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IGNATIUS PRESS: Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary Unveiling the Mother of the Messiah

THE PRODIGAL CATHOLIC BLOG: Summary and Review of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary: Unveiling the Mother of the Messiah by Brant Pitre

Brant Pitre’s Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary is a masterful blend of biblical scholarship, theological insight, and pastoral clarity. With deep reverence for both Scripture and tradition, Pitre sheds new light on Marian doctrines by rooting them in the rich soil of ancient Judaism. His extensive engagement with Jewish sources—both biblical and extra-biblical—gives the reader a new appreciation for how the first Christians, steeped in Jewish expectation and imagery, would have understood Mary.

One of the book’s most striking achievements is Pitre’s ability to take complex academic research and present it in a way that is both accessible and inspiring. His clear explanations, rooted in typology, reveal the profound harmony between Catholic Marian beliefs and the Jewish biblical worldview. Mary does not diminish Christ—rather, as Pitre shows, seeing Mary through Jewish eyes magnifies Jesus all the more. From the New Eve to the Queen Mother, the New Ark to the New Rachel, every insight Pitre offers about Mary ultimately reveals something deeper about Christ Himself.

Brant Pitre demonstrates convincingly that the Catholic understanding of Mary as the new Eve, the new Ark, the Queen Mother, the perpetual virgin, the mother of God, the new Rachel, and the mother of each of us in the Church—all these are completely consistent with the expectations of the Old Testament, and therefore with an understanding the earliest Christians were well-prepared to receive and explain. It is only later prejudice and Scriptural ignorance which has led so many to denounce Catholic beliefs about and devotion to Mary as somehow contrary to the Bible.

The author found himself in an excellent position to write this book, not only for professional reasons, but because he can recall the days in which his interest in Mary had waned because he suspected that the Protestants were right in thinking that Catholic beliefs about Mary were “unbiblical”. Now that he is one of the leading experts in how Jews at the time of Christ understood their Scripture, he realizes better than almost anyone else how profoundly consistent Catholic doctrine is with the Jewish reading of the Old Testament books, and so with what knowledgeable people should expect both Our Lord and Our Lady to be, and how they are to be honored.

One of the most intriguing themes Pitre discusses is the “birth pangs of the Messiah”, a Scriptural image which has a strong connection not with Mary’s miraculous (and painless) delivery of the Christ child, but with her suffering at the foot of the Cross as she cooperated in sorrow with the Passion of her Son in giving birth to the New Covenant—and to all those who receive new life through His Church. I would argue that another important thing to remember is the manner in which these birth pangs—these sufferings—somehow persist in us as the Kingdom of God continually comes into being through the shared suffering of Christ, His mother, and each of its members.

ALETEIA:  This papyrus contains the oldest Marian prayer known to date

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 9- "On remembrance of wrongs"

• Context of the Feast: Traditionally celebrated on September 8, exactly nine months after the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
• Historical Origins: The feast originated in Palestine around the 5th century, linked to the consecration of a church in Jerusalem identified as the Basilica of St. Ann.
• Theological Significance:  Mary is one of only three figures (with Jesus and John the Baptist) whose earthly birth is celebrated liturgically. Her birth marks the end of the Old Testament expectation and the dawn of the New Covenant.
• Liturgical Character: The day is defined by themes of joy and light, symbolizing the arrival of the "dawn" that precedes the "Sun of Justice" Christ the Lord.

EXCERPT CATHOLIC DAILY REFLECTIONS: The Dawn of Salvation

Though the Immaculate Conception, the Birth of Mary, and the Incarnation of the Son of God took place in a singularly unique way some 2,000 years ago, these glorious events in salvation history continue in our lives. Like each person in Jesus’ bloodline, we are called to contribute to His ongoing presence in this world by being members of His family, sons and daughters of the Mother of God, and members of His new bloodline of grace.

One way we do this is by imitating Saint Joseph. As today’s Gospel continues, we hear the angel’s words to Joseph, assuring him of the divine origin of Mary’s Child. Joseph’s holy obedience allows the mystery of the Incarnation to proceed within the sanctity of a human family. Mary’s maternity, safeguarded by Joseph’s silent strength, reveals that God’s greatest works unfold in humility and hiddenness.

