Word Made Flesh: Week 2 – The Virgin Mary

Why did Mary have to be a Virgin? Some feel that this is not an important doctrine of the Church. Some believe that in fact Mary got pregnant because of a lack of virtue and holiness. This is the line that many enemies of the church use. Those who would mock Christianity always attack the Virgin Mary as a liar. Matthew 1:23 quotes the prophesy of Isaiah 7:14, which came to us 700 years before the birth of Jesus: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” Mary’s fiancé is in agreement with her virginity because he reports of the angelic visitation of Gabriel who tells him, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)