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This is probably a gerundive, a verbal adjective based on the future passive participle, conveying a sense of necessity or fittingness, from the verb vivo, to live. Vitavivenda est = life is to be lived, or life must be lived.
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There are several factors to consider, besides the fact that they are opposites. Mostly, it's about comfort. For some, it's style. For others, especially junior high and high schoolers who want to "fit in" with the other guys, it's about avoiding hazing. And, yes, for others, it's about how they look to others when parading around in their skivies.
What's interesting, if you think about it, advantages and disadvantages are a matter of personal viewpoint. The advantage of brief support may be a disadvantage to one who wears boxers. And, the typical form-fittingness of a brief preferred by some is shunted by those who a re comfortable with the relatively no form of a boxer.
Then, there are boxerbriefs, which blend both worlds together (depending on the brand maker of course).
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abusiveness, adaptedness, adverseness, agelessness, aimlessness, airlessness, airsickness, amativeness, amiableness, amorousness, amusingness, ancientness, animateness, anxiousness, arduousness, artlessness, assuredness, austereness, averageness, awesomeness, awkwardness, balefulness, bashfulness, beardedness, bearishness, beastliness, belatedness, betweenness, biliousness, bindingness, bizarreness, blessedness, bookishness, boorishness, boundedness, breathiness, brittleness, brusqueness, brutishness, bullishness, caddishness, callousness, capableness, carefulness, cleanliness, coltishness, compactness, complexness, conciseness, copiousness, cordialness, correctness, corruptness, costiveness, courtliness, crabbedness, crookedness, crowdedness, crumbliness, crunchiness, cultishness, cunningness, curableness, curiousness, currentness, cursiveness, cursoriness, darlingness, decidedness, deviousness, devotedness, diffuseness, distantness, diverseness, dividedness, doggishness, dolefulness, dollishness, doltishness, donnishness, doughtiness, drunkenness, dubiousness, durableness, dutifulness, earnestness, earthliness, elderliness, elusiveness, emulousness, endlessness, enviousness, equableness, erosiveness, eternalness, ethicalness, evasiveness, extremeness, factualness, faddishness, fatefulness, fatuousness, fearfulness, feelingness, fertileness, festiveness, fictiveness, fidgetiness, finicalness, finickiness, fittingness, flightiness, floweriness, folkishness, foolishness, foppishness, foreignness, foreverness, forgiveness, forlornness, forwardness, franticness, fretfulness, frowardness, fulsomeness, furtiveness, gainfulness, gaseousness, gawkishness, genericness, genteelness, genuineness, ghastliness, ghostliness, girlishness, glaringness, gleefulness, godlessness, godlikeness, gracileness, gradualness, graphicness, gristliness, grouchiness, growthiness, guardedness, gutlessness, haggardness, haplessness, harmfulness, hatefulness, haughtiness, hawkishness, healthiness, heedfulness, heinousness, hellishness, helpfulness, hideousness, hirsuteness, hoggishness, hopefulness, hurriedness, hurtfulness, ignobleness, immenseness, inexactness, ingrownness, inhumanness, initialness, instantness, intenseness, irksomeness, jealousness, jitteriness, joblessness, jointedness, joylessness, knowingness, laggardness, languidness, lastingness, lawlessness, learnedness, lengthiness, liberalness, likableness, liltingness, limitedness, lissomeness, literalness, livableness, logicalness, losableness, loutishness, lovableness, lumpishness, lustfulness, lyricalness, mannishness, marchioness, massiveness, mawkishness, mindfulness, miserliness, movableness, mundaneness, naturalness, naughtiness, needfulness, nervousness, neutralness, noisomeness, nonbusiness, notableness, nothingness, noxiousness, obliqueness, obscureness, obviousness, odorousness, ominousness, onerousness, ongoingness, operoseness, orderliness, outwardness, painfulness, passiveness, paunchiness, peevishness, pensiveness, pepperiness, perfectness, pettishness, piggishness, pinkishness, piquantness, piteousness, pitifulness, playfulness, pliableness, pointedness, pompousness, potableness, preachiness, preciseness, presentness, prickliness, privateness, profaneness, profuseness, prudishness, puckishness, pushfulness, queenliness, radicalness, raffishness, raucousness, raunchiness, raylessness, reddishness, relatedness, relaxedness, repleteness, restfulness, restiveness, retiredness, riotousness, roguishness, roundedness, ruinousness, ruthfulness, ruttishness, saintliness, saplessness, scrappiness, scrawniness, scruffiness, seasickness, selfishness, seriousness, serriedness, servileness, sexlessness, shadowiness, shallowness, shapeliness, sickishness, sightliness, silveriness, sincereness, sinlessness, sinuousness, sizableness, sketchiness, slavishness, slenderness, slouchiness, songfulness, sottishness, soulfulness, specialness, splashiness, springiness, squalidness, squashiness, squishiness, starchiness, stateliness, staunchness, stiltedness, strangeness, streakiness, stringiness, studiedness, stuntedness, stylishness, suasiveness, subacidness, sublimeness, subtileness, supremeness, swarthiness, swinishness, tactfulness, tearfulness, tediousness, teemingness, tenableness, tenuousness, thirstiness, threadiness, thriftiness, throatiness, toplessness, tricksiness, tunableness, tunefulness, typicalness, unawareness, uncanniness, uncleanness, uncouthness, ungodliness, unhandiness, unhappiness, uniformness, unluckiness, unmanliness, unquietness, unreadiness, unsoundness, unusualness, uprightness, uptightness, uselessness, vacuousness, valiantness, variousness, verboseness, viciousness, viscousness, visibleness, voguishness, volubleness, waggishness, wakefulness, waspishness, waywardness, wealthiness, weightiness, welcomeness, willfulness, willingness, wimpishness, winsomeness, wishfulness, wistfulness, witlessness, wolfishness, womanliness, worldliness, zealousness, zestfulness
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In order to more fully understand how various Anglican or Episcopalian communties regard the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is helpful to first state what the 4 central Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church are; i.e. a) what dogmas are the salient points of discussion between Anglicans and Catholics? and b) how have they been received in the Anglican communities?
The 4 Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church are:
- The Immaculate Conception of Mary
- The Virgin Birth of Jesus
- The Perpetual Virginity of Mary
- The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
[N.B. While the Virgin Birth of Jesus is a dogma of Christian faith, it is not, per se, a Marian dogma. It should be replaced with the following statement:
- Mary is the Mother of God; i.e. Theotokos. cf. Council of Ephesus, 431 AD.
My apologies for this error. (cmvaughan) ]
One of the most celebrated theologians in both Anglican and Catholic communities is the renowned Oxford-trained scholar John Henry Cardinal Newman. He offers several significant paths for ecumenical dialogue with Catholics on a variety of topics, including the four Marian dogmas listed above.
The Virgin Birth
The Virgin Birth of Jesus is perhaps the most widely held belief not only between Anglicans and Catholics, but indeed among all Christians. The common reference point is found in the Gospel of Luke: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son...But Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?' Luke 1:31,34 NAB
Here it is sufficient to note that during his Anglican years, Newman draws not only on Sacred Scripture but also on Sacred Tradition as expressed briefly in various Christian creeds over the millenia (e.g. The Apostle's Creed, The Athanasian Creed, The Nicene Creed, etc.) to indicate that the Virgin Birth has been a commonly accepted tenet of faith for Christians in every age:As in the beginning, woman was formed out of a man by Almighty power, so now, by a like mystery, but a reverse order, the new Adam was fashioned from the woman. He was, as had been foretold, the immaculate "seed of the woman," deriving His manhood from the substance of the Virgin Mary; as it is expressed in the articles of the Creed, "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary. (Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. II - The Incarnation)
The Immaculate Conception of Mary
In speaking of the Virgin Birth above, it is worth noting that Newman refers to Jesus as the new Adam. This indicates his familiarity with and close study of the early Church Fathers who developed this terminology from St. Paul's (cf. 1 Cor 15:45) to help explain the Faith. Newman draws again from the Church Fathers in making note of a reverse order in which salvation history unfolds - i.e. Where Eve received her flesh from Adam, Christ the New Adam takes His flesh from Mary, making Mary the analogical New Eve.
