LESSON 5 SUPPLEMENTARY LESSON

“Blessed Virgin Mary ”

TARGET:

After going through this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Comprehend the life of St. Vincent de Paul the patron saint of the
University, from childhood, conversion to foundation of congregations
that will serve the poor.
2. Recognize the all the untiring works and dedication of St. Vincent de Paul
to help the poor and those who in need most of help.
3. Imbibe the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul through recognizing and do
charitable works the people in the margins.

CHALLENGE:

What if the angel of God appears in front of you and gave you an important
message to tell the people? What will you do? Will you obey and immediately
announce the message?

DISCUSSION:

“God himself it was who gave us the sign of the virgin”

- Ireneus of Lyons

A. Who is MARY?

The Meaning of the name of Mary:

In Hebrew: Miryam means the Exalted One;
 In Greek: Maria, Mariam can mean “lady”, “beautiful”, or “well-beloved”
In Latin: Mar means sea (song: star of the sea)

B. MARY IN SCRIPTURES

 Both Matthew and Luke present Mary with many allusions to great figures in the
Old Testament.
 Matthew recounts Mary’s virginal conception of Jesus as fulfilling Isaiah’s
prophecy.

 In the Gospel of Luke, the angel’s greeting to Mary relates her to the “Daughter
of Zion”

The coming of the Holy Spirit upon her, and her carrying the Child in her womb, pictures Mary
as the living Ark of the New Covenant in Christ her Son

B. MARY, THE EMBODIMENT OF GOD’S LOVE: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

• The Marian image creates over the ages is never nuetral.

• There is universal Mary

• Each community has its own Mary who reflects the image and interest of its devotees.
 • ELIZABETH JOHNSON ; “because so very few historically attested events surround the
figure of Mary, her persona is more open to being shaped by diverse projections
regarding the virtues and values of the ideal believer.”

• Christological concerns in the second century influence the growth of Mary’s

prominence and her virginity was emphasized to counteract DOCETIC and GNOSTIC
views of the unreality of Jesus’ humanity.

“THEOTOKE”
Mentioned in an ancient prayer that addressed to Mary. (1930’s discovery)

“SUB TUUM PRAESIDIUM CONFUGIMUS SANCTA DEI GENETRIX .”

(UNDER YOUR PROTECTION O HOLY MOTHER OF GOD)
-it comes from the late third or fourth century .

This prayer which was adopted into the BYZANTINE, COPTIC, ETHIOPIAN, AND LATIN CHURCHES
shows us the early development of belief in Mary’s power of intercession expressed in prayer.

C. PATRISTIC PERIOD/ FATHERS OF THE CHURCH

MARY as:

“MOTHER OF MERCY” AND “MATER DOLOROSA”

Were applied to her in the 6th century.

“ANNUNCIATION, NATIVITY, THE PRESENTATION AND THE ASSUMPTION”

Were applied to her in the Mid- 6th century.

“ANNUNCIATION, DORMITION AND PURIFICATION”

Were applied to her in the 7th century (Gaul).

D. MIDDLE AGES

1. EARLY MIDDLE AGES

- The Influence of the Greeks on the Latin Mariology. (“Byzantine Period”)

- “Byzantine image of the Glorious Queen,

Mistress of Heaven and Earth, interceding on our behalf, Tender Mother, giving
Maternal Love and tenderness of all”

 Were applied to her in the 8th century.

2. HIGH MIDDLE AGES (1000-1299)

- Glorious Gothic Cathedrals were built, usually dedicated to Mary. In the 11th and
12th- Mary depicted as Crowned Queen, sitting on a throne. (“Golden Age of
Mariology”)

- St. Bernard Clairvaux- fostered a form of meditative writings to her.

- Age of the CRUSADES, Feudalism

-Mary was hailed in chivalrous terms as the “Fair Lady of the Knights”

- She was Address as “Our Lady”, and “Madonna”- titles given to feudal aristocrats, they
were also symbols of chaste love.

E. THE 13TH CENTURY

- Began the change the social structures of “monastic- centered Christianity.

- A new generation of people emerged, anxious to live the gospel outside traditional
monastic structure.

