Mary, Seat of Wisdom

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Background to Mary, Seat of Wisdom

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of God, is the greatest feminine spiritual icon of our faith. Her role in salvation is powerful because through Mary, Jesus, our Saviour, entered the world. Through Mary’s guidance and love, Jesus grew into a loving and caring man who left his parent’s home to do the work God had given him to do. Throughout his life, Mary was near, rejoicing with him in all his good works and supporting and comforting him in his days of doubt and suffering. Mary was Jesus’ first disciple.

The Church honors Mary throughout the liturgical year. As Christians, we look to her as a model for our own discipleship. We celebrate her birth, the day she was presented to God in the temple, her annunciation, her betrothal to Joseph, her visit to Elizabeth, her journey to Bethlehem where she gave birth, and all the many events in her life with Jesus. We even celebrate her ongoing presence in our world and in our lives through the feast days that remember times when she appeared and spoke to people throughout the centuries. No season of the year is complete without some remembrance of Mary’s role in salvation history, for it was through her, that our salvation was born.

In the Litany of Loretto, Mary is called the “Seat of Wisdom.” She is given this title because she gave flesh to Jesus, the Son of God, whom the Scriptures refer to as the Wisdom of God. During Jesus’ early years she sat him on her lap and nurtured him, thus becoming the “seat” of Wisdom. Art renditions of this image show Mary on a throne with the child Jesus in her lap.. Often people think that wisdom means making a decision that benefits you. Or, they believe that wisdom is something people have who are successful in life, or make lots of money. Many people miss the fact that wisdom is a gift from God, that helps you to understand what God’s plan and purpose for your life is. Wisdom is a gift that needs to be cultivated. Making appropri- ate choices that are in line with your faith and values needs to become a habit, so that we are preparing the soil of our hearts to hear God’s voice, as Mary did. As we mature and grow, we hope that our wisdom grows as well. Mary’s parents helped her to use her gift of wisdom so that she was ready to understand God’s plan and purpose for her life when the angel came to announce it. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus, too, “grew in wisdom, age and grace” so that he came to understand what God wanted of him. Wisdom is our gift as well, to be recognized, tested and deepened with each passing year.

While Moses had occasion to see God face to face only on occasion, Mary was his privileged companion by living with Jesus for thirty years! Together, Mary and Jesus strengthened each other’s wisdom and came closer to the Father.

©Harcourt Religion How to use this seasonal material

1. Celebrate the prayer first and respond to the conversion-centered questions for reflection.

2. Assist students to learn more about Mary and her role as Seat of Wisdom by reading the Seasonal Background, allowing time for their personal reflection and writing.

3. The calendar of Marian feasts is provided below. Such dates would be logical choices for using the above Marian-focused liturgical prayer. Each time you celebrate this liturgy in the course of the liturgical year, you may read the piece on Mary, seat of Wisdom, or you may choose instead to read several of the feasts at a time [listed below] so that in the course of the year the students will have been exposed to all the Marian feasts. For example, you might choose to pray the Marian liturgical prayer in January. If so you might present to the students a cluster of Marian feasts—the feasts that occur in January, February and March. You might similarly do that throughout the year.

4. Most feasts have an appointed Gospel reading. If you are focusing on a particular feast or several feasts you may choose one of the gospel texts from among those feasts, in place of the Scripture citations provided in the liturgy above. If there is no appointed gospel text, choose from among the suggestions already in the liturgical prayer.

Environment

• Place an image [picture] of Mary in the environment [preferably an image of Mary, seat of Wisdom—Mary seated on a throne with the child Jesus on her lap].

• Consider providing holy cards of one of the various Marian Titles and a larger picture of the same image. [Where can they get holy cards?]

• Place the larger picture in an environment with the Bible, candle, colored seasonal cloth.

• Light the candle before the prayer service begins.

Preparation

• Identify a volunteer to read the Scripture passage; you may also want one of the students to serve as the prayer leader.

• Choose which Response to God’s Word option you will use.

• Review the suggested song from the Call to Faith Grades 7 and 8 Music CD Set

©Harcourt Religion Celebrate Mary, Seat of Wisdom

Gather All make the Sign of the Cross.

Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth.

“We Praise You, Lord” David Haas, 2002, GIA Publications, Inc.

Leader: Let us pray.

Bow your heads and listen as the leader prays.

Leader Prayer: Father in heaven, We rejoice that Mary said “yes” to the prompting of your Holy Spirit, offering us the path to eternal salvation. Help us to remember the gift she is to your Church. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen

Celebration of the Word Reader: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke Read Luke 1: 42-50 The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection on the Word of God • If you were to imagine Mary as your mother, what would be her message to you at this time in your life? • What does this Scripture tell us about Mary? What does Mary teach us in this Scripture? • In what way does Mary serve as a model for the way you should live your life? Are there any behaviors, attitudes or actions that the inspiration of Mary might challenge you to change?

©Harcourt Religion Response to God’s Word: Option One Litany of Loretto: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. All: Christ, have mercy on us. Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. All: Christ, have mercy on us. Leader: Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. All: Christ graciously hear us. Leader: God, the Father of heaven, All: have mercy on us. Leader: God the Son, Redeemer of the world, All: have mercy on us. Leader: God the Holy Ghost, All: have mercy on us. Leader: Holy Trinity, one God, All: have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, [all respond, “pray for us.”] Holy Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of Christ, Mother of divine grace, Mother most pure, Mother most chaste, Mother inviolate, Mother undefiled, Mother most amiable, Mother most admirable, Mother of good counsel, Mother of our Creator, Mother of our Savior, Virgin most prudent, Virgin most venerable, Virgin most renowned, Virgin most powerful, Virgin most merciful, Virgin most faithful, Mirror of justice,

©Harcourt Religion Seat of wisdom, Cause of our joy, Spiritual vessel, Vessel of honor, Singular vessel of devotion, Mystical rose, Tower of David, Tower of ivory, House of gold, Ark of the covenant, Gate of heaven, Morning star, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of Angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the most holy Rosary, Queen of Peace, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, All: spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, All: graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, All: have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God

All: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

©Harcourt Religion Response to God’s Word: Option Two All pray aloud the following prayer.

All Holy Father, eternal God, In your goodness You prepared a royal throne for your Wisdom in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; bathe your Church in the radiance of your life-giving Word that it may press forward on its pilgrim way in the light of your truth, and so come to the joy of a perfect knowledge of your love.

God of wisdom, in your desire to restore us to your friendship after we had lost it by sin, You chose the Blessed Virgin Mary As the seat of your Wisdom. Grant that through her intercession That we may seek not the folly of the wise But the loving service that marks out the poor in spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. [Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Daily Roman Missal, WLP, 2365-66]

Intercessions Leader: Lord, through your Mother Mary’s intercession, we ask that you hear us as we pray.

Lord of heaven, you crowned Mary and set her at your right hand as queen; she in turn offered her lap as a throne for your Son. Make us worthy to share in his glory. For this we pray.

All: Hear us, O Lord.

Offer your own prayers of intercession and conclude each with “For this we pray” All: Hear us, O Lord

©Harcourt Religion Ritual Experience: Prayer of Blessing of an Image of Mary

Either sprinkle holy water on the image as you pray the prayer of blessing or place incense in a bowl with lit charcoal and place the incense before the image as you pray the blessing prayer. The blessing ritual ordinarily is carried out in this way: 1) Slight bow before the object to be blessed, 2) bless by sprinkling the water or lifting the incense toward the object/person, 3) slight bow. After the object is blessed, the people are blessed in the same three step way. The actions come first, and then the prayer is said. [Bless both the large image and holy cards, if you have them available].

Leader: Lord, In the blessed Virgin You have given your pilgrim Church An image of the glory to come. May those who have fashioned this likeness of Mary Look to her as a model of faith and holiness For all your chosen people. Grant this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.

Go Forth Leader: Let us pray.

Bow your heads and listen as the leader prays.

Leader Prayer: Through Mary, the eternal seat of Wisdom God in his goodness has chosen to save the human race. May God fill us with his wisdom and strengthen us to imitate Mary, our model of faith. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen [Liturgy adapted from Blessing of an Image of Mary. Book of Blessing. 543-550]

©Harcourt Religion Breaking Open the Ritual

Making a Difference Name one concrete way in which you can imitate Mary and live as a model of faith in your own world this week?