However, Newman also learned that by calling Mary the New Eve, the Church Fathers were closely linking her state of grace to Adam and Eve's state of grace before The Fall. Namely, as the New Eve, Mary's state of grace is comparable to that of Adam and Eve before The Fall; i.e. Mary's state of grace is similar to what theologians refer to as preternatural grace. Just as God formed the body of the first Adam from the immaculately created cosmos, the body of Jesus, the New Adam, was formed from the body of His Immaculately created Mother (cf. Madrid 2001, pp. 67-68).
Following the early Church Fathers' understanding of kecharitomene (Lk 1:28) as meaning not only intensively full of grace, but extensively both forward and backward in time, Newman would later assent to the fittingness of The Immaculate Conception of Mary, the New Eve, as well: Was Solomon on his birth called "dear to the Lord"? and shall not the destined Mother of God be dear to Him from the moment she was born? But further still; St. John Baptist was sanctified by the Spirit before his birth; shall Mary be only equal to him? is it not fitting that her privilege should surpass his? is it wonderful, if grace, which anticipated his birth by three months, should in her case run up to the very first moment of her being, outstrip the imputation of sin, and be beforehand with the usurpation of Satan? Mary must surpass all the saints; the very fact that certain privileges are known to have been theirs persuades us, almost from the necessity of the case, that she had the same and higher. Her conception was immaculate, in order that she might surpass all saints in the date as well as the fulness of her sanctification. (Newman, Discourse 18. On the Fitness of the Glories of Mary - addressed to Mixed Congregations)
The Perpetual Virginity of Mary
Here, Newman sees another analogy of faith that provides a starting point for an ecumenical dialogue between Anglicans and Catholics. In this case he notes how both the miracles wrought in, and the sacrifices made by, the lives of the matriarchs throughout salvation history find their perfect reflection in Mary. Both the miraculous births and the sacrificial aspects of womens' lives in the Old Testament are a foreshadowing of Mary's miraculous birth and lifelong sacrifices (e.g. the intensity of Mary's devotion to her virginity): no limits but those proper to a creature can be assigned to the sanctity of Mary. Therefore, did Abraham believe that a son should be born to him of his aged wife? then Mary's faith must be held as greater when she accepted Gabriel's message. Did Judith consecrate her widowhood to God to the surprise of her people? much more did Mary, from her first youth, devote her virginity. (Discourse 18. On the Fitness of the Glories of Mary - Addressed to Mixed Congregations)
The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Enoch
In describing the fittingness of the Assumption, Newman recalls that being assumed, or caught up into heaven is not without precedent. He recalls how "Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him." (Gn 5:24 NAB), and again that "By faith Enoch was taken up that he should not see death, and 'he was found no more because God had taken him.' Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God." (Heb 11:5 NAB)
Just as Enoch pleased God, Mary herself rejoices in having pleased God through her Canticle: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name." Lk 1:46-49. Indeed, her walk with God would become intimately physical and spiritual by giving birth to God the Incarnate Word, and walking with Him through His life, death, and resurrection. In this sense, Mary's walk with God takes on a superlative character that surpasses that of Enoch's walk with God.
Elijah
Similarly, Newman recalls "When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwhind...on their way from Gilgal", and that "as they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." (cf. 2 Kings 2:1,11).
Here it is worth noting that writers in the Old as well as the New Testaments frequently used flames or fire to indicate the presence of the Divine (cf. Ex 3:2-3, Ex 13:21-22, Is 6:1-7, Ez 1:4). Thus, Elijah's being taken up to heaven by flaming horses and a flaming chariot indicates a fitting consummation of the life of a holy person consumed, engulfed and overshadowed by sacred flames of the Holy Spirit. In this comparison, there is again a superlative character in which Mary was consumed, engulfed or overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, allowing her to receive the very Incarnate Word into her being - body and soul, as no other person ever has. cf. Lk 1:35; Acts 1:13-14; Acts 2:3-4. Considering the Incarnation of Christ alone, the superlative character of her receptivity of the flame of the Holy Spirit surpasses that of even Elijah.
Also, just as Elijah was engulfed in flames and taken to heaven, we see a similar image of Mary engulfed in the Divine flame represented by the sun: A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Rev 12:1.
