III. FIRST WITNESSES TO THE RISEN CHRIST

1. General outline

2. Peter as reference point

3. Paul: humiliation and glorification of Christ

4. Matthew: in the light of the prophecies

5. Luke: marian - ecclesial fidelity to the Word

6. John: the "woman" and the Father's "hour"

Bibliography

III. FIRST WITNESSES TO THE RISEN CHRIST

The aim of each "evangelist" is to proclaim the Mystery of Christ, Son of God, dead and resurrected; but each one does this from a different point of view. And in speaking of the Marian theme this is to be taken into account.

1. General outline

The Christian message is always identical but it has very different nuances depending on the various gifts or charisms of the Spirit and the choice of traditional data each evangelist has been able to grasp and intends to transmit. At the same time, there are multiple situations and problems in the Christian communities where the apostle or evangelist lives.

Marian themes are naturally influenced by this fact. The different passages in the New Testament show a working of the Holy Spirit with many charisms, varied traditions and a living community already vivified by the Marian theme set down in the sacred writings.

Where St. Paul stresses the action of the Holy Spirit in the Lord's resurrection after his humiliation and "kenosis", Matthew and Luke describe this same action of the Spirit through the humble servant of the Lord. The deeply Marian infancy of Christ expresses in another way the Pauline statements: "descendant of David" (Rom. 1:3); "born of a woman" (Gal 4:4). John will represent the Spirit's work by "living water", new wine, water that flows from the side of Christ; Mary, the "woman", is connected with this action of the Spirit, already giving a glimpse of Christ's divinity and the Father's salvific design.

The Marian texts in Matthew centre round the Emmanuel, God-with-us; messianic hopes are to find their fulfillment in Christ, Son of God and born of the Virgin Mary, by the work of the

Holy Spirit.

Luke shows us a Christ on his way to Jerusalem, guided by the Spirit. The shadow of the Holy Spirit that covers Mary, gives a hint of the reality of Christ, new and final temple where the sacrifice of the alliance will be offered.

According to John, the signs of Christ are those which manifest the "hour" of the Father, that is, his death and resurrection. The faith of Mary, the "woman" aroused the apostles' faith and showed up the first of these signs, faith that gave meaning to all that followed.

Each one of the "evangelists" imitated Mary's way of pondering the Word of God come to dwell with us, meeting each person and human community according to its culture and the "seeds of the Word" it bears and its readiness for the Gospel.3

2. Peter as reference point

Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost was the pattern and kernel of all Christian preaching. Jesus is the Son of God. A qualified

3    ? The biblical Mariological theme is deeply privileged for tackling the preaching of the Gospel in every culture. Every "evangelist presents the mystery of Christ in the historical and cultural circumstances of the community in which he proclaims the saving message". Cf. AA.VV., Il ruolo di Maria nell'oggi della Chiesa e del mondo, Roma, Marianum 1979; Z. ALSZEGHY, Cultural Adaptation as an Internal Requirement of Faith, "Gregorianum" 63 (1982) 61-85; P. DIVARKAR, Evangelii nuntiandi and the Problem of Inculturation, "Teaching All Nations" 15 (1978) 226-232; F.E: GEORGE, Inculturation and Ecclesial Communion, Rome 1990; L.Z.LEGASPI, Evangelization and culture, "Seminarium" 25 (1985) n.2-3, 104-114; A. ROEST CROLLIUS, Inculturation and the meaning of culture, "Gregorianum" 61 (1980) 253-274. See other studies (in several languages, in: AA.VV., Dialogo con le culture, in: Portare Cristo all'uomo, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1985, I; AA.VV., Evangelizzazione e cultura, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1967, 3 vol.

"witness", the apostle proclaims with the strength of the Spirit, the divinity, death and resurrection of the Saviour (Acts 4:8ff; 5:32). The necessary steps to take to become Christ's disciple and friend lead to a fidelity to God's word that supposes a deep change and a configuration with Christ (Acts 2:38). The model of this fidelity that made the Church into a universal mother through the work of the Spirit, is Mary, there in the Christian assembly. (Acts 1:14). This fidelity is required for every apostle who would be witness to the Lord's Resurrection (Acts 1 :21-22).

