MARY: DAUGHTER, MOTHER AND MODEL

OF THE CHURCH

Lesson 3

A. Mary, Daughter of the Church Mary’s relation to the Church

○Marian piety has uncovered an abundant richness of relationships between Mary and the Church.

For example: LG 53; cf. BYM 114

“as being of the race of Adam and redeemed by Christ in a more exalted fashion” and

As a “believing disciple of Jesus,”

Mary is a “daughter of the Church, and our sister as well”

Vatican II adds that Mary is“clearly the mother of the members of Christ, since she has with love cooperated in bringing about the birth in the Church of the faithful who are members of Christ their head” (LG 53; cf. CCC 963)

Mary is Daughter of the Church as redeemed by, and the perfect disciple of, Jesus Christ;

How is Mary DAUGHTER of the Church?

In what way Mary becomes the mother of the Church?

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B. Mary, Mother of the Church

Mary became the Mother of God, that is, of the historical Christ, beginning with her acceptance at the Annunciation when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.

2 Reasons why Mary is the Mother of the Church: 1. “Mother of Jesus Christ” she is Mother of the Head of

the Church, his mystical Body, and thus mother of all members of his Body, all his disciples

Therefore as disciples of Christ and as members of his Body, we have Mary as our spiritual mother (cf. Jn 19:26f; CCC 964).

2. As “associate in Christ’s saving work,”

Mary “cooperated in an utterly singular way by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Savior . . . . She is a mother to us in the order of grace” (LG 61; cf. CCC 968).

Mary becomes the mother of the Church therefore:

Mary as “Mother of the Church” because she is the Mother of Jesus, her Son, so she cooperated with love in the bringing about the birth of the Church, whose faithful are united under Christ their head (cf. LG 53).

C. Mary, Model of the Church

1. Mary is Model of the Church because she “shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues” (LG 65).

2. Mary is the first to be evangelized, and the first evangelizer (cf. PCP II 145-52; AMB 60).

For Filipino Catholics, the central experience of Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, is her constant help and protection through her maternal mediation, interceding for all her children (cf. R Ma 40).

Traditional Catholic prayers come spontaneously to Filipinos:

We fly to your protection, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions, but in our need deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin.

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. . .

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope;

To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;

To you do we send up our sighs, mourning

and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy towards

us, And after this our exile, show unto

us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet

Virgin Mary.

In what way Mary becomes a model of modern woman today?

Accdg. to Paul VI

How Mary can be truly a model for the modern woman?

He highlighted her decision making,

1. her free choice of virginity for total self-consecration to God,

2. her proclamation of God’s vindicating the humble and oppressed,

3. her courageous stand in flight, exile, and persecution of her Son, and

4. her support of the apostolic community

…and you, who is your MODEL in your moral life?

Danke schŐn!