Lesson 15

Mary, the Mother and Model of the Church

  •                               Jesus completed hissacrificial life on mount Calvary.Even as he was hanging on thecross between two notoriousthieves and being mocked bythe soldiers around, his eyes were on some of his beloved ones, including his mother Mary,down there.
                                   
                                  There were, standing beneath the cross, his own beloved mother, Mary, the sisterof his mother and wife ofClopas, and Mary Magdalene.Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved, Jesus told hismother,  “Woman, here is, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is, your mother!” (Jn. 19:25-27).
     
                                    When Jesus entrusted his mother to the care of his beloved disciple and thedisciple to his mother, Jesus was entrusting all of us to his mother and Mary, his mother, to us For a Christian, the motherhood of Mary is a spiritual one. She became our motherby participating in God's salvific plan with Jesus and by enduring the pain and suffering  associated with it.

    The Mother, who Received the Word

     

                                       At the time of annunciation, when the angelasked Mary to become the mother of the son of God,she naturally had her own doubts. So she asked theangel, “How shall this be, since I am a virgin?” Thenthe angel disclosed God's plan to her. “The HolySpirit will come upon you, and the power of the MostHigh will overshadow you; therefore the child to beborn will be holy, he will be called Son of God” (Lk.1:35-36). Mary said to the angel,  “Here, am I theservant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”  (Lk. 1:38). As Mary was prepared to fulfillGod's will, she became the mother of the son of God.In the Gospel, Jesus extols his mother for her abilityto listen to the Word of God and obey it in her life (Lk. 11:28). 

    Mary, the Mother of the Church

     

                                           After the death of Jesus, Mary gatheredtogether the disciples of Jesus and prayed with them.  All these (the disciples) were constantlydevoting themselves to prayer, together with certainwomen, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Act 1:14). Mary lived with themmeditating on the word of God. Thus Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the head of the Church, alsoparticipated in giving birth to the Church, which is thebody of Christ. Thus she became the mother not only of Jesus, its head, but also of the Church, his body 

    Mary the Symbol and Model

    of the Church

     

                                 The Church is the community of believers whoare on their pilgrimage to heaven. Mary's own life was apilgrimage of faith. She started that pilgrimage when she said to the angel  “Here, am I the servant of the Lord…”(Lk. 1:38). It was a journey filled with mixed experiencesof misunderstanding, various difficulties, sacrifices, joy sand satisfaction. In all these, she believed in God's love and providence and moved forward.Mary is the one whobelieved firmly that there is nothing impossible with God The generations proclaim her name saying “Blessed isshe who believed that there would be a fulfillment ofwhat was spoken to her by the Lord  (Lk. 1:45).

     

                                     Mary is the symbol of the Church, the faithful bride of Christ. Mary is the model for the entire Church in faith, charity and total fidelity to the Lord. The life of Mary,who dedicated herself totally to God and carried on herlife in fidelity to His Word, is a symbol of the Church whois called to dedicate herself in fidelity to the Word of God.Mary who was taken up in body and soul to heaven is the symbol of the Church to be glorified at the end of time.

    Mary's Intercession and Protection

     

                                                   Mother Mary sought the help of Jesus when wineran out at the marriage party in Cana. Though Jesusresponded to her saying that His time had not come,Mary told the attendants, “Do what he says.”Throughthis incident, Mary gives us an insight into her own lifewhich was rich in holiness. She became a happy mother Like Mary we can become happy and successful as well, if we do what Jesus wants us to do.

     

                                                  The Church has always been enthusiastic about seeking the intercession ofMary our Mother. Think of the great number of churches all over the world dedicated toher and the prayers composed and festivals celebrated in honour of her. Think of thenumber of individuals in the Church who bear the name 'Mary' or “Maria'. It is worthremembering how the Popes in the Church encouraged, from time to time, Mariandevotion.

     The Different Forms of Marian Devotion

     

                                Marian devotion is seen in the Church starting from the very first century itself. All those most significant devotional practices to Mother Mary have originated from theliturgy or are integrated into liturgical celebrations both in the Oriental and Western Churches. (Marian Devotion, No. 15). Marian devotion in expressed through the recitation of the rosary, pilgrimage to Marian shrines, observation of fast and abstinence, and celebration of Marian festivals.