Development of Doctrine
Moreover, given that the Immaculate Conception of Mary entails freedom from the taint of original sin, and the consequences of original sin are corruption and death of the body (cf. Gn 3:19, Rom 6:23), Mary's freedom from original sin indicates a fittingness for her Assumption as well; i.e. in Newman's words It was surely fitting then, it was becoming, that she should be taken up into heaven and not lie in the grave till Christ's second coming, who had passed a life of sanctity and of miracle such as hers. (Discourse 18. On the Fitness of the Glories of Mary - Addressed to Mixed Congregations)
A Closing Note on Newman
As a brilliant Anglican scholar, Newman was very reasoned and methodical in all his considerations of the Catholic faith. In his own words, "to understand the full consistency and harmony of Catholic teaching requires study and meditation." (Newman, Discourse 17. The Glories of Mary for the Sake of Her Son - Addressed to Mixed Congregations)
After a careful and prayerful study of the Catholic faith, Newman converted to the Catholic faith while simultaneously documenting his conversion. Works from the Anglican period of his life that are helpful in understanding his conversion are An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine and Retraction of Anti-Catholic Statements. These works are not of course, to the exclusion of others. An important book from his Catholic period that helps explain his conversion experience is his Apologia Pro Vita Sua. These are, however, only a small sampling of his prolific writings. Having lived both the Anglican and Catholic faith traditions, all of Newman's works are an excellent resource for deepening and enriching the dialogue between the Catholic Church and Anglican communities. He is currently in the beatification process of being named a saint, and has received the title of Venerable John Henry Newman.
Great resources for more information include The New American Bible and Where Is That in the Bible? by Patrick Madrid.
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I. Origin in Scripture
The essence of this prayer can be found in the Gospel of Luke at the annunciation of the archangel Gabriel to Mary, and Mary's visit to Elizabeth.
Haile thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1:28, 1611 KJV)
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe." (Luke 1:42, 1611 KJV)
A. Holy Mary, mother of God
This segment of the prayer is very fitting when one continues reading Luke and reflects on Elizabeth's words:
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to mee? (Luke 1:43, 1611 KJV)
Just as Elizabeth greeted Mary as the mother of my Lord, those who pray the Hail Mary follow Elizabeth's lead and greet Mary in a similar way, namely as mother of God.
B. Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death
Asking someone to pray for oneself is very common in the Christian community. Many examples of Christians praying for each other can be found. For example, pray one for another, that yee may be healed: the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16, 1611 KJV)
Indeed, the Old Testament is replete with many examples of righteous women whose fervent prayers were answered, such as Sarah, Rachel, Leah, Deborah, Esther, etc. Theologians have frequently explained how the righteousness of these women were foreshadowings of righteousness that would be found in Mary who, through her prayer life and perfect cooperation with God the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 1:35) participated in a most unique way in salvation history (cf. Jn 1:14)
II. Fittingness of the Prayer
A. Fulfillment of Scripture
In a very basic sense, when Christians pray the Hail Mary, they are making real what Scripture already foretold in Mary's own words:
for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:48, 1611 KJV)
Thus by meditating and contemplating the meaning of Gabriel and Elizabeth's words to Mary, Blessed art thou among women, Mary's prophecy in Scripture is fulfilled. Moreover, the contemplative who enters into the prayer of the Hail Mary also comes to a more balanced perspective of understanding her role in salvation history.
B. Honor Thy Mother
Perhaps one of the best ways we can follow the Commandment of honoring our mothers and fathers is by asking them to pray for us. A Christian may ask, in what sense is Mary my mother? Why would I ask her to pray for me like I would ask my blood mother? Indeed, when the Christian places himself or herself at the foot of the Cross, as it were, he or she receives a gentle, intimate, and personal invitation from Jesus to hear His words deep within his or her heart: Behold, thy mother. (John 19:27, 1611 KJV)
Over the millenia, theologians have pointed out that just as these words were spoken to the beloved disciple John, so too does Jesus speak these words to beloved disciple, every Christian - Behold, thy mother.
Thus, because Jesus commended Mary to every Christian as his or her mother, every Christian has recourse to her motherly love and motherly prayers.
