Weekly Prayer Service for St. Mary March 18-24, 2012

Mary: The Church’s First and Most Perfect Member Call to Prayer ALL: (Sign of the Cross) Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and we shall be created, and You will renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be ever wise and rejoice in his consolations. We make our prayer in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Word of God LEADER: A Reading from the Gospel of Luke (Proclaim Lk 1:26-38) ...The Word of the Lord. ALL: Thanks be to God.

Catechesis

Catholic beliefs about Mary and the saints are based on what is believed about Jesus Christ and the Church. Christ Jesus, as the Son of God, is fully human and fully divine. And Mary, the Mother of the Son of God, occupies a special and unique place in God’s plan of salvation. From ancient times to the present day, Catholics honor the unique role of Mary, the woman chosen to be the Mother of our Redeemer, with a special reverence and devotion. We do not adore or wor- ship Mary; adoration and worship is given only to God, to Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit. We venerate her singular example and prayerfully request her intercession for us. Mary, at the message of the Archangel Gabriel, received the Word of God in her heart and in her body gave birth to the Son of God in our world. She conceived, gave birth to, and nourished Jesus; she presented him to God in the temple; and she shared in her divine Son’s sufferings on the cross. Through her ”yes” to God and her faith in the word of God, she occupies a unique place in salvation history, in the Church, and in the lives of believers. Therefore, we consider Mary our Mother and the in the order of grace and faith.

+God chose the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus Christ. Throughout the Old Tes- tament, many other holy women prepared (foreshadowed) the role of Mary (CCC 488-489). All through the liturgical year, the Church celebrates feasts to honor the Blessed Mother of God. +Mary is hailed by the Archangel Gabriel as she who is “full of grace.” It was only fitting that the Holy Spirit prepared Mary to be capable of welcoming, in her heart and in her body, the inex- pressible gift of God in Jesus Christ (CCC 721-726). (Over) +The Virgin Mary “cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation.” Her “yes” to God was uttered in the name of all human nature; by her obedience, she becomes the , mother of the living (CCC 511). +Because of the unique and special role Mary plays in the plan of redemption, the Catholic tra- dition holds that she was enriched with gifts appropriate to such a role. From the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of Original Sin and remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life. This doctrine is celebrated in the feast of the , proclaimed on December 8, 1854, by Pipe Pius IX (CCC 490-493). +At her death Mary, preserved free from all stain of Original Sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory. This doctrine of Mary’s Assumption is an anticipation of the resurrection of all believers and is celebrated on the Feast of the Assumption, proclaimed in 1950 by Pius XII (CCC 491, 966). +Because of her unique role in bearing Jesus, the Son of God, into this world, the Church also holds that Mary “remained a virgin in conceiving and giving birth to her Son.” Her virginity manifests God’s absolute initiative and divine power in Mary, who conceives Jesus Christ “by the power of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 496-507).

Application to Culture/ Faith Sharing Question LEADER: In what ways can you identify with Mary’s “yes” to God at the ? Allow all members of your group to have 5-10 minutes To reflect or respond to the discussion question.

Concluding Prayer () ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, our Mother. To you we come. Before you we kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemen- cy, hear and answer them. AMEN (Sign of the Cross)

Further Reading and Study U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, Chapter 12. , Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, (), Chapter VIII, 52- 69. Pope John Paul II, Mother of the Redeemer (), March 1987. ————, The of the Virgin Mary, (), 2002.

** Prayer service adapted from Study Guide for the U.S. Adult Catholic Catechism -

Jem Sullivan, Ph.D., Our Sunday Visitor (2006) **