瑪利亞與教會
海星隱修院院長真福依撒格的講道集——論瑪利亞與教會
天主子是眾弟兄中的長子。論本性說祂雖然是天主獨子，但藉恩寵祂卻使眾弟兄與他聯合，而成為一體。因為「凡接受祂的，祂給他們權能，好成為天主的子女。」
因此，祂成了人子，使多人成為天主的子女。祂以自己的愛和權能使眾人與自己聯合，而成為一體。那些人自身按人性的誕生而論，因屬多數，但他們按屬神的重生而言，則與基督合而為一。
整個而唯一的基督、包括頭部和身體只是一個：是天上唯一的天主的獨子，又是地上唯一母親的獨子。祂同時是多位子女，又是一位獨子。就如頭與肢體同時是一個兒子，又是多位子女；同樣，瑪利亞和教會是一位母親也是多位母親；一位貞女，也是多位貞女。
瑪利亞和教會，兩個都是母親，都是貞女。兩個都是從同一聖神受孕，沒有情慾成份；兩個都給天主聖父生子，而未染罪污。瑪利亞絲毫未染罪污，為肢體產生了首領；教會則藉赦罪為首領產生了肢體。兩個都是基督的母親，但二者缺一則不能產生整個基督。
因此，在天主啟示的聖經裏，普遍地關於貞母教會所說的，也特別適於童貞瑪利亞；特別關於貞女瑪利亞所說的，通常也適於教會；若聖經的詞句論及瑪利亞或教會時，則該詞句毫無差別地，同時適於二者。
此外，在某種意義下，每個信友的靈魂是天主聖言的淨配，基督的母親、女兒和姐妹，同時是貞女，又是多產者。因此，這些稱呼就一般意義講，是指教會；按特殊意義講，是指瑪利亞；按個別意義，也指信友的靈魂。這些都出於天主的智慧本身，就是天父的聖言。
因此聖經又說：「我將住在上主的家裏。」因為上主的家，普遍地說，是指教會；特殊地說，是指瑪利亞；個別地說，是指每個信友的靈魂。基督曾在瑪利亞的胎中，住了九個月之久。祂在教會之信仰的帳幕中，要住到世界末日；他將住在信友靈魂的認識和愛情內，直到永遠。
Reading A sermon by Blessed Isaac, abbot of Stella
Mary and the Church
The Son of God is the first-born of many brothers. Although by nature he is the only- begotten, by grace he has joined many to himself and made them one with him. For to those who receive him he has given the power to become the sons of God.
He became the Son of man and made many men sons of God, uniting them to himself by his love and power, so that they became as one. In themselves they are many by reason of their human descent, but in him they are one by divine rebirth.
The whole Christ and the unique Christ – the body and the head – are one: one because born of the same God in heaven, and of the same mother on earth. They are many sons, yet one son. Head and members are one son, yet, many sons; in the same way, Mary and the Church are one mother, yet more than one mother; one virgin, yet more than one virgin.
Both are mothers, both are virgins. Each conceives of the same Spirit, without concupiscence. Each gives birth to a child of God the Father, without sin. Without any sin, Mary gave birth to Christ the head for the sake of his body. By the forgiveness of every sin, the Church gave birth to the body, for the sake of its head. Each is Christ’s mother, but neither gives birth to the whole Christ without the cooperation of the other.
In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary, and what is said in a particular sense of the virgin mother Mary is rightly understood in a general sense of the virgin mother, the Church. When either is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification.
In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s Word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful. These words are used in a universal sense of the Church, in a special sense of Mary, in a particular sense of the individual Christian. They are used by God’s Wisdom in person, the Word of the Father.
This is why Scripture says: I will dwell in the inheritance of the Lord. The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; in an individual sense, the Christian.
Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul.
天主子是眾弟兄中的長子。論本性說祂雖然是天主獨子，但藉恩寵祂卻使眾弟兄與他聯合，而成為一體。因為「凡接受祂的，祂給他們權能，好成為天主的子女。」
因此，祂成了人子，使多人成為天主的子女。祂以自己的愛和權能使眾人與自己聯合，而成為一體。那些人自身按人性的誕生而論，因屬多數，但他們按屬神的重生而言，則與基督合而為一。
整個而唯一的基督、包括頭部和身體只是一個：是天上唯一的天主的獨子，又是地上唯一母親的獨子。祂同時是多位子女，又是一位獨子。就如頭與肢體同時是一個兒子，又是多位子女；同樣，瑪利亞和教會是一位母親也是多位母親；一位貞女，也是多位貞女。
瑪利亞和教會，兩個都是母親，都是貞女。兩個都是從同一聖神受孕，沒有情慾成份；兩個都給天主聖父生子，而未染罪污。瑪利亞絲毫未染罪污，為肢體產生了首領；教會則藉赦罪為首領產生了肢體。兩個都是基督的母親，但二者缺一則不能產生整個基督。
因此，在天主啟示的聖經裏，普遍地關於貞母教會所說的，也特別適於童貞瑪利亞；特別關於貞女瑪利亞所說的，通常也適於教會；若聖經的詞句論及瑪利亞或教會時，則該詞句毫無差別地，同時適於二者。
此外，在某種意義下，每個信友的靈魂是天主聖言的淨配，基督的母親、女兒和姐妹，同時是貞女，又是多產者。因此，這些稱呼就一般意義講，是指教會；按特殊意義講，是指瑪利亞；按個別意義，也指信友的靈魂。這些都出於天主的智慧本身，就是天父的聖言。
因此聖經又說：「我將住在上主的家裏。」因為上主的家，普遍地說，是指教會；特殊地說，是指瑪利亞；個別地說，是指每個信友的靈魂。基督曾在瑪利亞的胎中，住了九個月之久。祂在教會之信仰的帳幕中，要住到世界末日；他將住在信友靈魂的認識和愛情內，直到永遠。
Reading A sermon by Blessed Isaac, abbot of Stella
Mary and the Church
The Son of God is the first-born of many brothers. Although by nature he is the only- begotten, by grace he has joined many to himself and made them one with him. For to those who receive him he has given the power to become the sons of God.
He became the Son of man and made many men sons of God, uniting them to himself by his love and power, so that they became as one. In themselves they are many by reason of their human descent, but in him they are one by divine rebirth.
The whole Christ and the unique Christ – the body and the head – are one: one because born of the same God in heaven, and of the same mother on earth. They are many sons, yet one son. Head and members are one son, yet, many sons; in the same way, Mary and the Church are one mother, yet more than one mother; one virgin, yet more than one virgin.
Both are mothers, both are virgins. Each conceives of the same Spirit, without concupiscence. Each gives birth to a child of God the Father, without sin. Without any sin, Mary gave birth to Christ the head for the sake of his body. By the forgiveness of every sin, the Church gave birth to the body, for the sake of its head. Each is Christ’s mother, but neither gives birth to the whole Christ without the cooperation of the other.
In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary, and what is said in a particular sense of the virgin mother Mary is rightly understood in a general sense of the virgin mother, the Church. When either is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification.
In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s Word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful. These words are used in a universal sense of the Church, in a special sense of Mary, in a particular sense of the individual Christian. They are used by God’s Wisdom in person, the Word of the Father.
This is why Scripture says: I will dwell in the inheritance of the Lord. The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; in an individual sense, the Christian.
Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul.