C. Greete Marie, who bestowed much labour on us
In his small book The Secret of the Rosary, St. Louis de Montfort encourages little children to pray the Rosary in a section entitled A Rosebud. Because each Hail Mary begins with a greeting to Mary, he concludes by reminding the reader of St. Paul's words to the Romans:
Greete Marie, who bestowed much labour on us. (Romans 16:6, 1611 KJV)
Here there are two possibilities: either St. Paul is exhorting a greeting to Mary, the mother of God, or he is exhorting a greeting to another Mary. However, it may be pointed out that if the labors of another Mary merit a greeting, then how much more soshould the labors of the Virgin Mary merit a greeting? She whose labors gave birth to the Savior of the world (cf. Lk 2:1-14), she whose labors included perfect conformity to Christ's will (cf. Jn 2:5), and she whose labors included suffering united to her Son's in a most intense and unique way (cf. Lk 2:35).
REFERENCES
The Bible Museum. The Bible: 1611 King James Version: 1st Edition, 1st Printing, (GoodYear, AZ: The Bible Museum, 2006).
Barbour, M. trans. The Secret of the Rosary by Saint Louis De Montfort, (Bay Shore, N.Y.: Montfort Publications, 1954).
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The Catholic Faith has not defined whether the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven alive. Pope Pius XII, when he was having the question researched for a dogmatic proclamation was approached by a little boy who told him Our Lady had appeared to him and that the pope should not add that she had died when she was assumed. The pope believed the child's message and so did not broach the subject in his dogmatic declaration on the Assumption in his encyclical Munificentissimus Deus of November 1st, 1950.
Some theologians believe Our Lady did not die as she was immaculately preserved from sin and so would not be liable to the penalties of sin, such as death. Other theologians believe that she wished to further unite herself with her Son's redemption by freely choosing to suffer death as He had.
Tradition seems to favor that Our Lady did not die, so much so that in the Eastern Rites and among the Orthodox, Our Lady's Assumption is referred to as the "Dormition" or "her falling asleep". What the Catholic Church dogmatically teaches is that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven by her son Jesus Christ.
The Assumption is celebrated by the Universal Church on August 15. Our Lady in her Assumption is the patron saint of the United States.
It should be stated the Mary was assumed (needed help) while Jesus ascended (without assistance).
Precedents
Enoch
In describing the fittingness of the Assumption, many saints and theologians have recalled that being assumed, or caught up into heaven is not without precedent. For example "Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him." (Gn 5:24 NAB), and St. Paul recalls that "By faith Enoch was taken up that he should not see death, and 'he was found no more because God had taken him.' Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God." (Heb 11:5 NAB)
Similarly, the archangel Gabriel indicated that Mary had also pleased God: Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30 NAB). Mary herself is gladdened at the news and joyfully attests to having pleased God in her Canticle: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name." (Lk 1:46-49 NAB).
Indeed, her walk with God would become intimately physical and spiritual by giving birth to God the Incarnate Word, walking with Him through His life, death, and resurrection. In this sense, Mary's walk with God takes on a superlative character that surpasses that of Enoch's walk with God.
Elijah
Similarly, saints and theologians have recalled "When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwhind...on their way from Gilgal", and that "as they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." (cf. 2 Kings 2:1,11).
Here it is worth noting that writers in the Old as well as the New Testaments frequently used flames or fire to indicate the presence of the Divine (cf. Ex 3:2-3, Ex 13:21-22, Is 6:1-7, Ez 1:4). Thus, Elijah's being taken up to heaven by flaming horses and a flaming chariot indicates a fitting consummation of the life of a holy person consumed, engulfed and overshadowed by sacred flames of the Holy Spirit. In this comparison, there is again a superlative character in which Mary was consumed, engulfed or overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, allowing her to receive the very Incarnate Word into her being - body and soul, as no other person ever has.cf. Lk 1:35; Acts 1:13-14; Acts 2:3-4. Considering the Incarnation of Christ alone, the superlative character of her receptivity of the flame of the Holy Spirit surpasses that of even Elijah.
Also, just as Elijah was engulfed in flames and taken to heaven, theologians and scholars have indicated a similar image of Mary engulfed in the Divine flame represented by the sun: A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Rev 12:1.
REFERENCES
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. The New American Bible, (Iowa Falls: IA, World Bible Publisher, Inc. 1991).
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