Christ's earthly mother and the hour of the cross
Augustine is still defending the full humanity of Christ, now against those who deny that the Lord Jesus Christ had Mary as his mother on earth.
We must also detest those who deny that our Lord Jesus Christ had a mother on earth, Mary. His earthly mission honored both sexes, male and female, and showed that God's care extends not only to the one he took up but also to the one through whom he took him up—by being a man, and by being born of a woman. Nor does what he said force us to deny Christ's mother: "Woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come" (John 2:4). Rather, it warns us to understand that according to his divinity he had no mother, for he was preparing to reveal the person of his majesty when he turned water into wine. But he was crucified according to his humanity, and that was the hour which had not yet come when he said, "What have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come"—that is, the hour in which I will acknowledge you. For then, as a man crucified, he recognized his mother and most humanely entrusted her to his beloved disciple. Nor should it trouble us that when his mother and brothers were announced to him, he answered, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" and so on (Matthew 12:48). Rather, let it teach us that when parents hinder our ministry—the ministry by which we serve the word of God to our brothers and sisters—we ought not to acknowledge them. For if anyone thinks Christ had no mother on earth because he said, "Who is my mother?", then that person is forced to deny that the apostles had fathers on earth, since Christ commanded them, saying, "Do not call anyone father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (Matthew 23:9).
Latin
Detestandi autem etiam illi sunt, qui dominum nostrum Iesum Christum matrem Mariam in terris negant habuisse, cum illa dispensatio utrumque sexum, et masculinum et femininum, honorauerit et ad curam dei pertinere monstrauerit non solum quem suscepit, sed illum etiam, per quem suscepit, uirum gerendo, nascendo de femina. nec nos ad negandam Christi matrem cogit, quod ab eo dictum est: quid mihi et tibi est, mulier? nondum uenit hora mea, sed admonet potius, ut intellegamus secundum deum non eum habuisse matrem, cuius maiestatis personam parabat ostendere aquam in uinum uertendo. quod autem crucifixus est, secundum hominem crucifixus est; et illa erat hora, quae nondum uenerat, quando dictum est: mihi et tibi quid est? nondum uenit hora mea, id est, qua te cognoscam. tunc enim ut homo crucifixus cognouit hominem matrem et dilectissimo discipulo humanissime commendauit. nec illud nos moueat, quod, cum ei nuntiaretur mater eius et fratres, respondit: quae mihi mater aut qui fratres et cetera? sed potius doceat ministerium nostrum, quo uerbum dei fratribus ministramus, parentes cum inpediunt, non eos debere cognosci. nam si propterea quisque putauerit non eum habuisse matrem in terris, quia dixit: quae mihi mater? cogatur necesse est et apostolus negare habuisse patres in terris, quoniam praecepit eis dicens: nolite nobis patrem dicere in terris; unus est enim pater uester, qui in caelis est.