Annotation CXXXVI

”After the days of purification were fulfilled, etc.” — Luke 2:22

Whether Mary needed purification after childbirth.

Origen, in homily 14 on Luke, indicates that the Virgin Mary needed purification after childbirth, in these words: “When now the days of pur-

of their purification, according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem.” “On account of their purification,” he says. Of which “their”? If it were written, “On account of her purification” — that is, Mary’s, who had given birth — no question would arise: and we would boldly say that Mary, who was a human being, needed purification after childbirth. Perhaps Origen understands [this] not of a purification from the uncleannesses and defilements of childbirth — to which there is no doubt Mary was not liable — but of the rites and ceremonies by which Moses had commanded women in childbed to be purified. These it was necessary [that] be observed by his mother, [by him] who had come to fulfill the law, not to destroy [it]. Arnobius, in the exposition of Psalm 14, seems to attribute certain stains to Mary, from which, on Christ’s entering into her womb, she was cleansed. Of which opinion you have the explanation in book 5, Annotation 156 [the print gives “153”, an error of the press: the annotation on Arnobius and the sanctification of the Virgin is the 156th].

The purgatorial fire.

In the same homily you must beware of what Origen says — that we, after the day of resurrection, need purification — in these words: “I think that even after the resurrection from the dead we [shall] need a sacrament washing and purifying us (for no one will be able to rise again without defilements); nor can any soul be found which is at once free from all vices,” etc. You have these [matters] treated more accurately and at greater length in Annotations 170 and 171 of book 5.