Teens were avoiding the junior high youth program because of the perception that “the popular kids” would not participate. One girl made the decision to break through that barrier not only to participate, but then to report back to her classmates that it was a very positive faith experience. She subsequently invited her friends to come with her and to come with an open mind and open heart.

1. Mary Mother of God [January 1, solemnity, Lk 2: 16-21] This is a celebration of Mary, bearer of Christ, who came to save the world, and mother of the newborn child, Jesus. Mary kept the awesome, saving events of God in her heart, inviting all believers to begin their new year by reflecting on the marvels of God.

2. Presentation of the Lord. [Feb. 2, feast, Lk 2: 22-40] This feast celebrates the presentation of Jesus in the temple by his parents, which was a requirement of Jewish law. Mary and Joseph meet Anna and Simeon, temple prophets, who proclaim the faith of the Jewish people in the promised Messiah, whom they recognize in this tiny baby and who warn Mary of the sorrow she will one day experience. The feast remembers Christ, the high priest who brings enlightenment and reconciliation through his presence.

3. Our Lady of Lourdes [Feb. 11 optional memorial] Today we celebrate the apparition or appearance of Mary to Bernadette Soubirous, at Lourdes, France, on Feb 11, 1858. This is the only remembrance of a Marian apparition on the Church’s calendar because Lourdes remains, to this day, an important and authenticated place of healing and pilgrimage.

4. Annunciation of the Lord [Mar 25, solemnity, Lk 1: 26-38] This is a celebration commemorating the conception of God’s Son within Mary’s womb, nine months before the celebration of Christ’s birth. Passover was celebrated on March 25 in the Julian calendar. Early Christians associated the creation and the end of the world as well as the conception and the crucifixion of Jesus with March 25. In any case, this feast celebrates Mary’s wisdom and readiness to recognize God’s presence, to hear God’s will and purpose for her life, and to respond in faith that God will help her to fulfill her purpose if she steps out in trust. [Thus, it is possible that the date of Christmas had more to do with this date than any of the other hypotheses concerning the origin of the date of Christmas. (Nine months after March 25 is December 25.) ]

©Harcourt Religion 5. Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary [May 31; feast, Lk 1: 39-56]. This feast celebrates the great joy of the people of Israel [represented by Elizabeth] and the community of believers [represented by Mary] over the coming of the Messiah. One suggestion for the placement of this feast that remembers Mary’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, is that it is placed after the feast of the An- nunciation of the Lord (where it occurs in the Gospel account in Luke) and before the feast of the Birth of John the Baptist.

6. Immaculate Heart of Mary [Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost; optional memorial, Lk 2: 41-51] Pope Pius XII consecrated the war-torn world to the heart of Mary on Aug. 22, 1942, in the midst of World War 11. The heart is believed to be the center of a person’s physical and spiritual being. Thus this feast celebrates life and love and invites us to live according to the example of Mary who heard the word of God, pondered it in her heart, and acted on it.

7. Our Lady of Mount Carmel [July 16; optional memorial, Lk 11: 27-28] The Carmelite fathers’ devotion to Mary, whom they venerated as the patroness of those who have embraced the life of contemplation, is the foundation for this feast which is associated with the brown scapular, signifying our willingness to put on the clothing of Mary’s fidelity.

8. Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major [August 5, optional memorial.] This beautiful basilica was dedicated in the fifth century and is probably the first church dedicated to and named after Mary.

9. Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary [August 15, solemnity, Lk 11:27-28] This oldest of Marian feasts celebrates Mary’s assumption (being taken up) into heaven and her unique grace-filled status. Mary, as a person created in God’s image, and a representative of the human family, rises to share Christ’s divine life (as is the heritage of all believers). With Mary, we believe she entered, lived and left this world, without sin. She is a sign of hope for all faithful disciples, that heaven is open to all.

©Harcourt Religion 10. Queenship of Mary [August 22; memorial, Lk 1: 39-47] This theme reflects that Mary now shares the Beatific Vision (heaven). She has gone before us to share the fulfillment of Jesus’ saving mission and is the reigning “queen” in God’s kingdom.

