WHO IS MARY?

Mary is the virgin mother of Jesus Christ, the messiah (Mt 1:16; Mt. 18-25; Lk 1:27). She is the Mother of the Church, and Queen of all Heaven and earth (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], nos. 484-507, 963-972, 26730-2677).

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that Mary "occupies a place in the Church that is the highest after Christ and also closest to us (LG, no 54). She is the first and greatest of all the disciple of Christ."

This year, April 7 is the Memorial of the Miracle of the Candle, which occurred during the Seventeenth Apparition of our Lady at Lourdes. Click this link to find out more about Our Lady of Lourdes.

Photo by Nicole McCarthy

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you."

“To the Immaculata,” is from Gate of Heaven, a collection of more than 40 post-Conciliar, authentically Catholic hymns by Church musician and composer, Mary Oberle Hubley. It is available from Nicholas + Maria Publishers. To read the beautiful lyrics for this great hymn, click here.

(Please allow time for the audio file to load.)

The following references are made to Mary, the Mother of God, in the Gospels:

v While still betrothed to Joseph (Mt 1:16; Lk 1:27), Mary was visited by the angel, Gabriel (Lk 1:26-38), whose greeting, "Hail, full of grace!" is repeated in the prayer, "Hail Mary."

v Following the annunciation, (Mt 1:18-25) , she visited her cousin, Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56).

v Because of Roman decree, Mary and Joseph were required to leave their home in Nazareth and travel to Bethlehem for a census. While there, Jesus was born (Lk 2:1-19). Eight days later, he was circumcised (Lk 2:21), and forty days following that, in accordance with Mosaic law, Mary returned to the temple in Jerusalem, where she and Joseph offered their sacrifice of purification and dedicated Jesus to God, the Father (Lk 2:22-24). While there, they encountered Simeon, (Lk 2:25-35) and the prophetess Anna (Lk 2:36-38), after which they returned to Nazareth (Lk 2:39).

v It is during this time, that Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus are visited by the Magi (Mt 2:1-11) and then forced to flee for a time into Egypt (Mt 2:13-14). Following King Herod's death, the Holy Family once again returned to Nazareth (Mt 2:19-23).

v When Jesus was 12, He accompanied his parents to Jerusalem for the annual Passover feast . Three days into their return journey home, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not with their group, so they returned to Jerusalem, frantically searching until they found Him in the Temple, where He was discussing the Law with the elders and priests (Lk 2:41-50). His mother did not know what to think of this, and they returned home, where she "stored away all these things in her heart" (Lk 2:52).

v We are once again reminded of Mary's deep and unquestioning faith at the marriage feast at Cana. After she tells her Son that there is no more wine, she instructs the servers to "Do whatever He asks of you" (Jn 2:1-11). Mary is subsequently referred to in other instances during Jesus's public life (Mt 12:46-50; Mk 3:31-35; Lk 8:19-21; Jn 2:12-13) and especially at His passionate death on the cross (Jn 19:25-27). Even following His resurrection and ascension into Heaven, Mary remained with, prayed with, and encouraged the Apostles (Acts 1:14).

v Immediately following her death, Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven (CCC, no. 966). There she rejoined her Son with His Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit.

v Even today, Mary continues to minister to us (CCC, no. 966). Acting as our maternal intercessor and spiritual compass, she guides us from the exaltations at Bethlehem, through the passion at Golgotha, to the glorious triumph of her Son's resurrection, and, if we are blessed, eventually she will greet us when we arrive in Heaven. "We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in Heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ" (Pope Paul VI, Solemn Profession of Faith, 30. June 1968, #15).

The Marian Prayer of Pope John Paul II

Mother of the Redeemer,
with great joy we call you blessed.

In order to carry out His plan of salvation,
God the Father chose you before the creation of the world.
You believed in His love and obeyed His word.

The Son of God desired you for His Mother
when He became man to save the human race.
You received Him with ready obedience and undivided heart.

The Holy Spirit loved you as His mystical spouse
and filled you with singular gifts.
You allowed yourself to be led
by His hidden powerful action.