 “MENDICANT ORDERS” emerge.

- FRANCISCANS, DOMINICANS, SERVITES

- focus on Jesus Poverty of his humanity.

- Mary always presents in a human role.

F. THE 16TH CENTURY

 The Advent of Reformation (protestant)

- Martin Luther (1483-1546) – he describes Mary as a woman of faith,
and our model of God’s grace to the world.
- He retained a remarkable amount of Catholic teaching which was
only dismissed by his successors.
- LUTHER stressed that the true bases of Mary’s dignity was as a
believer, and any special blessings given to her were through the
merits of Christ and not due to her own special merits.

G. The 17th and 18th Century

 Marian devotions reached a second peak, especially in

France which emerged as the spiritual leader of WESTERN
CHRISTENDOM.
 Enlightenment era
  French Revolution
 Popular devotion was catered to by sermons and by
pamphlets.
 Jesuits, promoter of Marian cult, were disbanded.

H. THE 19TH CENTURY

 “AGE OF MARY”
 Pope Leo XIII- devoted 11 of his 60 encyclicals to her.
 St. Alphonsus Liguori’s book “The glories of Mary” was one of his popular
works on Marian devotions.

I. THE 20TH CENTURY

 “Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

 Organizations was established under the name of Mary.
 Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe etc...

J. MARY MOTHER OF CHRIST AND MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

MARIOLOGY- is to “Study” the Life of Mary.

“What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about
Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.” (CCC
487)

“To Christ
through
Mary”
“Ad Iesum per Mariam”

Since the Virgin Mary's role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been
treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. "The
Virgin Mary… is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God
and of the redeemer ... She is 'clearly the mother of the members of Christ’...
since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the
Church, who are members of its head. "Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the
Church." (CCC 963)

Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows
directly from it. "This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is
 made manifest from the time of Christ's virginal conception up to his death"; it is
made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion. (CCC 964)

Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a
wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning
charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason,
she is a mother to us in the order of grace. (CCC 968).

K. DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

"All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to
Christian worship." The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From
the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,'
to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs... This very special devotion...
differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the
Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration." The liturgical feasts dedicated to
the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel,"
express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.

J. MARY - ESCHATOLOGICAL ICON OF THE CHURCH

After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to
conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her
mystery on her own "pilgrimage of faith," and what she will be in the homeland at the end of
her journey. There, "in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity," "in the communion of
all the saints," the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her
own mother. (CCC 972)

K. ROLE OF MARY IN SALVIFIC HISTORY

Mary the Blessed Virgin is the mother of the church in the order of Grace since she is “full of
Grace” and she gave birth to Jesus Christ the son of God, the savior of the world. He is the head
of the body which is the church. In his dying breath on the cross, Jesus gave His Mother Mary to
his favorite disciple with the words “Behold your mother” (John 19:27). (CCC 963 – 964, 973)

Take note: Mary a simple Palestinian housewife could not meet the needs of the aristocratic
ladies. Before they could venerate her, they had to make her one of themselves)

“From a simple maiden of Nazareth, she became the great Queen of Heaven, assigned a place
above the church, between God and the highest angels.”
Mary’s fiat can be found in Luke 1:38, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done
to me according to your word.” Biblical scholars refer to Mary’s answer to the angel as her,
“fiat,” because that is the Latin word for, “be it done,” or “let it be done.”

Mary’s fiat is her willingness to submit herself fully to the will of God so that He could restore
humanity into communion with Himself.

“But if one pays close attention to the images, the person will notice the similarities in both
form and substance to the Pieta,” he said. “Mary is embracing the babe of Bethlehem and the
man of Golgotha.”

“We should remember in Mary that our greatness comes not in our accomplishments, but our
willingness to say, ‘yes’ to God, in both large matters, and the innumerable small ones.”

INSIGHT:

1. Mary the Blessed Virgin is the mother of the church in the order of Grace
since she is “full of Grace” and she gave birth to Jesus Christ the son of God,
the savior of the world.
2. Mary’s fiat is her willingness to submit herself fully to the will of God so that
He could restore humanity into communion with Himself.