11. Birth of Mary [September 8; feast, Mt 1: 1-23] On this day the Church celebrates the birth of Mary and her special status as a grace-filled, sinless gift to the human race. The only births that are celebrated in the liturgical calendar are those who had a direct role in the Messiahship of Christ—Mary, John the Baptist and Jesus.

12. Our Lady of Sorrows [September 15; memorial, Jn 19: 25-27] This feast comes after the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, inviting us to reflect on two things: Mary’s suffering and grief as she witnessed the suffering and death of her Son, and the fact that God’s presence will always conquer trial and suffering with peace.

13. Our Lady of the Rosary [October 7, memorial, Lk 1: 26-38] This feast was determined by Pope Pius V as an act of gratitude for the defeat of the Turks in 1571, which he believed was due to Mary’s intercession. It became official in 1716. Today, the rosary has universal respect and appeal as a favorite Catholic devotion. It is a reminder that Mary leads us to Jesus. As we contemplate the story of our salvation through the various mysteries, we reflect on the roles of Mary and Jesus and ask Mary to intercede for us with her Son. Mary is a model of both contemplative and intercessory prayer, as is the rosary.

14. Presentation of Mary [November 21, memorial, LK 11: 27-28] This feast remembers Mary’s life long dedication to God as well as her sincere holiness. One ancient source tells the story that Mary was taken to the Temple at age three, and dedicated to God. Since that source is not part of the Biblical canon, (the approved Scriptures), the Western Church was slow to promote it. This is an important feast in the Eastern Church, however.

©Harcourt Religion 15. The Immaculate Conception of Mary, [December 8; solemnity, LK 1: 26-38] This feast celebrates Mary’s conception without sin from the first moment in her mother, An- na’s, womb. God’s grace (presence) so permeated Mary that she was given the highest form of salvation---life without sin. The Church proclaimed this a dogma in 1854. It also recalls that we are all invited to strive for such holiness and sinlessness—sinlessness that we will only achieve when we see God face to face.

16. Our Lady of Guadalupe [December 12, in USA, feast, Lk 1: 39-55] This feast celebrates an apparition (appearance) of Mary to a Mexican native by the name of Juan Diego. Because Mary wanted a church built on the site of the appearance and the Bishop would not believe the peasant, Juan Diego, she placed an image of herself on the inside of his cloak to convince the bishop, along with a cascade of roses. Her image was one of a poor Mexican woman, pregnant with a child. Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered the patroness of the Americas and this feast demonstrates God’s incredible love for the poor—the poor Mary so powerfully remembered when she prayed the Magnificat.

Solemnity. A solemnity is a feast of the highest importance in the liturgical calendar. It is more important than other feasts or memorials. All Sundays are considered solemnities. Eas- ter and Christmas are the two most important solemnities. Easter is the Mother of all Sundays.

Feast. Feasts are days in the liturgical calendar that remember important events in the life of Jesus, the saints or the people of God. There are two categories of feasts: ”moveable” and “immovable.” Moveable feasts have no set date. Immovable feasts have a predetermined, fixed date. Easter is a moveable feast that occurs the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox (between March 22 and April 25). The date of Easter determines the tradi- tional date of the feast of the Ascension [forty days after Easter] and Pentecost (fifty days after Easter). Lent is determined by considering the date of Easter and counting backward 40 days from that date.

Among immovable (fixed) feasts are the birthdays of some saints, most notably, the Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and Jesus’ own nativity on December 25. For purposes of the liturgical calendar a feast is considered a day of less importance than a solemnity. Feasts are more important than memorials, however.

Memorials. A memorial is a day in the liturgical calendar that celebrates a saint or one who is Blessed [beatified, the process of canonization has begun]. There are optional memorials and obligatory memorials, depending on the importance of the saint that is remembered. Memo- rials are less important than feasts and solemnities and are not allowed during Holy Week, Easter week or prior to Christmas.

Sources: The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship: “Feasts of Mary,” Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 818; Richard P, McBrien, Encyclopedia of Catholicism. [further bibliographic dated needed].