Peter's preaching to the roman community is reflected in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus is the Son of God who dominates all created powers and natural and supernatural might. A temporal idea of the Messiah will not do. Jesus is present within the history of salvation. Any christian privilege, even Mary's maternity, would have no meaning unless it entered into fidelity to the salvific design of God (LG 54). Jesus is categoric: "whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother" (Mk. 3.35). Parallel texts in Luke (1:45-48; 11:27-28) recall this same passage in praising Mary's faith, Mary, model of believers, Mother in body and spirit.4

Jesus, Son of God, came amongst us in humble and poor surroundings. He is "Son of Mary" (Mk 6:3). The disciples were chosen with no human or temporal criteria but only because of their knowledge of Christ according to the Spirit; knowledge of which Mary is the insuperable model (Jn. 2:5-11). No human notion

4    ? In Vatican II (LG 58) the text of Mark 3:35 (faith in Jesus) is cited together with the text of Luke 11:27-28 to stress the faith of Mary, God's beloved. So Mark presents Jesus as "the son of Mary" (Mk 6:3) alluding to his mother's virginity. G. CASTELLINO, Beata Virgo Maria in Evangelio Marci (Mc 3, 31 -35) , in: Maria in Sacra Scriptura, o.c., IV 519-528; J.D. CROSSAN, Mark and the Relatives of Jesus, "Novum Testamentum" 15 (1973) 81-113; J. McHUGH, The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament, Garden City, Doubleday 1975; B. RIGAUX, Sens et portée de Marc 3, 31 - 35 dans la mariologie neote stamentaire , in: Maria in Sacra Scriptura, o.c., IV, 529-549.

can grasp the transcendence of Jesus. Unconditional fidelity to follow Christ is the only way to become witness and apostle; when Mark speaks in chapter III of the christian vocation, this is what he intends.

3. Paul: humiliation and glorification of Christ

For John, the humiliation of Jesus Christ consists in his incarnation whereby the Word has taken our history as his own. The Spirit brought about our salvation through this annihilation (Jn 1:14-16). But for Paul, Christ's kenosis, came about through the death of the Cross as "passage to the resurrection"(cf. Phil. 2:7). Mary was a part of this kenosis: "When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman" (Gal. 4:4); thus she caught a glimpse of the Paschal mystery, that is, the passage from the incarnation to death and resurrection.

Christ's kenosis is an instrument of salvation and in the same way, the Marian aspect of the mystery of Christ is part of this salvific kenosis. Thus the messianic prophecies which speak of the "woman" associated with the redeemer were fulfilled. The Holy Spirit changes death into resurrection and birth into a bearer of grace. Mary's maternity is a part of this "sign".

The Word of God who had manifested himself in many ways, when the fullness of time came was revealed in a person: "God spoke to us by his Son" (Heb. 1:1-2). In our day, God gave us his Word personalized and become our brother in the womb of Mary. The Word assumed human flesh from Mary in order to carry out the Father's salvific mission, hence, this flesh is an instrument of salvation.

The power of the Spirit changed this reality ("born of the line of David", "born of a woman"), into a revealing and grace-bearing sign. Thus the resurrection of Jesus becomes a fulfillment of prophecy (Rm. 1:1-4). The work of the Spirit, through Mary's virginity reveals Jesus Christ as Lord (Lk. 1:35: Rm. 1:4).

This is the "mystery" hidden from all ages in God and now manifested (Col. 1:25-27). Mystery of humiliation, by which Jesus is seen as Son of God, making us share in his divine sonship (Gal. 4:4-7). The fruit of Christ's death and resurrection, the Spirit, enables us to say "Father" with Jesus' voice and his true sonship, is the identical Spirit who revealed Jesus as Son and made the Virgin Mary a sign of it (cf. Gal. 4:6). Paul was chosen to proclaim to all people the Mystery of Christ's death and resurrection for our salvation (I Cor. 15:3ff; Eph. 3:6).

Paul had, then, been chosen to "be instrument" of salvation (Acts 9:15). In the same way that Mary's maternity was the context of her instrumentality of grace and sonship (Gal. 4:4-5), so Paul operated along a line of "apostolic maternity" to bring mankind to fullness in Christ. He was afire with this inclusive and universal mission that he expressed with the simile of a mother in labour (Gal. 4:19).

In the text of Gal 4:4ff we can find the fulfillment of the prophecies ("when the time has fully come"), the "kenosis" of the Son of God and the action of the Spirit. God approaches and manifests himself in this way: "born of woman" (v. 4), to free us from sin and make us become sons in the Son. Christ's "kenosis" is the instrument of divine filiation shared by us.

Jesus, a man like us, is our Saviour because, being the Son of God, he becomes incarnate from Mary. Jesus' humiliation becomes his glorification and our redemption. Mary belongs to the "kenosis" (humiliation) and glorification of Christ (instrument of grace). The Word becomes flesh from Mary by the power of the Spirit in order to complete the Father's universal and saving designs.

