest]

And what a great and Glorious Name !!!

 

Jay Shri Mataji !!!!

 

Kind regards

 

Nicole Bougantouche

 

--- Maryam <maryamkiani_p wrote:

 

> ,

> " nicole_bougantouche "

> <nicole_bougantouche wrote:

> >

> >

> >

> > www.catholictradition.org/Mary/marys-name.htm

> >

> > by Mark Alessio

> >

> > " O name of Mary! Joy in the heart, honey in the

> mouth, melody to

> > the ear of Her devout clients! " -----St. Anthony

> of Padua +1231

> >

> >

> > Pondering the Meaning of " Mary " .....

> >

> > St. Bonaventure declared the the name of Mary

> " cannot be pronounced

> > without bringing some grace to him who does so

> devoutly. "

> >

> >

> > Reprinted from the September 2001 Issue of

> Catholic Family News.

> >

>

>

> HI , U really Surprized me, because my name is

> Mariam too, Jai shri

> Adishakti, Shri Mataji

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

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