On the eve of the third Christian Millennium,
we entrust to you the Church
which acknowledges you and invokes you as Mother.

To you, Mother of human family and of the nations,
we confidently entrust the whole humanity,
with its hopes and fears.
Do no let it lack the light of true wisdom.
Guide its steps in the ways of peace.
Enable all to meet Christ,
the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith
and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother of God
and our Mother, Mary!

-- John Paul II

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v	Days in July when we honor Mary
v	The "Hail Mary" in various languages
v	Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI on the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Blessed Mother at Lourdes--Delivered at the Torchlight Procession, Lourdes, Rosary Square, Saturday, September 13, 2008
v	The Marian Prayer of John Paul II
v	"Mary is a role model"—by Karina with artwork by Elena
v	"Why Catholics Honor Mary"—by Reverend Daniel J. Mahan
v	How to pray the Rosary
v	Rosary prayers
v	The Mysteries of the Rosary
v	Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary
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Why Catholics Honor Mary

The following is an excerpt from Reverend Daniel J. Mahan's book, More than Silver or Gold—Homilies of a Stewardship Priest. It appears here by the gracious permission of Father Mahan and his publishing company, Saint Catherine of Siena Press.

"A good steward need look no farther for a role model than the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first Christian steward. The long history of devotion to the Blessed Mother bears witness to the beautiful way in which she served as God’s faithful steward."

n the Fourth Sunday of Advent each year the Scriptures draw our attention to the young woman from Nazareth named Mary.[86] Today’s account of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her kinswoman Elizabeth is but one of a number of places in the Gospels where Mary is mentioned. Each Scriptural account of Mary is always in connection with Jesus at the most significant moments of His life: the Annunciation, the Nativity, His first miracle at Cana, His crucifixion.

Mary was with Jesus every step of the way, most notably today, on the occasion of Jesus’ first meeting with his cousin, John the Baptist. Though both Jesus and John were still in their mothers’ wombs, the encounter was significant, for when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth cried out in a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women. an blessed is the fruit of your womb!” [87]

A young man whose parents emigrated from Mexico entered college this past August. The crucifix around his neck and his Hispanic surname made him an obvious target for those on campus who sought to convince him that his Catholic faith would lead him to eternal damnation. “You are not a Christian,” he was told, “because Catholics are idolaters, worshipping Mary as a goddess. You need to renounce your Catholic faith and be baptized a Christian if you truly want to follow Jesus and get to heaven.”

Tony’s faith was strong, but he was disappointed in himself that he didn’t have an articulate response to give to those who challenged his faith. Later that day, at the prompting of his Catholic roommate, Tony logged on to the Catholic Answers web site.[88] There he found good responses to a number of challenges to his Catholic faith, helping him to put into words what he knew in his heart to be true.

Tony knew, for example, that we Catholics do not worship Mary, for worship is due to God alone: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He learned that the word for the great respect that we show for the Blessed Mother is “veneration”,[89] and Tony learned that we show the Blessed Mother the highest respect and honor for several reasons:

First, in imitation of God, who in choosing her to be the mother of our Savior honored her more highly than we ever could. Such an honor is not to be taken lightly. Nor is the command of Jesus from the cross to His beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother.” [90] From the cross, Jesus entrusts the care of His mother to His beloved disciple, who represents the Lord’s beloved Church. To honor Mary is to honor our mother which, of course, is to keep the fourth commandment, “Honor your father and your mother.”[91]

Second, Catholics honor or venerate Mary in keeping with the long and consistent practice of the people of God. Mary was with the apostles on the day of Pentecost.[92] The Church of the early centuries approached Mary in prayer, asking her intercession. Artwork in the catacombs in Rome is evidence of the great respect paid to Mary in the early years of the Church. Early Christian writers such as St. Irenaeus, who lived in the second century, saw Mary as the “new Eve,” for just as Eve’s disobedience to God brought death into the world, Mary’s “Yes” to God would bring new and eternal life into the world. “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.”[93]

From the very first days of the Church, Christians have honored the Blessed Mother, seeing in her a model of discipleship and a faithful woman of prayer who never stops interceding for her children. For she, too, was given a command from the cross: “Woman, behold, your son!”[94] From that moment on, the Scriptures tell us, the beloved disciple “took her to his own home,”[95] a striking image for the affection and devotion Catholics have for the Blessed Mother to this very day.

The third point that struck Tony was that Catholics seek Mary’s intercession under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, who teaches us how to pray.[96] The Holy Spirit directs us to pray to God not simply as individuals, but in communion with the Church, the Body of Christ. Even in our personal, silent prayer we do not pray alone. We pray in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and in the communion of the Church.[97] Is it any wonder that the Holy Spirit, who draws us together into that communion, would in the process draw us close to the Blessed Mother? Yes, we pray to her, for when we do, we pray with her and she with us. Just as we do not hesitate to ask our friends and fellow parishioners to pray for us in time of need, neither do we hesitate to ask the Blessed Mother for her intercession, her prayers.

Tony was not able to convince the campus proselytizers of his convictions, but he went to bed that night more assured of his beliefs and more convinced of the wisdom of the Catholic faith that had been passed on to him by his parents and grandparents, the faith he professes personally and proudly. Tony slept easily that night, but not before saying a prayer for those who waver in their faith and for those who are misguided in their zeal for the Lord, that they will one day come to appreciate and cherish the fullness of truth that is to be found in the Catholic faith. He asked the intercession of Mary, Mother of our Savior, Mother of God.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, may we be mindful of those who are away from the Church or at odds with her. Striving to be good stewards of the gift of faith, may we seek the intercession of Mary our Mother, praying, “Hail Mary …”

X The Fourth Sunday of Advent (C)

December 24, 2000

_______________________________
[86]	Luke 1:39-45.
[87]	Luke 1:42; if one combines that verse with Luke 1:28, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” one can see that the first half of the beloved “Hail Mary” prayer is taken directly from Scripture.
[88]	www.catholic.org
[89]	“The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.” (Pope Paul VI, Marialis cultus, 56.) This devotion is not laetria (worship), but hyperdulia (the highest veneration or honor).
[90]	John 19:27.
[91]	Exodus 20:12.
[92]	Cf. Acts 1:14.
[93]	St. Irenaeus, Adverus Haereses 3, 22, 4: PG 7/1, 959 A; quoted in CCC 494.
[94]	John 19:26.
[95]	John 19:27.
[96]	Cf. CCC 2672.
[97]	Cf. CCC 2664-2672.
"Why Catholics Honor Mary" from More than Silver or Gold—Homilies of a Stewardship Priest *by Reverend Daniel J. Mahan. Digitally reprinted here with permission from Father Mahan and* Saint Catherine of Siena Press. Copyright © 2005 by Saint Catherine of Siena Press. All rights reserved. For more information about Father Mahan's book, *More than Silver and Gold*—Homilies of a Stewardship Priest, please go to: http://www.morethansilverorgold.com/. For more information about Saint Catherine of Siena Press, please go to: http://www.saintcatherineofsienapress.com/.

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Gate of Heaven and "To the Immaculata" by Mary Oberle Hubley is provided courtesy of Nicholas + Maria Publishers and Mary Oberle Hubley. Copyright © 2008 by Nicholas + Maria Publishers and the artist. All rights reserved.

Excerpt from More than Silver and Gold—Homilies of a Stewardship Priest by Reverend Daniel J. Mahan appears courtesy of Saint Catherine of Siena Press and Father Mahan. Copyright © 2005 by Saint Catherine of Siena Press. All rights reserved.

Mary's Touch is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing Our Blessed Mother’s “YES.” Our work includes the production and broadcasting of Mary’s Touch, an inspirational radio program designed to bring a greater understanding of Mary, to remind us of Our Blessed Mother’s loving presence in our lives, and to help us recognize the healing grace she still brings to this world. We rely on your generosity to continue this vital work. Please keep us in your prayers.