The tension "exinanivit"-"exaltavit", humiliation and glorification (Phil 2:7ff) shows that in the "kerygma" and first

proclamation (Rom 1:3), Mary (the figure of the Church) is an integral part of the paschal mystery of Christ's death and resurrection.

The Pauline text presents Mary's salvific motherhood (Gal 4:4) as a figure of the motherhood of the apostle (Gal 4:19) and of all the Church, the new Jerusalem and new Daughter of Zion (Gal 4:26-27; Is 54:1). The faithful and fruitful new bride of Christ (Eph 5:25-27) participates in Christ's reality (Eph 5:32). Mary is a Type (figure, personification) of the mother and missionary Church.

It is the Church's motherhood to which Paul refers in the same context (Gal 4:26) and of which Mary is the beginning (Gal 4:4). The Marian motherhood, the ecclesial motherhood, and the apostolic motherhood must pass through humiliation and the cross of Christ in order to reach fruitfulness. They are the "travail" St. Paul speaks of (Gal 4:19) echoing Jesus' prophecy at the last supper (Jn 16:21). Mary too passed through the suffering of the cross (Jn 19:25); this is why she has become the "great portent" and Prototype of the pilgrim, missionary and mother Church (Rev 12:1ff).5

4. Matthew: in the light of the prophecies

There is an intuition of hope in a salvation to come running through the deepest cultural and mental levels of the human race.

5    ? The Pauline text of Gal 4:4-26 helps us to discover the Marian dimension of the "kerygma" (cf. Rom 1:1 ff) and thus to relate it to the Marian doctrine of the synoptics and John. Cf. L. CERFAUX, Le Fils né de la femme (Gal 3, 24 - 4, 9) , "Bible et Vie Chrétienne" 4 (1953-1954) 59-65; J.A., FITZMYER, The birth of Jesus in the Pauline writings, in: AA.VV., Mary in the New Testament, New York, Paulist Press 1978, 33-49; J. McHUGH, The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament, Garden City, Doubleday 1975, 275-276; A. VANHOYE, La Mère du Fils de Dieu selon Gal 4, 4, "Marianum" 40 (1978) 237-247. St. Paul's missionary doctrine follows the lines of the ecclesial and Marian motherhood.

From the dawn of history God himself left this "seed of the Word" and "evangelical preparation" in the heart of his creation. The People of the Old Testament had received this messianic hope "in abundance through a clear revelation.

Two key stages of this messianic hope appear in the first proclamation of the Messiah (Gen. 3:15) and the "sign" of an imminent salvation (Is. 7:10-16). In these "the woman", "the Virgin mother of Emmanuel", "the daughter of Zion" are a kind of first sketch of the great reality of Mary, virgin and mother, associated with Christ, the redeemer and new Adam.

The sacred writers of the Old Testament pondered and reformulated the most ancient texts in the light of a new salvific event and a fresh grace and inspiration. Following this tradition and above all, relying on the example and grace whereby Jesus opened their eyes to the deep meaning of the Scriptures (Lk 24:44-45), the authors of the New Testament pondered the ancient texts in the light of the great event of the paschal mystery of Jesus. Obviously, they had to bring out the figure of the "woman", Mary, the mother of the Messiah. Along these lines Matthew, Luke and John compose their gospels. Taking Matthew, what we have to say will serve as guide for biblical references in the other evangelists.

The gospel of St. Matthew shows us a christian community that is living with great intensity the messianic hopes fulfilled in Christ; celebrating community of Christ's mystery in its marian aspect. In chapters one and two, our attention is brought to bear on the mission of Joseph, who to manifest and care for Mary's virginity, and show Jesus as Son of God and our brother, saviour and new Moses, God with us and Emmanuel. The Scriptures are fulfilled in Jesus: the Holy Spirit who makes Mary virgin and mother, is the same who reveals Jesus as Lord, the risen Messiah.

Jesus is rooted in the human community as Son of Adam, David and

Mary, whose husband is Joseph. This insertion of Christ, appearing in the "fullness of time" as descendant of David is to be found in the genealogies.

"Emmanuel" is the peak-point of the manifestation and nearness of God. This new presence of God among us is expressed in the reality of Christ, "new temple", through the action of the Spirit overshadowing Mary the Virgin and making her Mother. Mary is, in a very strict sense, the virgin, sign of Christ's divinity. Thus, Matthew quotes a text from Isaiah (Septuagint translation) which contains this meaning. Old Testament texts always make it possible for the Holy Spirit who inspired them, to throw new light on the final messianic salvation they announce. Mary's virginity is a new sign of a new reality.

