UNIT 6 Mary, the Mother of God and Our Mother Lessons in This Unit Connection to the ӹ Lesson 1: Exploring the Blessed Catechism of the Mother with Sacred Art Catholic Church ӹ Lesson 2: Mary Is the Mother of God Lesson 1 ӹ 963, 965-969, 973-975 ӹ Lesson 3: Mary Is Our Mother ӹ Lesson 4: Mary’s Example of the Lesson 2 Christian Life ӹ 430, 484, 488, 490- ӹ Lesson 5: The Annunciation and 495, 508-511, 971-974, the Assumption: Perfect Obedience 1171, 2617-2619 Lesson 3 Scripture Studied ӹ 430, 484, 488, 490-495, in This Unit 508-511, 971-974, 1171, ӹ Matthew 2:13-15 1668-1673, 2617-2619 ӹ Luke 1:26-56 Lesson 4 ӹ Luke 1:46-49 (RSV translation) ӹ 430, 484, 488, 490-495, ӹ Luke 2:41-52 508-511, 971-974, 1171 ӹ Luke 2:16-35 Lesson 5 ӹ John 2:1-11 ӹ 430, 484, 488, 490- John 19:26-27 ӹ 495, 508-511, 971-974, 1171, 2617-2619 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 661 Introduction od chose Mary to be the Mother The Mother of God of Jesus and prepared her to be G The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and His Mother from her conception. Mary announced that by the power of the Holy agreed to be the Mother of Jesus, and in Spirit she would conceive in her womb the her perfect obedience her soul magnified Son of God and name Him Jesus. To this the Lord. At His death on the Cross, Jesus astounding news, Mary gave her fiat, or her gave His Mother to John and to all of us. “yes”, by saying, “I am the handmaiden of She is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Lord. May it be done to me according to the Church, and our mother. Therefore, your word.” Her perfect obedience to God we honor Mary because of her faith and began the undoing of Eve’s “no” to Him and because of her instrumental role in our led to our salvation. Mary raised her Son, salvation, and we imitate her example as Jesus, knowing that He was the Son of God, Jesus’ first disciple. and in a special way shared in His joys and At the end of her life, Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven, where she is crowned Queen of Heaven. She intercedes for us and hears our prayers, taking them to her Son, who sits at the right of God the Father, who will answer her requests. The Coronation of the Virgin, by Paolo Veronese. 662 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS sorrows as only a mother could. At the end Therefore, we honor Mary in such a way of her life, Mary was assumed body and soul that no other human is honored. We pray into Heaven, where she is crowned Queen of for her intercession and for her motherly Heaven. She intercedes for us and hears our care over us, and we honor her commitment prayers, taking them to her Son, who sits at to God. Mary was also the first disciple of the right of God the Father, who will answer Jesus and is our model of discipleship. Her her requests. humble obedience to God is the perfect example of what it means to follow Him. There are many ways we honor Mary, from Mother and Model of celebrating important moments of her life the Christian Life on the many Marian feast days throughout On the Cross, Jesus gave His Mother to the liturgical year, to using sacramentals John the Apostle to care for. In doing so, such as the Rosary and scapulars, to praying not only did Jesus show His great love for prayers such as the Hail Mary and the Hail His Mother, but He also gave her to all of Holy Queen. All of these help prepare our us. Mary is the Mother of God, but also the souls to receive the grace of God, whom Mother of the Church and our Mother too. Mary, in all she does, unceasingly magnifies. Connections to New York Religion Guidelines Core Content Vocabulary ӹ Mary has a special place in the Church ӹ Betrothed as Mother of God and Mother of the ӹ Fiat Church. ӹ Magnify Assumption Christian Living ӹ ӹ Original Sin ӹ We turn to Mary, our Mother in Heaven, who prays to Jesus for us. She is an ӹ Rosary example of how her Son wants us to live. ӹ Disciple ӹ Marian Feast Prayer and Worship ӹ Marian Altar ӹ Explain the feast of the Assumption, ӹ Sacramental August 15, which celebrates that Mary ӹ Miraculous Medal was raised body and soul into Heaven. ӹ Brown Scapular ӹ This feast strengthens our Catholic belief ӹ Disciple in the resurrection of the Body. It also ӹ Commitment reminds us of the dignity of the body. ӹ Solemnity of the ӹ Complete the teaching of the Apostles’ Blessed Virgin Mary Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Baptism holy catholic Church, the communion ӹ of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the ӹ Annunciation resurrection of the body, and the life ӹ Magnificat everlasting.” Pacing Guide Note Aim to begin presenting Unit 6 in March. 