Fiducia Supplicans: Eulogeo or Makarizo: St Luke Explains – A Treatise on Protean Blessings of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Fiducia Supplicans is a thematic exegesis of blessings by the Roman Catholic Church. The possibility, contained within the document, of blessing same-sex couples has monopolised much of the discourse. A linguistic analysis is performed of the concept of blessings epiphanised in the New Testament. Primarily two words connote the single English lexeme “bless” – eulogeo and makarizo. Eulogeo is a semantically inclusive blessing without necessarily connoting rectitude or probity. It is a non-contingent gift or eleemosynary. By way of contrast makarizo is an approbative blessing indicative of propriety or a commendation. A similar dichotomy is seen in Hebrew with Baruch referring to an inclusive or restorative blessing and Asre consonant with makarizo, an approbative blessing. There potentially some support for a selective, qualified, non-ceremonial, extemporaneous blessing of individuals in irregular relations. Such blessings are coincident with eulogeo and cognates used by Christ, himself when instructing followers to bless their persecutors. This is essentially an act of charity and an aspirational blessing for repentance. Misunderstanding of and misapprehension regarding Fiducia Supplicans is borne from linguistic limitations of the English language. Almost paradoxically such an exegesis simultaneously expounds the protean blessings of the Blessed Virgin Mary in her sinless state. Mary, mother of God, through her Immaculate Conception and divine maternity was blessed by grace in an unmerited and unmeritable “eulogeo” formula, but through her faith and “fiat” is commended by a “makarizo” blessing. This contrast articulated by Elizabeth during the Visitation who uses cognates of both eulogeo and makarizo in the Greek translation in Luke 1:42-45, as she greets her Cousin and describes her as blessed.