     

                                 The recitation of the rosary is a very significant and universally, practiced Marian devotion Pope John Paul II teaches on the importance and richness of the holy rosary in the Apostlolic instruction “The Rosary of Holy Mother Mary.” He calls the rosary 'an abridged form' of the Gospel.
     
                  
                                 The Mar Thomma Christians have always been eager to follow and advance inMarin devotion along with their liturgical practices. Every Wednesday was set apart forMarian devotion. In the Syro-Malabar liturgy 'Yama Prarthana' has a significant place. And it is in this prayer that Marian devotion is officially reflected. In our Church, the Yama Prarthana' of Wednesday is enriched with hymns anal prayers in honour of Mary, our mother All the festivals of Mary have been very faithfully observed and celebrated inall our churches from the very beginning. It is particularly worth remembering that Mar Thomma Christians observed fast and abstinence in preparation for the important Marian Festivals.They observed fifteen day's abstinence in preparation for the feast of  Assumption and eight day's abstinence before the feast of Mary's Nativity.
     

                                        Marian devotion enhances our love for Jesus. Let us live in Marian devotion and complete our pilgrimage to heaven along with Mary, our mother.

    The Important Feasts in Honour of Mary

     

    1. The Feast of the Purification of Mary                : February 2.
     
    2. The Feast of the Annunciation                          : March 25
     
    3. The Feast of Mother Carmel                             : July 16
     
    4. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary               : August 15
     
    5. The Nativity of Mary                                          : September 8.
     
    6. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception
              of Mary                                                        : December 8
     
    7. The Motherhood of Mary                                   : The Sunday after Christmas
     
    8. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Mary             : The day after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
     
     
     
     

     

    Word of God to Read and

    Meditate

     

    Lk. 1:39-56
     
     

    Word of God to Remember

     

    “Blessed is she who believed that there
    would be a fulfillment of what was
    spoken to her by the Lord”
    (Lk: 1:45)
     
     

    Let us pray

     

    Lord Jesus give us spiritual and physical health and
    protection through the prayers of your Mother Mary. Make
    us share the eternal banquet with your Mother
     
     

    My Resolution

     

    I shall always seek the
    intercession of Mary,my heavenly Mother
     

    To Think with the Church

     

    Mary has by grace been exalted above all angels and men to a place
    second only to her Son, as the most holy mother of God who was
    involved in the mysteries of Christ: she is rightly honoured by a special
    cult in the Church. From the earliest times the Blessed Virgin
    is honoured under the title of Mother of God, in whose protection the faithful
    take refuge together in prayer in all their perils and needs.
    (Vat. II, The Church, No. 66.)
     

    To Know the Mother Church

     

    The Syro-Malabar Church was raised to the status of an Archiepiscopal Church in 1992, and

    Mar Antony Padiyara was made the first Major Archbishop. A synod of Bishops of the Syro-
    Malabar Church was held in 1993 to organize the activities of the Church in accordance with
    the identity of the Church. The head office of the Syro-Malabar Church was inaugurated at
    Mount St. Thomas in Kakkanad, in 1995.
    The dioceses of Trichur and Tellicherry were made Archdioceses in
    1995, and Kottayam was raised to the status of an Archdiocese in 2005. In keeping with the
    Church's policy of taking care of the spiritual needs of the members of the Syro-Malabar
    Church spread out in the world, a new diocese was created in Chicago, USA (2001), for the
    members of the Church in America.
    The Syro-Malabar Church which is blessed with innumerable vocations
    to priesthood and religious life is actively engaged in the pastoral care of the faithful and
    missionary activities in various parts of India and abroad.
    It was in 1999 the functioning of the diocese of
    Belthangady initiated.
    The diocese as Melbourne in Australia (2013) and the
    diocese in great Briton for the Syro – Malabar faithful in England (2016), An Apostolic
    Exarcate in Missisaga (Canada) in 2015, Apostolic Visitation in New zealand and Europe for
    the pastoral and spiritual upliftment of the Syro- Malabar faithful are in their ministries in the
    respective places. In 2007 the diocese of Bhadravathi and in 2010 the Diocese of Mandya
    were also erected

     

    Find out Answers

    What part did Mary play in the birth of the Church?

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    Explain, how Mary is the symbol and model of the Church.

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    What is the basis in Gospel for the Marian intercession?

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    Write a short note on the Marian Devotion of the Marthomma Nazranies.

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    Which are the important feasts of Mary?

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