Cathal BarryJohn the Baptist was more than a prophet, while Mary was more than a mother, writes Cathal Barry
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John” (Jn 1:6). Luke’s Gospel states that John was “filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb” by Christ himself, whom the Virgin Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit. It also says that Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth thus became a visit from God to his people.
Matthew’s Gospel states that John is “Elijah (who) must come”. The scriptures hold that the fire of the Spirit dwells in him and makes him the forerunner of the coming Lord. In John, the precursor, the Holy Spirit completes the work of “making ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17).
John the Baptist is “more than a prophet” (Lk 7:26). John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah (Mt 11:13-14). He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the “voice” of the consoler who is coming (Jn 1:23; Isa 40:1-3).
The scriptures note that John “came to bear witness to the light”. In John’s sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful search of the prophets and fulfils the longing of the angels (1 Pet 1:10-12). “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God… Behold, the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:33-36).
With John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to man of “the divine likeness”, prefiguring what he would achieve with and in Christ. John’s baptism was for repentance; baptism in water and the Spirit will be a new birth (Jn 3:5).
According to the Church, Mary, the Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time.
The Church teaches that for the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense, the Church’s tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. She is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the “Seat of Wisdom”.
In her, the “wonders of God” that the Spirit was to fulfil in Christ and the Church began to be manifested:
In Mary, according to the Church, the Holy Spirit fulfils the plan of the Father’s loving goodness. With and through the Holy Spirit, the Church holds that the Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God.
By the Holy Spirit’s power and her faith, her virginity became uniquely fruitful, the Catechism states.
The Catechism also declares her as “the burning bush of the definitive theophany”. “Filled with the Holy Spirit she makes the Word visible in the humility of his flesh. It is to the poor and the first representatives of the gentiles that she makes him known”, it says of her.
Finally, the Church teaches that, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men into communion with Christ.