Mary

“What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ” CCC 487 It is through Mary that Christ came into this world… Therefore, it is only appropriate that one can grow closer to Christ by going through Mary.

Immaculate Conception “To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” CCC 490 When first greeted by the Angel Gabriel, she is pronounced, “Full of Grace” For centuries, Catholics have believed that Mary was redeemed at the moment of her conception and she remained sinless throughout her life. Pope Pius IX proclaimed this an infallible dogma in 1854 by stating, ”The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

The Incarnation At the announcement that she would give birth to the Son of the Most High, Mary responded with the obedience of faith, certain that with God nothing will be impossible. God becoming Man in Jesus “Let it be done unto me according to Thy word.”

The Mother of God Because of her “fiat” (let it be done unto me according to thy word), Mary truly became the mother of God. She is also our Spiritual Mother and intercedes to God on our behalf. Why would she be considered our spiritual mother?

Mother of the Church During Christ’s death, it was Mary who stood with him at the foot of the cross. From that position, Christ gave Mary to his apostles and thus to the Church. Mary joined the apostles in the upper room after Jesus died. She was also with them for the Ascension and the decent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Perpetual Virginity From the first formulations of her faith, the Church has confessed that Jesus was conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.” Is 7:14 We also believe that Mary remained a virgin throughout her entire life. Mary was a “handmaid of the Lord” and lived a chaste life in her marriage with Joseph.

“Brother’s and Sisters…” Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." A closer look at Scripture indicates that these “brothers and sisters” were probably cousins or close friends of the family. There was no word in Hebrew for this kind of relationship.

Assumption “…the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of Original Sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” CCC 966 The consequence of sin is death. Mary did not have any form of sin so death was not a just punishment for her.

Therefore, she was taken up into heaven body and soul when her earthly life was over. Mary’s assumption anticipates the resurrection of all Christians. As a Church, we celebrate this event August 15 th

Vocabulary Immaculate Conception – Mary is conceived without Original Sin Immaculate Conception – Mary is conceived without Original Sin Incarnation – The Son of God becomes flesh in Jesus Christ Incarnation – The Son of God becomes flesh in Jesus Christ Perpetual Virginity – Mary remains a virgin her entire life Perpetual Virginity – Mary remains a virgin her entire life Assumption – Mary is taken into heaven body and soul Assumption – Mary is taken into heaven body and soul

Marian Devotion Mary is the perfect model for all Christians. It is through Mary that Christ came into this world and it is through Mary that Christians can approach Christ. Scripture has shown that her intercession is very powerful. Christ gave her to the Church as our Mother