According to Matthew's gospel, Joseph had received the mission to care "for the child and its mother". This will turn into an ecclesial sign, since all aspects of the mystery of Christ continue to be present all through history by means of the Church. There is a salvific sense to Joseph's virginal and matrimonial dedication to this marian and ecclesial mission.

Matthew's writings seem to indicate a christian liturgical milieu where the mysteries of the Lord were celebrated as actualized and the very life of the ecclesial community. Indeed, the community reflects its marian devotion in the texts themselves.

The cultural and religious substratum of every human community contains some seed of messianic hope which will come to the surface only when this community becomes a christian Church. Any human community may also reveal some "pre-marian" aspects which will be fully disclosed when it begins to live marian form of faith in Christ's mystery. Hence, the attraction Mary has for non-Christians.

Matthew centers his attention on St. Joseph. The genealogy

expresses the legal descent of Jesus with regard to David (Joseph is the spouse of Mary). Joseph takes care of Mary in her role as the virgin mother (Mt 2:13) inseparable from Jesus (Mt 2:11). We can see the role of St. Joseph in the Church of all times (Mary is a figure of the Church).

Matthew's text cites Isaiah 7:14 in the Septuagint translation ("parthenos", "virgin"). Jesus' conception is accomplished by the Holy Spirit who manifests the Lord's transcendence.

The "kerygma" is based on the promises (prophecies) to show Jesus the man (son of David) and God (become incarnate by the power of the Spirit). Therefore, Jesus is the Emmanuel, God with us, as the supreme expression of the closeness and epiphany of God: the incarnation of the Son of God.6

5. Luke: marian - ecclesial fidelity to the Word

Elizabeth's inspired praise calls the Church to continual fidelity to the Word of God like Mary: "Blessed are you who have believed" (Lk. 1:41-45). By her faith, the Church will become mother like Mary (Lk. 8:19-21; 11:27-28).

Implicit in Luke's gospel are the Old Testament texts on the Daughter of Zion personifying Israel (Zeph. 3:14 s). The primitive

6    ? Apart from the studies on the New Testament, see: M.M. BOURKE, The Literary Genius of Matthew I-II, "The Cath. Bib. Quarterly" 12 (1960) 160-175; R.E. BROWN, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke, Garden City, Doubleday 1977; C.H. CAVE, St. Matthew's Infancy Narrative, "New Testament Studies" 9 (1962-1963) 382-391; B.M. NOLAN, The christology of Matthew I-II in its Gospel Setting, Fribourg Univ. 1977; A. PAUL, L'Evangile de l'Enfance selon saint Matthieu, Paris, Cerf 1968; E.M. PERETTO, Ricerche su Mt 1-2, "Marianum" 31 (1969) 140-247; G.M. SOARES-PRABHU, The Formula Quoations in the Infancy Narrative of Matthew, Rome, Biblical Institute, 1976; W.B. TATUM, The Matthean Infancy Stories, Duke Univ. 1966.

christian community lived the marian-ecclesial reality reflected in Luke very intensely.

The whole narrative gives us a glimpse of a "devotional" attitude to "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk. 1:43). Ecclesial hope seems to concentrate on Mary's consent, her "fiat", as the instant on which all mankind's salvation depends, the culmination of fidelity to a bridal giving.

All the persons appearing in the narrative show up Mary's faith as model of the Church's faith. In Mary and in the Church this faith is a sorrowful and obscure mystery. The Magnificat becomes a sapiential meditation on the mystery of the incarnation, illuminating the fundamental themes of the psalms and all the messianic hopes of the history of salvation. It is Mary's meditation on the Word of God.

Contrasted with the imperfect faith of the personages who still belonged to the Old Testament, it also goes beyond Abraham's faith since Mary is already the Mother of those who live in Christ; she is the new Eve.

The divine action, doing great things in her who knew herself to be a creature guaranteed Mary's eminence. But a divine choice supposes collaboration, and in this Mary is a sign and manifestation of what God wants to do with mankind.

The angel's greeting was unique: "full of grace " (Lk. 1:28). In other texts, particularly Pauline texts, God's predilection for a person loved by Christ and chosen from all eternity to carry out a specific mission is indicated. The total singularity of Mary's divine maternity demands a unique action of the Holy Spirit who shelters this new tabernacle under his protection (Ex. 40:3; Lk. 1:35). Mary is full of grace in Christ without time limit or personal availability.

