Why Christ Chose a Virgin Mother

But so that the merit of virginity may shine out more clearly, and so that it may be better understood how worthy of God it is, consider this. When the Lord God, our Savior, stooped down to take humanity upon himself for the salvation of the human race, he chose no other womb than a virgin’s, to show how especially virtue of this kind pleased him. And to point out the blessedness of chastity to both sexes, he had a virgin mother, while he himself was to remain always in the same state. So he gave men an example of virginity in his own person, and women an example in the person of his mother, by which it might be proved, for both sexes, that the blessed state of purity possessed the fullness of divinity; for whatever dwelt in the Son was also wholly in the mother. [a]

But why should I take pains to make known the excellent and surpassing merit of chastity, and to set out the glorious good of virginity? I know well that many have spoken on this subject and have proved its blessedness by the most conclusive reasons. And no thoughtful mind can ever doubt that a thing has all the more merit the harder it is to accomplish. For if anyone judges chastity to be of no importance, or of only small consequence, it is certain that he either does not understand the matter or is not willing to take on the trouble it involves. That is how it comes about that the people who always belittle chastity are those who either do not have it, or are forced to keep it against their will.