Mary, the mother of Jesus, holds a unique place in the Christian story. Yet how should Christians today think about her? Two opposite errors are worth avoiding.

The danger of too high a view of Mary

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Mary using titles such as Mother of the Church, Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.

"Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power."

The Catechism is careful to clarify that this does not compete with Christ's unique role.

"No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer."

Yet nowhere does the Bible describe Mary in these exalted terms. Every prayer, every act of intercession, every mediating role belongs to Christ alone. It is Christ who intercedes for us, Christ who mediates the new covenant, and it is to Christ that the Catechism itself ultimately points, even as it elevates Mary alongside him.

Pope Leo XIV, in a recent balcony address, spoke movingly of Mary's place in the life of the church.

"Let us keep walking together with Mary, our Mother, toward the house of the Father."

The danger of too low a view of Mary

Some Protestants, in reaction to Catholic teaching, are tempted to say almost nothing about Mary at all. But this too is a mistake. As Michael Bird explores in his book Creeds, Councils and Christ: Did the Early Christians Misrepresent Jesus?, the early church's confession that Mary is theotokos ("God-bearer") was never primarily about honouring Mary. It was about safeguarding the truth that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man in one person. To deny Mary the title theotokos is, in effect, to divide Christ.

Mary the model believer

Scripture's own testimony about Mary is remarkably restrained, yet rich. She is neither a distributor of grace, nor a figure to be ignored. She is, above all, a model of faithful discipleship, the one who said "let it be to me according to your word", and who pondered these things in her heart. Some early Christian writers even used the evocative term "man-bearer" alongside theotokos, but Scripture keeps the focus on her humble, faithful response to God's word.

Conclusion

Mary deserves neither the exalted titles of later tradition nor silence. She was chosen, she was faithful, and she was the man-bearer who carried the Son of God into the world. That is honour enough, and it is Christ, not Mary, who remains the sole mediator between God and humanity.