In Luke's context, Mary is well aware of her mission of bridal dedication to a limitless maternity. Her "Yes" is therefore, conscious and deliberate. The salvation of the human race depends on it; it had to reverberate to the "stabat" beneath the cross, and further, where the church would end her pilgrimage in a definitive meeting with Christ.

This "yes" of Mary's supposes a previous preparation expressed in that "how shall this be..." (Lk. 1:34). Her whole life is fully consecrated to the mission God wills to entrust to her. Such a transcendent "fiat" is no improvisation, but takes in Mary's whole personality, her life and consecration. She is "the Virgin".

From the day of the annunciation, the Church meets herself in Mary; but this ecclesial reality was most particularly manifested on the day of Pentecost. Hence, the Church felt the need of Mary's presence so that she, too, could receive the Spirit's touch which communicates maternal fidelity and fecundity (Acts 1:12).

Luke's narration of the saving events, as we have said, has as its background some biblical analogies of the Old Testament: Ex 40:35 (the cloud of God's glory), Zeph 3:14ff (Daughter of Zion), 2 Sam 6:2 (the ark of the Covenant), 7:12 (the new temple), etc. In Saint Luke however there is a new light, the immediate messianic light, which develops the old texts to fullness in Christ. Mary is presented in this context of the fulfillment of Scriptures.

The doctrinal questions that arise from St. Luke's text, which will be developed during ecclesial history under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are the following:

- virginal motherhood,- transcendence of the Son of God, and of Mary's election,- special grace, "full of grace" (gift of salvation, permanent gift, gift in relation to the mission received),- Mary's preparation before the Annunciation,

- transcendent, conscious and responsible consent,- association with Christ the Saviour,- importance of the "Magnificat" as a parallel of the times of the Annunciation, etc.7

6. John: the "woman" and the Father's "hour"

John is the author of the gospel of "signs" of the Son of God, the Word incarnate made our brother. The Paschal Mystery, the death and resurrection of the Saviour, is manifested under many facets by all these signs. Mary's faith and action at Cana unveil to us the meaning of signs that foretell the hour of Christ when he is to give us "living water" or the new wine of the Holy Spirit. This will be the Father's hour, the completion of God's salvific plans. Mary's faith is a stimulant and tool to arouse faith in the apostles. She enters into this sacramental reality as the "woman" close beside the Saviour.

John's gospel narrative takes us into the "contemplation" of the "Word", "incarnate by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary" (Credo). Mary's precise function, according to St. John, is

7    ? Apart from the studies of note 4, see: R.E: BROWN, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke, Garden City, Doubleday 1977, 105-172; E. BURROWS, The Gospel of the Infancy and other Biblical Essays, London, Burn Oates 1940;H.J. DEJONGE, Sonship, Wisdom, Infancy: Luke 2, 41 - 51a , "New Testament Studies" 24 (1977) 317-254; I. DE LA POTTERIE, Mary in the Mystery of the Covenant, New Yok, alba House 1992, part 1, chap.1: The Annunciation to Mary; A. FEUILLET, Jésus et sa Mère, d'après les récits lucaniens de l'enfance et d'après Saint Jean, Paris, Gabalda 1974; J.A. FITZMYER, The Gospel according to Luke, New York, Garden City 1981; A. GUERET, L'engendrement d'un récit. L'Evangile de l'Enfance selon saint Luc, Paris, Cerf 1983; D.I. HIMMLER, History and Christology in the Lucan Infancy Narratives, "Catt. Univ. of America" 1971; R. LAURENTIN, Structure et théologie de Luc I-II, Paris 1957; A. SERRA, E c'era la Madre di Gesù..., saggi di esegesi biblico-mariana (1978-1988), Roma, Marianum 1989; Idem, Nato da Donna..., ricerche bibliche su Maria di Nazaret (1989-1992), Roma, Marianum 1992.

to arouse faith in the Church even when the signs are "poor" and "obscure". The whole of this Gospel is placed on a background of the fight between darkness and light, prophesied from the very first announcement of the Messiah and his mother (Gen. 3:15). The victory is expressed also through Mary's faith, and the book of Revelation describes her as "clothed in the sun" or the light of Christ. For the Church, Mary is type and "sign".

The context of marian doctrine in John is always the same: she is the "woman" of the victory of light over darkness; the communication of the Spirit as fruit of the death and resurrection of Jesus... Mary's function is, then, one of maternity pointing to, and personifying the maternity of the Church. According to John and his disciples, she is the new Eve. The apostle tells the story of the deeds of Jesus, interpreted in their salvific sense hidden under poor signs.