Today, in imitation of Mary and Joseph, God also says to us, “Do not be afraid…” Do not be afraid to be the dawn of salvation today, for yourself and as instruments of God’s living presence to others. Do not be afraid to say “Yes” to God’s will, even when it is hidden in mystery. Do not be afraid to carry Christ within you, to bring Him to birth in the lives of others, to stand in silent trust when the world does not understand the ways of grace. God’s light dawns again today in your own life. Rejoice in that light.

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 9- "On remembrance of wrongs"

GREGORIAN MASS REQUEST LINK: A series of 30 consecutive Masses will be offered for the deceased.

Unfortunately, many things in today’s culture pull us in the opposite direction—to things smaller than ourselves. So much is reduced to the entertaining, the pleasurable, the useful. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the mundane and small. Such things make up the bulk of daily life and God designed it that way. But we run into problems when that is all we experience, and the only things our lives are focused on.

In contrast, the Catholic Faith is centered on the liturgy, which takes us out of the mundane and into the courts of heaven, into the splendor of the eternal! Every Mass is an encounter through God’s invitation into heavenly worship, through communion with Christ, and through our being sent forth into the world as missionary disciples to help others encounter God as we have.

In the Mass, God Invites Us into Divine Worship (Invitation)

That invitation begins the moment the liturgy starts, because the entire Mass is an encounter with Christ, who “is always present in His Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations.” We rightly tend to focus on Jesus, present in Holy Communion, but He is also present in the priest, in the Scripture proclaimed, in song, and in the assembled church. The entire liturgy is an encounter with Christ, that only later reaches its summit in Communion.

In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we encounter Jesus, who then invites us into His own worship of the Father. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, through Jesus, the Church “offers worship to the eternal Father… in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified” (CCC 1089). But what is this worship that’s being offered?

Scripture tells us that St. John the Apostle had a vision of worship in Heaven, and it included the angels, saints, incense, song, and “a Lamb that seemed to have been slain” (Revelation 5:6). Jesus appears in Heaven as a victim because, as the eternal high priest, He offers His once-for-all sacrifice on the Cross to God the Father, perpetually interceding for us (see Romans 8:34).

It is in this very sacrifice of the Mass that the liturgy makes present “sacramentally” on the church’s altar, the crucified and risen Lord, thereby allowing us to participate in the heavenly offering of Christ to the Father! It’s no wonder that more and more young people are being drawn to the liturgy’s otherworldliness—it’s in the Mass that Heaven touches earth, and that the transcendent God becomes immanent. It’s there that the angels and saints join the earthly congregation as Christ draws us into His saving work and Heaven’s liturgy.

So, how do we participate practically? It’s not enough to attend Mass as passive spectators; rather we are invited to offer the Mass in union with the priest. After the readings, as the altar is being prepared, we can (and should) place ourselves on the altar, as well as our particular offerings—our works, joys, sufferings, failures, successes, families—anything and everything can be placed on the altar. Then, when Christ’s perfect sacrifice on Calvary is made present on that same altar, our imperfect offerings are taken up into His sacrifice, and presented to the Father in Jesus’ one perfect act of love.

Think about it this way. If you had been alive at the time of Christ’s crucifixion, and had been granted the immense privilege of standing underneath the Cross with Mother Mary, what would you do there? Just like Our Lady, you would surely unite your heart to Jesus’ Sacred Heart, joining your love to His perfect offering of love to the Father. The astonishing privilege of the Mass is that Christ gives us sacramentally this very opportunity, which none but a handful of disciples received historically.

And while all this talk about Calvary and sacrifice can seem a bit daunting, it is in truth a great joy for Jesus to receive our offerings of love and to have us partake in His perfect worship of the Father, just as it’s a delight for the Father to receive it. No mere creature could ever offer worship worthy of God’s infinite majesty, so Christ graciously includes us in His own perfect worship of the Father—precisely because He knows this is where our true joy and best means of sanctification lie.