664 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS Exploring the Blessed Mother with Sacred Art UNIT 6, LESSON 1 Learning Goals Connection to the ӹ Mary agreed to be the Mother of Catechism of the Jesus. Catholic Church ӹ Mary magnifies the Lord — her life ӹ CCC 963 shows us the power and love of God. ӹ CCC 965-969 ӹ Mary was assumed into heaven at the ӹ CCC 973-975 end of her earthly life. ӹ Mary is our Mother because she loves Vocabulary us and loves God. ӹ Betrothed ӹ Magnify ӹ We can always ask Mary to help us. ӹ Fiat ӹ Assumption BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. of the house of David, and the virgin’s name For behold, henceforth all generations will was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was great things for me, and holy is his name.” greatly troubled at what was said and pondered LUKE 1:46-49 (RSV TRANSLATION) what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” LUKE 1:26-31, 38 UNIT 6, LESSON 1 665 Lesson Plan Materials DAY ONE ӹ Handout A: Trinity and Coronation of Mary Mural ӹ Drawing or construction Warm-Up paper A. Project the photograph on Handout A: Trinity and ӹ Markers and/or colored Coronation of Mary Mural in Saint Simpliciano pencils Church, Milan. Give students several minutes to quietly view the art before you say or ask anything. My Notes Allow them to come up and stand closer to the image to examine the details. ______________________ B. Once several minutes have passed, ask students: ______________________ ӹ What do you first notice about this work of art? ______________________ ӹ What do you like about it? ______________________ ӹ How does this work of art make you feel? ______________________ ӹ Where is your eye drawn? ______________________ ӹ What is happening in this painting? Mary is being ______________________ crowned Queen of Heaven by her Son, Jesus, who ______________________ is present with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The hosts of heaven, all the angels and saints, stand ______________________ around and observe. ______________________ C. Explain to your students that this painting is in St. ______________________ Simpliciano Church in Milan, Italy. In the 300s, St. Ambrose was the bishop of Milan, and he directed ______________________ the church to be built. He died before the church ______________________ was finished, so the next bishop, St. Simpliciano, ______________________ had the church finished. The church is now named after St. Simpliciano. This painting is on ______________________ part of the church’s ceiling. It was painted over a ______________________ thousand years after the church was built, by the artist Ambrogio Bergogne, an Italian painter who ______________________ lived from 1470 to 1523. He was about 45 years old ______________________ when he painted this. If you go to Italy, you can still see this painting on the ceiling of St. Simpliciano Church. 666 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS Activity Arrange students in small groups and give each group a laminated copy of Handout A: Trinity and Coronation of Mary Mural. Have them discuss the questions on the back of the handout. During this time, try to keep students focused on the artwork and the discussion questions, letting their conversations go in unexpected ways. Formative Assessment A. Circulate among the groups, listening to their discussion, keeping them on task, and offering insights or clarification where needed. B. Before moving on to the next activity, have each group write one question they would ask the painter about his work and turn it in. DAY TWO Warm-Up Project again the image of the Trinity and Coronation of Mary mural in Saint Simpliciano Church, Milan, from Handout A, and read aloud a few of the most interesting questions offered by the student groups the previous day.