As the Church goes forward, she becomes the "glorious sign" (Rev. 12:1), the radical sign of opposition between light and darkness, between the devil's activity and the People of God on their way to the wedding feast. It is practically the same context as in Luke 1-2 (infancy of Jesus) and John 19 (crucifixion). Christ is the centre of history; his Spouse, the Church, like Mary, has to pass through a continual struggle against egoism and sin, on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem, and the eternal nuptials, supported along the way by the slain Lamb. Mary and the Church are one in this fight with darkness.

From the time of his incarnation, Jesus continued to manifest his "glory", that is, what he is (Jn. 2:11), so that the Church, his spouse, like Mary, could enter a way of faith and life in Christ. "To see Christ's glory" (Jn. 1:14) means to penetrate his mystery of a revealing and communication with the God of Love. This glory, however, is in humble suffering of faith. To enter the "mystery of Christ" supposes a "new birth" through water and the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:5).

It is quite impossible to grasp the mystery of the Passion that is Jesus' Hour, without this faith. Cana becomes a parallel of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor; the Father wills to manifest the glory of his Son through the cloud and enter into the mystery to open up the way to the Church. Thus, the Church, that is, the first disciples, "believed in him" (Jn. 2:11), at the sight of his glory. This faith will lead into the new alliance, promised at Cana, and verified in the death and resurrection as at Pentecost when the Spirit came upon the apostles. In these moments, Mary was intimately united with the Church as prototype and Mother.

Thanks to Mary's faith and intercession, the disciples passed from the stage of the ancient alliance to the final stage of the history of salvation (LG 58). Mary is described by John as always present in the primitive church, to help her pass continually from selfishness to charity and from darkness to light. She is always the "great sign", the personification of the Church.

Mary stood beneath the cross in Jesus' "hour", with her gesture of faith and surrender. With her sacrificial "Amen" she became the "new Eve", the new mother of the living in Christ, bringing him to birth in the pangs of her labour. "The woman" associated as a Mother, with Christ the redeemer, she is for the Church in his words: "Behold your Mother" (Jn. 19:27). The Church is endlessly invited to penetrate the thoughts of Christ the redeemer, and as long as her pilgrim state endures, Mary will steadily exercise her maternal function: "Woman, behold your Son". (Jn. 1 9:26).

The protoevangelical text from Genesis (3:15) and those of John's gospel (Jn. 2:19; Rev 12) have the same marian and ecclesial background of a "pilgrimage of faith and union with the Son even to the Cross", with an attitude of association in his redeeming immolation to fulfill "the divine design" (LG 58). This is what Jesus wanted to say to the Church by his representative, John. John's contemplation in the Spirit, continuing his intimate

gesture at the Last Supper (Jn. 13:25) leads to a witnessing experience: "That which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life" (1Jn. 1:1ff).

The text of the "Creed" (Nicaea-Constantinople and Traditio Apostolica) is a summary of the Christian faith in the light of John's Gospel ("incarnatus") and of Matthew's and Luke's Gospels ("de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine"). Mary's role in John's Gospel is a figure of the role and faith of the Church (Jn 2:11). Mary, a Type of the community that follows Jesus (Jn 2:12) is involved in John's evangelical perspective of full fidelity to Christ the Saviour of the world. The dynamics of John's Gospel clearly emphasize the doctrine about Mary and the Church:

- progressive manifestation of Jesus,- positive and negative reactions of people,- struggle between light and darkness,- faith is the beginning of a new life.

According to John's Gospel (Jn 2 and 19), Mary is the prototype of the ecclesial community that:

- accepts the revelation of the God of Love in Jesus,- responds generously to the faith,- fully lives its association with Christ as life in Christ,- becomes involved in the march of the Church of the "signs",- travels with the Church in human history towards the life-to-come in the final encounter with Christ (Apocalypse).

In John's Gospel the "kenosis" (humiliation) is the incarnation of the Word ("Verbum caro") that will be glorified in the cross (Jn 12:23). The Word made man, the Son of God, is born of the Virgin Mary, who is associated with the Lord's saving work.8

8    ? Apart from the studies on the Mariology of the New Testament, see: F.M. BRAUN, The Mother of God's People, Staten Island, Alba 1967; R.E. BROWN The Gospel according to John, New Yok, Garden City 1966; J.E. BRURNS, The Contrasted Women of Apocalypse 12 and 17, "Cath. Biblical Quarterly" 26 (1964) 459-463; R.F. COLLINS, Mary in the Forth Gospel: A Decade of Joahnnine

BIBLIOGRAPHY

AA. VV., Mary in the New Testament, New York, Paulist Press 1978.

