Mary as a Virgin

Question:

I didn't grow up with any strong religious teaching, and I refused to believe in Jesus Christ until recently, when I ran out of all other options. And I tried everything—medication, counseling, meditation, eating healthy, yoga, self-help books, shopping, and men. Alcohol and drugs ceased to work for me 13 years ago when I went to AA and got sober (after a few relapses). I had a spiritual experience of the educational variety, and I thank God I did—God saved me. But I never got much farther than believing that a Power Greater than myself exists and does not want me to drink alcohol and doesn't want me to die. I haven't been active in my recovery program for a number of years. I am sober and grateful for that, but I am very unhappy, and last week became suicidal. So I called Silent Unity; we prayed and I am taking life one scary second at a time. And then I came here. I have been browsing this site for hours, and I am sure it's meant to be. I have found so many answers here to questions I've had for so long. I love these Bible interpretations; I have heard other interpretations and my soul rejects them, then I become discouraged about Christianity and Christ altogether, and I go off on my own.

I know I don't have all the answers, but I can't trust every Bible expert I meet. I don't like what I hear about a punishing God, and I can't tolerate strict religious requirements. I am sorry this is so long, and I hope I am not babbling. I know my questions are childish, but I am a Bible baby as far as I am concerned—at least I am not wholeheartedly rejecting it like I have before. Thank you so much for your time and what you do (even if my question doesn't get answered). I have been so enlightened this far, and I found my local Unity center, which I will be attending tomorrow. Thank God!

 I want to know more about why it is so important that Mary was a virgin, even though she was married. I was told it was because she was so extremely spiritual, and because of that, she was chosen by God to give birth to Jesus Christ.

Comment:

I am delighted that the Interpret This archives on the Unity website are providing help and support as you begin to make new choices from a new understanding of spiritual principles. That's exactly what we hope and intend through the work we do.

It's important to remember Unity does not have 'official positions' on such questions as the Virgin Birth. Since each of us is an expression of the divine, the spiritual awareness we need to understand such metaphysical concepts is already within us; we have only to be still and trust the guidance we receive.

Metaphysically, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth into a human lifetime is far less important than the birth of Christ Awareness that he will achieve—and which he calls us to achieve as well. There are those in Unity who believe in a physical virgin birth; there are others who do not. The important metaphysical truth is that the birth of Christ Awareness is always a 'virgin' birth, in that its Source and process are beyond the reach of human logic and scientific understanding.

Mary is our own feminine energy of love, faith, acceptance, and creativity. It is this part of our consciousness that first receives the seed of awareness—we are innately one with the divine. This seed grows through faith, love, and patience—until we are ready to give birth to a new expression of the divine. The process can be challenging and painful—as it was for Mary—and the immediate results may not be as dramatic and glorious as we had hoped. The infant awareness has to grow—to be nurtured through distractions and shadows—until its full Christ energy can express. 

Mary, then, is a symbol of our own spiritual potential—and the Christ possibility always seeking to move through us, into the world, with its transformative power of light and love.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed