“Jesus cared about his Mother so greatly that, on the Cross, he entrusted her to the disciple whom he loved more than all the others. Showing his great solicitude for her. However, in this case he acts differently, in order to care for his Mother and his brothers. For, since they thought that he was a mere man, giving in to vainglory, he drives this disease out of them, not reproving them, but correcting….
Jesus did not want to cause his Mother to doubt, he acted to free her from that tyrannical disease, to induce her, little by little, to form a fitting idea of who he was, persuading her that he was not only her Son but also her Lord.”
John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew 44, 1; PG 57, 465..
St. John Chrysostom was educated in the school of Antioch where the emphasise was on the humanity of Christ rather than His divinity. Also, at this time the term “mother of God” was unknown to the Antiochene school. His main concern was correcting the Christian behaviour. Therefore, he does not hesitate to attribute defeats or imperfections to Virgin Mary.
If you are interested in more quotes on Virgin Mary, you can find them in Mary and the Fathers of the Church on Amazon in both in Kindle and paperback formats.
References:
Gambero, L., 1999. Mary and the Fathers of the Church 1st ed. Translated by Buffer, T., San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
