Old Paths In Portrait

"Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, "Blessed is the womb that bore you," [Jesus] replied, "Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." Finally, for His brothers, His relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in Him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh."

-Augustine of Hippo 354-430 Early Church Leader and Theologian