Four Portraits of Mary

Why each Gospel tells her story in its own unique way

By: Fr. Joseph F. Wimmer, O.S.A.

Ever since the third century, when efforts were made to meld the four Gospels into one, the church has insisted on maintaining the separate integrity of each account of the good news.

The gospels were written at different times for different communities, and though they all present the revealed truth of salvation through Christ, each one tells the story in a unique way, highlighting a different aspect of the gospel and of Jesus himself.

Just as the gospels differ in their accounts of Jesus, they also give us different portraits of his mother Mary. Mark portrays her in terms of discipleship, and Matthew places her within the Holy Family. Luke emphasizes her role as virgin mother of the incarnate God, and John points to Mary as mother of the church. By exploring these different focuses, we can come to a deeper appreciation of Mary and the essential role she played—and continues to play—in God’s plan of salvation.

Mark: Mary as Disciple. Mark’s gospel was probably written about 65 A.D., and its goal…

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