Incredibly, God is not satisfied with this. He desires even more of an encounter, and so He comes to us in Holy Communion. Here God’s invitation reaches its climax, as He gives Himself to us in the Eucharist—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

1. When the Eucharist is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the divine victim immolated on the altar. ~ St. John Chrysostom
2. The angels surround and help the priest when he is celebrating Mass. ~ St. Augustine
3. The best time to ask and obtain favors from God is the time of the Elevation." ~ St.John Bosco
4. The celebration of Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross. ~ St Thomas Aquinas
5. St. Teresa was overwhelmed with God’s Goodness and asked Our Lord “How can I thank you?” Our Lord replied, “ATTEND ONE MASS.”
6. “My Son so loves those who assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that, if it were necessary He would die for them as many times as they’ve heard Masses.” ~ Our Lady to Blessed Alan.
7. When we receive Holy Communion, we experience something extraordinary – a joy, a fragrance, a well-being that thrills the whole body and causes it to exalt ~ St Jean Vianney
8. There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us. ~ Saint Jean Vianney
9. Be eager to go to Mass on weekdays also, even if it costs a sacrifice. Our Lord will reward you with His Blessings and make you succeed in your undertakings ~ Don Bosco
10. When we have been to Holy Communion, the balm of love envelops the soul as the flower envelops the bee. ~ St Jean Vianney
11. It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass. ~ St. Pio of Pietrelcina
12. If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy. ~ Saint Jean Vianney

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 9- "On remembrance of wrongs"

Five days after Nepal’s worst glacial flood, Caritas continued a full-scale relief operation for thousands of families in the affected area. The work has also taken on the grim task of corpse management, helping deal with the many dead bodies resulting from the catastrophe.

The official death toll of the deluge, provided by authorities, has climbed to 919, and 4,793 people are still missing. More than 930 hydropower workers remain unaccounted for, LiCAS News reported. Many are feared to be trapped in hydro tunnels along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system.

In a situation report shared with EWTN News on Aug. 30, the president of Caritas Nepal, Father Silas Krishna Bogati, confirmed that the Catholic Church’s response is fully operational. Emergency shelters and hygiene kits have reached over 1,000 households. A cash assistance payment of 15,000 Nepali rupees (roughly $110) is being distributed to 750 of the worst-affected families.

The priest, who also serves as apostolic administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, added that more than 50 community kitchens run daily to feed 300 families.

The full scale of destruction is yet to be accounted for. Reuters reported that the flood destroyed 19 bridges, roadways, and other crucial infrastructure, hampering emergency aid and the search for survivors.

As rescue operations, supported by China and India, continue amid the risk of landslides and more flooding, aid workers are already flagging a second looming emergency: winter. Displaced families sheltering in high-altitude areas will require thermal gear and winter-proof shelter within weeks, Bogati shared with EWTN News.

Nepal Red Cross has formally asked Caritas Nepal to source more than 1,000 body bags, with decomposition already becoming a public health concern, the president of Caritas Nepal wrote.

To avoid future catastrophes, Nepal and China are expected to improve communication on real-time glacier data, avalanche risks, and water levels.

International pledges for help and support exceed $200 million, with commitments from the United States, Europe, Canada, and the World Bank.

VIA X U.S. Embassy Nepal: The United States is delivering a range of supplies requested by the Government of Nepal and is working with Nepal to ensure that assistance reaches the people who need it.

Today, Chargé d’Affaires Scott Urbom sent the first shipment of emergency supplies from the United States to Nepalis affected by the flooding. Catholic Relief Services, working through implementing partner Caritas Nepal, will deliver more than 2.5 metric tons of food supplies, 500 blankets, 500 mosquito nets, and 500 insulating foam sheets for temporary shelter flooring to two school locations in Rasuwa.  U.S. Embassy Nepal is closely coordinating with the Government of Nepal, Catholic Relief Services, and Caritas Nepal to prepare and deliver subsequent shipments of supplies that match Nepal’s needs.

VATICAN NEWS: In wake of devastating floods, Pope sends aid to Nepal

After expressing, in a telegram, his deep sorrow over the devastating flooding in Nepal on Wednesday, August 26, Pope Leo XIV has sent concrete financial support, in coordination with the Apostolic Nunciature of Nepal, to meet the most urgent needs of the population affected by the disaster.

The contribution will help Caritas Nepal, which operates under the direction of the Apostolic Vicariate, with the activities already underway since the first hours after the flood, namely providing immediate assistance with food, basic necessities, and shelter for those who have lost everything.

"This is the initial assistance that the Holy Father, as on other occasions, wanted to send to meet the immediate needs of the population,” explained the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín.

The Prefect called it "a rapid and concrete sign to convey, especially to the most vulnerable, the closeness and tenderness of the Holy Father, like a caress from the Church that accompanies and supports them."

MORE: US Bishop calls on international community to assist victims of Nepal flooding

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 9- "On remembrance of wrongs"

5. He who has obtained love has banished revenge; but he who nurses enmities stores up for himself untimely labours.

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