AA.VV., Maria in Sacra Scriptura, Roma, Pont. Academia Mariana Internationalis.

BONNEFOY J. F., Le Mystère de Marie selon le Protévangile et l'Apo calypse , Paris 1945.

BOURKE M.M., The Literary Genius of Matthew I-II, "The Cath. Bib. Quarterly" 12 (1960) 160-175.

BRAUN F.M., The Mother of God's People, Staten Island, Alba 1967.

BROWN R.E. The Gospel according to John, New Yok, Garden City 1966; The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke, Garden City, Doubleday 1977.

BRURNS J.E., The Contrasted Women of Apocalypse 12 and 17, "Cath. Biblical Quarterly" 26 (1964) 459-463.

BURROWS E., The Gospel of the Infancy and other Biblical Essays, London, Burn Oates 1940.

CASTELLINO G, Beata Virgo Maria in Evangelio Marci (Mc 3, 31 -35) ,

Studies, "Louvain Studies" 3 (1970) 99-142; I. DE LA POTTERIE, Mary in the Mystery of the Covenant, New Yok, alba House 1992, part four, chap. VII: The Woman Crowed with Stars; Idem, La parole de Jésus «voici ta Mère» en l'accueil du disciple, "Marianum" 36 (1974) 1-39; A. FEUILLET, The Messiah and His Mother according to Apocalypse XII, in: Johannine Studies, Staten Island, Alba 1965, 257-292; Idem, L'heure de la Mère de Jésus. Étude de théologie johanni que , Fanjeux 1970; N.M. FLANAGAN, Mary in the theology of John's Gospel "Marianum" 40 (1979) 110-120; B. LE FROIS, The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Apoc 12): Individual or Collective?, Rome, Orbis Catholicus 1954; E. MALATESTA, St. John's Gospel 1920-1965. A Consultative and Classofied Bibliography, Rome, Pont. Biblical Institute 1967; PH. PERKINS, Mary in Johannine Tradition, in: Mary Woman of Nazareth, New York, Paulist 1990, 109-123; R. SCHNACKENBURG, Il vangelo di Giovanni, Brescia, Paideia 1973; A.M. SERRA, Maria a Cana e presso la Croce, Roma, Centro di Cultura Mariana "Mater Eclesiae" 1978; Idem, E c'era la Madre di Gesù... saggi di esegesi biblico-mariana (1978-1988), Roma, Marianum 1989; A. VANNOYE, Interrogation Johannique et exégèse de Cana (Jn 2, 4), "Biblica" 55 (1974) 157-167.

in: Maria in Sacra Scriptura, o.c., IV 519-528.

CAVE C.H., St. Matthew's Infancy Narrative, "New Testament Studies" 9 (1962-1963) 382-391.

CAZELLES H., Fille de Sion et théologie mariale dans la Bible, "Etudes Mariales" 1964, 56-71.

CERFAUX L., Le Fils né de la femme (Gal 3, 24 - 4, 9) , "Bible et Vie Chrétienne" 4 (1953-1954) 59-65.

COLLINS R.F., Mary in the Forth Gospel: A Decade of Joahnnine Studies, "Louvain Studies" 3 (1970) 99-142.

COPPENS J., Le Protévangile. Un nouvel essai d'exégèse, "Ephem. Theol. Lovan." 26 (1950) 5-36.

CROSSAN J.D., Mark and the Relatives of Jesus, "Novum Testamentum" 15 (1973) 81-113.

DE LA POTTERIE I., Mary in the Mystery of the Covenant, New Yok, alba House 1992, part four, chap. VII: The Woman Crowed with Stars; part 1, chap.1: The Annunciation to Mary. Idem, La parole de Jésus "voici ta Mère" en l'accueil du disciple, "Marianum" 36 (1974) 1-39.

DEJONGE H.J., Sonship, Wisdom, Infancy: Luke 2, 41 - 51a , "New Testament Studies" 24 (1977) 317-254.

DEL OLMO G., La profecía del Emmanuel (Is 7,10-17), Estado actual de la interpretación, "Ephem. Mriol." 22 (1972) 357-385.

DODD C.H., The Apostolic Preaching and its Development, London 1936.

DONNELLY D. (Edit.), Mary woman of Nazareth: biblical and theological perspectives, New York, Paulist 1990.

