👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾What Does #Negere #Maryam Mean?
Beloved children of the Holy Church, peace and grace to you in Christ our Lord. Today we reflect on the meaning of Negere Maryam, which translates as “The Story of Mary”. This story is not simply a biography; it is a divine lesson revealing the secrets God has shared with humanity through the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Savior.
The Meaning of the Phrase
Negere – means “story” or “teaching.”
Maryam (Mary) – the name of the Holy Virgin.
Thus, Negere Maryam is a sacred lesson teaching us about Mary’s role in God’s plan for salvation.As the rivers of wisdom cannot be fully contained in words, so too is it impossible to exhaust the glory and mystery of Mary in a single narrative.
“In this lesson, however, let us focus on three key points.”
Three Main Points of the Story
For clarity, we focus on three principal aspects:
1. The Genealogy of the Holy Virgin Mary
2. The Meaning of the Name “Mary”
3. Additional Names by Which She Is Known
1. The Genealogy of the Holy Virgin Mary
God is holy, and wherever He dwells, that person, place, or object becomes sanctified. Our Lady Mary is called holy because she was prepared as the dwelling place of the Almighty. From her body, Christ took flesh; from her blood, He took life; from her soul, He took the purity fitting for the Incarnation. She is a saint made holy by divine choice, not by human merit, and in her, heaven and earth meet.
2. The Meaning of the Name “Mary”
The name Mary is derived from the Hebrew word (Mar-yam), meaning “mother of many.” Just as Abraham is called the father of many nations (Gen. 17:5), Mary is rightly the mother of all believers in Christ.
Church scholars further illuminate her name as signifying several profound realities:
a) The Way to the Kingdom of Heaven
Mary is the pathway through which salvation entered the world. By giving birth to Christ, she made eternal life accessible to all Adam’s descendants. All who seek the Kingdom of Heaven rely upon her intercession, for it is through her womb that the Savior of mankind came forth.
b) Grace and Wealth
Though her parents endured reproach for their faith, Mary’s birth became a wellspring of divine grace and wealth for humanity. Through her Adam, who was separated from God’s grace because of sin and crushed under the feet of demons, received grace again and became a partaker of the riches of the Holy Spirit through Our Lady.As Abba Hiriakos extols in the Liturgy : “When Adam was expelled from Paradise, you became his hope.”
c) Perfect in Body and Soul
God, who is perfect in all things, chose Mary to bear His Son. Therefore, she was made perfect in body and soul, prepared to be a pure and holy vessel for the Incarnation.
d) Above Creatures, Below the Creator
Mary is exalted above all angels and saints, not by mere grace alone, but because the Creator Himself took flesh from her. This is why Gabriel proclaimed: “Blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:28). She is above all creation under God, yet remains His servant.
e) Mother of Many
Just as a household has a head and a caretaker, all Christians who are members of Christ’s family find their spiritual mother in Mary, with Christ as the head of their household.
f) Mediator Between God and Man
Mary serves as the bridge between humanity and her Son, God incarnate. She presents human supplications to Him and brings His mercy to mankind. Through her, believers receive the blessing of body and soul, salvation and grace.
Continues 👇🏾