tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7155226280212467063.post2169106456606702710..comments2024-03-05T06:16:30.628-06:00Comments on Mary and Mariology: Bernard on Mary- humility as a virtue, and the Old TestamentServant of Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686441055922333147noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7155226280212467063.post-43516166897008502802015-12-04T15:29:35.954-06:002015-12-04T15:29:35.954-06:00It’s interesting that in some ways Bernard seems t...It’s interesting that in some ways Bernard seems to be exhorting mankind to take a sort of pride in Mary in the quote you cite near the end of your post. If Mary is “so great a daughter,” wouldn’t that imply some sort of pride or honor that she is somehow due? Is there a weird way in which we should be proud of Mary’s exceptionality—her three chief virtues of virginity, motherhood, and humility—because she is “our daughter” and responsible for the removal of the “reproach” set upon us by Eve? While I think this is a very interesting quote, I think that maybe you could have spent some more time really exploring what Bernard is saying with it rather than just the completely valid point that you make in saying that he is arguing that man’s salvation is completely contingent on Mary. I think that you make a good point in describing how Bernard seems to think that our salvation is also completely contingent on Mary’s humility, that this is a key qualifier to Mary’s ability to serve in the role that she does. I think it is also important to remember that the points he is making about virginity and humility—especially as they relate to each other—are heavily influenced by the trajectory of his own life.<br /><br />RLServant of Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13686441055922333147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7155226280212467063.post-70688263488861499532015-10-25T16:18:13.155-05:002015-10-25T16:18:13.155-05:00Musing on Bernard's emphasis on Mary's hum...Musing on Bernard's emphasis on Mary's humility, we might also consider his situation when writing. In forced exile from his community due to, it seems, his own bullheadedness, the necessity of humility was likely very much on his mind at the time. <br /><br />It's also worth thinking about if the triangle of Mary's attributes that you highlight, virginity, motherhood and humility might be intended by Bernard to reveal some aspect of the Trinity. We've long established that Mary reveals Christ, does she also reveal the trinity more broadly (as in the statues we saw pictures of at the end of class)?dyingsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02087241514388178221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7155226280212467063.post-32929547474834621212015-10-25T14:15:15.236-05:002015-10-25T14:15:15.236-05:00Very nice summary of the major themes in Bernard&#...Very nice summary of the major themes in Bernard's depiction of Mary, particularly the "triangle relationship" of her virginity, maternity, and humility, as well as her role as Eve, with some good thoughts about how Bernard used Mary as a model for the Cistercians themselves. Could you say more about how well you think these images work? What tensions they might create? How does it change Mary's image as we have seen it thus far to focus so much on her humility rather than her role in making God present to the world? Given that both Bernard and Amadeus were Cistercians, how does Bernard's "Cistercian Mary" compare with the image that we get of her in Amadeus's sermons? RLFBServant of Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13686441055922333147noreply@blogger.com