ESQUERDA BIFET J., María en el "kerigma" o primera evangelización misionera, "Marianum" 42 (1980) 470-488.

FEUILLET A., The Messiah and His Mother according to Apocalypse XII, in: Johannine Studies, Staten Island, Alba 1965, 257-292; Idem, L'heure de la Mère de Jésus. Étude de théologie johanni que , Fanjeux 1970; Jésus et sa Mère, d'après les récits lucaniens de l'enfance et d'après Saint Jean, Paris, Gabalda 1974; La Vierge Marie dans le Nouveau Testament, in: Maria, Paris, Beauchesne

1961, VI, 15-69.

FITZMYER J.A., The Gospel according to Luke, New York, Garden City 1981.

FITZMYER J.A., The birth of Jesus in the Pauline writings, in: AA.VV:, Mary in the New Testament, New York, Paulist Press 1978, 33-49.

FLANAGAN N.M., Mary in the theology of John's Gospel "Marianum" 40 (1979) 110-120.

GAECHTER P., Maria in Erdenleben. Neutestamentliche Marienstu dien , Innsbruck 1954.

GALOT J., Marie dans l'Evangile, Roma 1985.

GUERET A., L'engendrement d'un récit. L'Evangile de l'Enfance selon saint Luc, Paris, Cerf 1983.

HILION G., La Sainte Vierge dans le Nouveau Testament, in: Maria, o.c., 1949, I, 41-68.

HIMMLER D.I, History and Christology in the Lucan Infancy Narratives, "Catt. Univ. of America" 1971.

LAURENTIN R., Structure et théologie de Luc I-II, Paris 1957.

LE FROIS B., The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Apoc 12): Individual or Collective?, Rome, Orbis Catholicus 1954.

LEMMO N., Maria, Figlia di Sion, a partire da Lc 1, 26 - 38. Bilancio esegetico dal 1939 al 1982, "Marianum" 45 (1983) 175-258.

MALATESTA E., St. John's Gospel 1920-1965. A Consultative and Classofied Bibliography, Rome, Pont. Biblical Institute 1967.

McHUGH J., The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament, Garden City, Doubleday 1975.

NICOLAS M.J., Le Mystère de Marie, Tournai, Desclée 1965.

NOLAN B.M., The christology of Matthew I-II in its Gospel Setting, Fribourg Univ. 1977.

O'CARROL M., Theotokos: A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Willmington, Delawre 1982.

PAUL A., L'Evangile de l'Enfance selon saint Matthieu, Paris, Cerf 1968.

PERETTO E.M., Ricerche su Mt 1-2, "Marianum" 31 (1969) 140-247.

PERKINS PH., Mary in Johannine Tradition, in: Mary Woman of Nazareth, New York, Paulist 1990, 109-123.

RIGAUX B., Sens et portée de Marc 3, 31 - 35 dans la mariologie neote stamentaire , in: Maria in Sacra Scriptura, o.c., IV, 529-549.

SCHNACKENBURG R., Il vangelo di Giovanni, Brescia, Paideia 1973.

SENIOR D., Gospel Portrait of Mary: Images and Symbols of the Synoptic Tradition, in: DONNELY D., Mary woman of Nazareth: biblical and theological perspectives, New York, Paulist 1990, 92-108.

SERRA A.M., Maria a Cana e presso la Croce, Roma, Centro di Cultura Mariana "Mater Eclesiae" 1978; Idem, E c'era la Madre di Gesù... saggi di esegesi biblico-mariana (1978-1988), Roma, Marianum 1989; Nato da Donna..., ricerche bibliche su Maria di Nazaret (1989-1992), Roma, Marianum 1992.

SOARES-PRABHU G.M., The Formula Quoations in the Infancy Narrative of Matthew, Rome, Biblical Institute, 1976.

SPEDALIERI F., Maria nella Scrittura e nella Tradizione della Chiesa primitiva, Messina, Ed. La Sicilia 1961 e 1964.

SPINETOLI O. DA, Maria nella tradizione biblica, Bologna, Deho-niane 1967.

TATUM W.B., The Matthean Infancy Stories, Duke Univ. 1966.

TESTA E., Maria terra vergine, Jerusalem, Franciscan Printing Press 1984, vol. I.

VANHOYE A., La Mère du Fils de Dieu selon Gal 4, 4, "Marianum" 40 (1978) 237-247; Interrogation Johannique et exégèse de Cana (Jn 2, 4), "Biblica" 55 (1974) 157-167.

WEBER J. J., La Vierge Marie dans le Nouveau Testament, Paris 1951.