Catechetical Corner – Poor Uzzah

I feel sorry for poor Uzzah! Uzzah was one of the sons of Abinadab, in whose house was the Ark of the Covenant (see 2 Sam. 6). As the Ark was being transported to Jerusalem it began to shift on the cart on which it was travelling. Uzzah reached out to steady it, to prevent it from falling. But because the Ark was so sacred, and because he dared touch it, GOD struck Uzzah dead on the spot. It is in this account that we begin to see the teaching of perpetual virginity of Mary. Not as much of stretch as it might first appear. How? Because Mary is the Ark of the ‘new’ Covenant. In herself she bore the Bread of Life, the High Priest, the fulfilment of the old covenant/testament and the beginning of the new – (See Hebrews 9:4).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this: ‘What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.’ (CCC #487).  In other words, the Church holds that Mary was ever virgin because she bore GOD in her womb.  Thus, making her sacred. And her sacredness speaks to the divinity of the One whom she bore.

There is an old Jewish custom of life long consecration to GOD – see Numbers 6:1-21. When the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary and she replied: ‘How can this be since I do not know man?’ (Lk. 1:34) Mary was saying “I am consecrated to GOD”. It was for this reason, her consecration to GOD, that Joseph respected Mary’s virginity. That he not only respected it; he also defended and honoured it. In his document, Redemptoris Custos – Guardian of the Redeemer – (August 15 1989), St Pope John Paul II said: ‘Joseph obeyed the explicit command of the angel and took Mary into his home, while respecting the fact that she belonged exclusively to God’. (#20). He goes on to say: ‘”Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God [even within marriage] not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God with his people.”… the Covenant which is a communion of love between God and human beings.…God, by giving Joseph to the Virgin, did not give him to her only as a companion for life,[but as] a witness of her virginity and protector of her honour…’ (#20) While the Catechism states clearly that Mary was and remained a perpetual Virgin – see CCC no’s. 496-501.

In John 19:26-27, Jesus says to Mary: ‘Woman behold your son…this is your mother…’ If Mary had other children why would Jesus say that? Why would John take Mary into his home? To do so would have been a violation of Jewish law and custom, not to mention a great insult to His brothers, had HE had any. In the week when we honour Marys’ Glorious Assumption into Heaven, we honour too her perpetual virginity and the GOD-man whom she bore, while not forgetting poor Uzzah!

Catechetical Corner appears in our parish newsletter each week. It is not intended to be the last word on anything, neither it is intended to be an academic, theological treatment of the subject. It is merely intended to cause a moment of pause and reflection and to give a basic insight into some aspect of our Catholic Faith.