“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold,when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’"
If you are choosing to participate at home only, you can set aside an hour a week to complete the video and questions, or you can break it up into 15-30 minutes a few times during the week.
I added some questions for personal prayer for anyone wanting to reflect a bit more on the Paschal Mystery this week!
As a reminder...Dec. 11th will be our final session for The Catholic Faith Explained.
WELCOME to WEEK NINE!
Of all the teachings of the Catholic Church, the ones that give many non-Catholics the most trouble tend to center on Mary. In fact, one of the most misunderstood dogmas in the Church is that of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, which the vast majority of non-Catholics (and not a few Catholics) think refers to the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ. But that’s not the only problem. What’s all the fuss about Mary and the saints?” many wonder. “Why do Catholics pray to her? Do they think she’s a goddess? Doesn’t all this attention to Mary take away from a relationship with Jesus?”
For Catholics who know and love Mary, such questions sound almost irreverent. She is so important in both theological considerations and popular devotions, her presence in the life of a Catholic can seem second nature. And yet, despite her prominence, what the Church actually teaches about Mary can sometimes be a little confusing—or even misunderstood. If we are to truly understand and appreciate the one whom the poet William Wordsworth called, “Our tainted nature’s solitary boast,” then we need to learn who Mary really is and the essential role she plays in the life of every Christian. Devotion to Mary and the saints is one way that Catholics come to know and love God and more deeply appreciate the great gift of salvation.
1. You may view the Participant Guide below. I have additional printed copies available, just ask me for one. Session Nine appears on pages 64-68.
2. Watch the video below -
- Watch the full video at once: 45 min.
- You may prefer to break the viewing into 2 parts:
- Part One 15 min;
- Part Two 30 min
Mary & the Saints: Our Spiritual Mother & the Communion of Saints
Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained | Season 1 | Episode 9 | 47min
What do we think of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and how does our relationship with her impact our relationship with her Son? What is the connection between our understanding of Mary and the rest of the saints? Why do we ask Mary and other "dead people" to pray for us? The answers to these questions serve to give us a framework for the Catholic Church's teachings on life after death and what we call "The Communion of the Saints."
3. After watching the video, take 5-10 min to reflect on the questions on page 65 of your participant guide.
4. Pages 66-67 in the participant guide contains 3 questions designed to Call us to Conversion. Take 15 minutes to pray and answer these questions.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL PRAYER THIS WEEK
Spend a few moments reflecting on who Mary is and how you can grow in your relationship with her. Write down your thoughts and reflections on the following questions:
Spend a few moments reflecting on who Mary is and how you can grow in your relationship with her. Write down your thoughts and reflections on the following questions:
1. Reflect on the following words from St. Louis Marie de Montfort:
“We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor his Mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek—Jesus, her Son.”
Consider the four dogmas you learned about Mary in this week’s lesson. How can accepting those teachings bring you to a deeper understanding of Jesus and his love for you?
2. At the end of the video, the presenter talked about who Mary is and what it means to develop a relationship with her. Take a few minutes to ask yourself what your relationship with Mary is like, and what you would like it to be. Ask God in prayer what keeps you from developing a closer relationship with Mary.
3. There are many prayers and devotions in the Church dedicated to Mary, with the most prominent one being the rosary. Take some time this week either to pray a rosary if you are familiar with the prayer, or to learn more about how to pray a rosary. As you do, reflect on how each mystery of the rosary points us to Christ through Mary.
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”