Mary our Mother Fr. Anil Thalakottur CMI

The Proto-Evangelium (Gen 1: 27-

28; 2: 18-24; 3:2-20)

Seat of Wisdom (Prov. 8:22,

Sirach 24)

Mary in Scripture

THE ANNUNCIATION (Luke 1:26-38)

The Angel Gabriel calls out to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke

1:28).

Rejoice- The Angel Gabriel begins, “Rejoice.” (In Latin

“Ave”) - Filled with Old Testament connotations where

Zion is invited to messianic joy (Joel 2:21-23; Zeph 3:14; Zech 9:9).

Full of Grace (Luke 1:28)The Angel Gabriel continues,

- "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28, RSVCE). -"Rejoice in the transforming grace you have received, for the Lord is (already) with you!”- A much more succinct translation would be “Rejoice, Mary full of Grace”.

The Visitation: Luke 1:39-45

The details of the visitation bring out the Tabernacle or Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament as a type of Mary, carrying the Son of God in her womb.

Elizabeth’s greeting of Mary as “the Mother of my Lord” draws our attention to a number of parallels. “my Lord” is used by Luke elsewhere (Luke 20:41-

44, and Acts 2:34) in quotes from Psalm 110:1 “the Lord said to my Lord” which demonstrates that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God.

Elizabeth’s greeting is an echo of 2 Sam 24:21 “"Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" (RSVCE).

The Wedding of Cana John 2:4.

The Church has seen great significance in Jesus use of the term “woman” in John 2:4: “And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come" (RSVCE).

The Words from the CrossJohn 19:26

Jesus speaks to His Mother from the cross.

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26, 27 RSVCE)

Mary in Acts of the Apostles

Mary is among the disciples who gather before Pentecost (Acts 1: 12-14)

The Woman of Revelation

In this passage we have an extended description of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev 12:1, RSVCE).

MARY IN THE EARLY CHURCH- The Mary-Eve Parallel

- Gen3:15 > The recapitulation of the New Adam (Christ) who retraces the steps of the first Adam is paralleled by the New Eve who retraces those of Eve.

Divine Motherhood From the fourth century on the truth of

Mary’s divine motherhood was expressed in the title Theotokos or the Mother of God.

The title Theotokos was used in the creed

against Arius composed by Alexander of Alexandria (d. 328).

Mary’s ‘All Holiness’ Another basic element in the development

of our understanding of Marian doctrine is that of Mary’s “all-holiness.”

Full of Grace.

The privileges of Mary are seen as integral to her mission as the New Eve.

The early reflections of the Church Fathers and councils of the Church lead to four formally defined or de fide doctrines about the person of Mary.

A. Mary the Mother of God The ecumenical council affirmed Cyril’s

position that there are two natures in Christ but only one person.

Mary gave birth to a single person so it is right to call here the Mother of God.

B. The Immaculate Conception Formally defined in modern times (Pius IX

Ineffabis Deus, 1854) The doctrine has its origins in the early

Fathers of the Church The implications of the Greek grammar

are that the transforming grace that Mary received (Luke 1:28) happened at some point prior to the Annunciation

Catholic doctrine supplies the specific detail of when.

This transformation of grace took place at Mary’s conception.

C. Mary as ever virgin Prior to Jesus Birth

During Birth

After the Birth of Jesus

Two objections are raised to this idea.The first is the verse in Matt 1:25:When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of

the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Possible translation for this construction as “while”Matt 14:22 “Then he made the disciples get

into the boat and go before him to the other side, while (heôs hou) he dismissed the crowds.”

Second Objection:

scripture speak of the “brethren” of the Lord.

A group of persons closely connected with the Jesus in the New Testament are called "his brothers" or "the brothers of the Lord" (Matt 12:46, 13:55; Mark 3:31-32, 6:3; Luke 8:19-20; John 2:12, 7:3-5; Acts 1:14; I Cor 9:5).

D. The Assumption of Mary A natural consequence of the immaculate

conception. (p.139 notes)

Pope Pius XII declares in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus (November 1, 1950):

“Mary, the immaculate perpetually Virgin Mother of God, after the completion of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heaven.”

Feasts of MaryAnnunciation (March 25th)

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) Alive-O8 Term 2 Lesson 6

Assumption (August 15th) Alive-O 6 & 8 Term 1 Lesson 5 & Term 2 Lesson 6

Mary Mother of God (January 1st) Alive-O8 Term 2 Lesson 6

Our Lady’s Birthday (September 8th) Alive-O8 Term 2 Lesson 6

Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7th)Alive-O7 Term 1 Lesson 7

THE FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

The Annunciation

The Visitation

The Birth of Our Lord

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

THE FIVE MYSTERIES OF LIGHT

The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana

Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God

The Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor

Jesus Institutes the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

The Agony in the Garden

The Scouraging at the Pilar

The Crowning of Thorns

The Carrying of the Cross

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus on the Cross

THE FIVE GLOROUS MYSTERIES

The Resurrection of Our Lord from the Dead

The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven

The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven

The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven