The Teaching Of Mary

Maria autem conservabat omnia verba hæc, conferens in corde suo. Discamus sanctae Virginis in omnibus castitatem, quae non minus ore pudica quam corpore, argumenta fidei conferebat in corde. Si Maria a pastoribus discit, cur tu declinas discere a sacerdotibus? Si Maria ante praecepta apostolica tacet, cur tu post apostolica praecepta magis cupis docere quam discere? Disce vitium esse personae, non sexus; sexus enim sanctus. Denique Maria praeceptum non accepit, exemplum edidit. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio Evangelii Secundum Lucam, Liber II Source: Migne PL 15.1572a-b

But Mary treasured up all these sayings, and reflected on them in her heart. 1 Let us learn in all things the chastity of the blessed Virgin, which was not less in mouth than in body, the matters of the faith having taken into her heart. If Mary learns from the shepherds, why do you decline to learn from priests? If Mary before the Apostolic preaching was silent, why do you after the Apostolic preaching desire more to teach than to learn? Learn that fault is of the person not the sex; the sex is sacred. Mary, not receiving the office of preaching, proclaimed by example. Saint Ambrose of Milan, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 2 1 Lk 2.19