“What was the reason for the Incarnation? It has to be this: the flesh that had sinned had to be redeemed by the same flesh.”
Ambrose of Milan, De Incarnationis dominicae sacramento 56; PL I6, 868.
St. Ambrose valued the motherhood of Mary within the mystery of salvation. In one of his sermons he comments on the verse:
“God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.”
Galatians 4:4
He uses a biblical text that translated the verb “born of a woman” to “made”. The Greek word for “born” is γενόμενον (pronounced genomenon), which means “becoming”. So he says:
“He is called “made” because of his birth from the Virgin. . . . He bore our flesh in his own flesh, bore in his body our weakness and curses, in order to nail them to the Cross.”
Ambrose of Milan, Sermo contra Auscentium 25, passim; PL 10, 1015.
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.
