CFC HANDMAIDS OF THE LORD

MARIAN CONFERENCE
October 16, 2021

Theme:
Mary, God’s Great Wonder

P R O G R A M*
Holy Rosary
Opening Worship
Session 1: Mary’s Magnificat
Session 2: Mary, God’s Masterpiece
Praisefest

* Live broadcast on FB will start at

5:30pm Philippine Standard Time.
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 SESSION 1– MARY’S MAGNIFICAT

Anchor Verse: The Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55

NABRE)

I. INTRODUCTION

Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God,
and as a result, were sent out of the Garden and the gates
were closed to them. But before this, the Lord made a
promise: “I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at
your feet while you strike at his head.” (Genesis 3:15)
Through the ages, this promise was echoed in 44
prophecies about the coming of a Messiah in the Old
Testament, one of which came from Isaiah, "Therefore,
the LORD himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall
be with child, and bear a son, and you shall name him
Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

II. FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY

This prophecy was fulfilled at the Annunciation when a

virgin named Mary was told that she would be the mother
of the Messiah. Though she said “Yes” to God’s will, she
did not yet understand the meaning and impact of her fiat.
At the top of her mind was what the Angel Gabriel said
about her cousin. So she went in haste to visit Elizabeth
who, by God’s miracle, was also going to be a mother in
her old age.

Through the interactions between her and Elizabeth and

their unborn ones, Mary came to realize her role in God’s

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plan of salvation. She responded with what is now known
as the Magnificat or the canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46:55).

The Magnificat is a song of praise that we have made our

own. But do we really understand the meaning and
significance of the song’s message?

III. IN PRAISE OF GOD’S GREATNESS

1. In verses 46-47 Mary exclaimed, “My soul

proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my
spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She
acknowledged from the depth of her soul the
wonder that God performed in her – that she, a
young virgin, will become the mother of the
Messiah. She rejoiced because she was filled
with an understanding of the magnitude of this
divine miracle.

2. “For he has looked upon his handmaid’s

lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call
me blessed.” (v. 48). This was not Mary boasting
of God’s favor upon her. Instead, in her humility
she saw how the Lord stooped down to lift her
up, choosing someone ordinary, lowly, a simple
person.

3. “… the Mighty One has done great things for

me, and holy is his name.” (v. 49). What great
things did the Mighty One do for Mary? We can
say that these are her immaculate conception and
the divine incarnation of the Son of God in her
womb.

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 4. “His mercy is from age to age, to those who fear
him.” (v. 50). Mary’s song of praise was not
because of what was done to her alone, but more
for the part given to her by the Father in His plan
of salvation for all humanity from the past and on
to the future.1

5. “He has shown might with his arm, dispersed

the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown
down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up
the lowly. ” (v. 51-52). The history of the
Israelites is full of mighty kings who fell from
power because of their pride and arrogance. The
Lord chose instead to work with and through
ordinary people who remained faithful and
obedient to His will. Mary saw all these as the
works of God which He will continue through
His Son, the Messiah.

6. “He fills the hungry with good things, the rich

he has sent away empty.” (v. 53). She is defining
the kind of life that we should have, as she and
Jesus exemplified. This is a simple life, detached
from possessions but rich in spiritual treasure.

7. “He has helped Israel his servant, remembering

his mercy, according to his promise to our
fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants
forever.” (v. 54-55). Mary does not only praise
God for what is happening in the present (to her)
or what will happen in the future (for those who

1
Pope Benedict's Commentary on the Magnificat
(https://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=3006)
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 will experience his mercy), but also for what He
did in the past (for her ancestors).

IV. LESSONS FROM THE MAGNIFICAT

1. Mary knew the Scriptures. Her canticle is

similar to Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-7. This
shows that as a Jew, she nurtured her faith by
steeping herself in Scriptures and keeping God’s
words in her heart and mind. If we want to know
God and be more intimate with Him, we have to
immerse ourselves in Scriptures – not just
reading but learning and making His words
meaningful for our lives.

2. Mary gave all the glory to God and remained

humble. Mary identified herself with the lowly,
the sinners, as someone needing salvation. As
sinners, let us humbly acknowledge our sins
before God and thus recognize Him as our
Savior.

3. Mary tells us that God chooses to use the

humble and the lowly to accomplish His plans.
Mary’s yes to God’s plan of salvations calls us to
follow in her footsteps. She reminds us that we
need to let go of pride that can hold us back from
following God’s will.

4. Mary points to God’s compassion for the poor

and hungry. Feeding the hungry is one of the
corporal or charitable works of mercy that Jesus
mentioned in Matthew 25:35-40 as means to
inherit the kingdom of the Father. It is an act of

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 love that we are called to do no matter what our
status in life may be.

