Une Minute avec Marie
Faire connaître et aimer Marie
Consecrated virgins living in the world testify that virginity is not about having no affections, even though it implies that one has giving up having a family in the flesh and physical relations with a man. What it means is a total availability to the duty of spiritual and material fertility to which the Lord has called them.
Christ is at the heart of Christian marriage. Consecrated virgins testify that by giving everything to Christ, life is truly fruitful. Like the Virgin Mary, they keep in their hearts a mystery larger than themselves, and convey it to the world.
Saint Augustine rightly teaches the importance of spiritual motherhood, which is not opposed to biological motherhood: "The Church reproduces the model of the mother of her Spouse and Savior, and she too is a mother and a virgin... The Gospel says that one day the mother and the brothers of Jesus (i.e. his cousins) were announced but remained outside because the crowd did not let them approach the master. Jesus said these words: "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?" And extending his hand to show his disciples, he said, "Here are my brothers! And whoever does the will of my father, that one is my brother, my mother, and my sister.” (The Holy virginity, 2.2-3.3)
Mary opened the road to all the women who, following her example, welcome the divine call to give their whole heart to the Lord through virginity. It is not only women who are called to virgin life: Christ too walked on that path and invited his apostles to do the same.