5. Mary’s Magnificat shows a love for the lost,

the least, and the last – a preferential option
for the poor and the wayward. Mary reminds
us to seek out and help not only the materially
poor but also those who need to be fed spiritually.

V. CONCLUSION

The Magnificat is a song of praise born of wonder which

acknowledges the wisdom and mercy of God. It would
seem that Mary spontaneously glorified the Lord out of joy
for blessing her with a privilege given to no other. But most
likely, her canticle was inspired by the Holy Spirit as she
pondered on the message of the Annunciation while on her
way from Nazareth to Elizabeth’s home in a town of Judah,
a distance of about 120 kilometers.

Mary’s song also clearly defines those whom the Messiah

has come to save. It pictures for us the way of life that we
should follow as Christians. If we do so, no matter how
difficult the journey may be, then God can lift us up from
our wretched condition as sinners to become saints in
heaven where we will magnify Him forever. For this we
have Mary, our Mother, as our constant help and
companion.

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Reflection 1:

Recall your experiences of God’s greatness and wonders in

your life - your “God-will-make-a-way” moments. Then
say a short prayer of thanksgiving.

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Reflection 2:

1. Which of the lessons from the Magnificat can you

relate to and are practicing?

2. What lessons do you still need to practice and/or grow

into?

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Notes

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Notes

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 SESSION 2 – MARY, GOD’S MASTERPIECE

I. INTRODUCTION

God chose Mary to be the Mother of His only begotten Son.

She would be the sacred vessel that would contain the
Word of God, the Bread of Life, the High Priest. Mary just
had to be flawless, without sin, spot or blemish.

“All of beauty, of goodness, of sacredness and of holiness.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary is undeniably the greatest work
of God, His masterpiece.

II. THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

God granted Mary unique and wonderful gifts. The first of

these was her Immaculate Conception.

Mary was crucial to God’s plan of incarnation and

salvation through Jesus. Naturally, Mary must be perfect
from her birth.

III. MARY AND THE HOLY TRINITY

“Endowed with the high office and dignity of the Mother

of the Son of God, therefore, she is also the beloved
daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit",
writes Pope Paul VI in the encyclical Lumen Gentium. This
unique and privileged relationship with the Holy Trinity is
embodied by her full submission and self-offering to God.
To Him she professed her total self-giving: “Totus Tuus
(Totally yours)”.

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A. The Perfect Daughter of God the Father

1) She obeyed Him.

2) She trusted Him.
3) She gave everything to Him.
4) She fully conformed to His image.
5) She was connected to Him.

B. The Mother of God the Son

She nurtured Him, fed Him, clothed Him, took care of Him.
She taught Him how to pray, sing psalms, read scriptures,
and brought Him up with patience, affection and
gentleness, fulfilling her motherhood as best she could.

She lovingly raised Jesus as her child, loyally followed

Him through His public ministry as His disciple, and
sorrowfully watched Him die as the promised Redeemer.

C. The Spouse of God the Holy Spirit

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35) Mary
being overshadowed by the Most High brings about the
incarnation of Jesus, and in turn, in this, the Holy Spirit
consummates the union of God and Mary. Mary becomes
the spouse of the Holy Spirit with this perfect union.

Pope Pius IX wrote in his encyclical, Ineffabilis Deus that

Mary is ". . . the only one who has become the dwelling
place of all the graces of the most Holy Spirit".

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IV. MARY’S ASSUMPTION

Mary continued to be full of God’s grace even after her

earthly life. For God, the master creator, did not allow
bodily decay and corruption at the end of her life. He took
her immediately to heaven, body and soul, to be with Him
for eternity.

V. MARY’S CORONATION AS QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND

EARTH

In his encyclical, Pope Pius XII summarizes the main

reasons for Mary’s coronation as Queen of Heaven and
Earth: That the royal dignity of Mary rests on her divine
motherhood. That Angel Gabriel announced that the son
Mary would conceive is the Son of the Most High whose
kingdom will never end. Hence, as the Mother of God,
Mary is a queen, having borne a man, King and Lord of all.

VI. CONCLUSION

Mary is God’s great wonder, but the most wonderful thing

about her is that she brings us all to the God of wonders,
our Lord Jesus Christ. She proclaimed that “the Mighty
One has done great things for me.” Like her, we can sing
our own Magnificat of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.
For the Mighty One has done a great thing for us. He has
given us His greatest work, Mary, His masterpiece. May
our spirits truly rejoice in God our Savior.

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Reflection:

Have you given your Totus Tuus to God? If yes, how do

you practice it? If no, what is holding you back?

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Notes

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Notes

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 “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word!”
(Luke 1:38)

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