4. Introduction
4
Fundamentalists
attack Mary and her
role in God’s plan of
salvation. Thus, our
goal is to understand
the role of Mary in our
Christian life and
salvation according to
the teachings of the
Church.
7. Mary in Catholic Teaching
1. The teachings of the
Catholic Church on Mary
is and must always be
related to Jesus Christ, her
Son.
8. 8
Mary in Catholic Teaching
2. Hierarchy of Truths
The teachings of the Church about God – the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – occupies
the highest level in the order.
9. The teachings about Mary
is important in the Catholic
belief. But it assumes only
a secondary place in the
scale of Catholic teaching.
10. 1 0
Mary in Catholic Teaching
2. Hierarchy of Truths
The teachings about Saints is in third place
only.
12. 1 2
Mary in Catholic Teaching
Mary must not be exalted
to the status of a Goddess
to whom worship and
adoration is due. This is
wrong.
On the other hand, Mary’s
role in God’s plan of
salvation must not be
ignored nor neglected.
13. 1 3
Mary in Catholic Teaching
Going back into history,
we see that the first
attacks against Mary
began in the fifth century.
Nestorius could not accept
that Mary is the MOTHER
OF GOD.
14. 1 4
Mary in Catholic Teaching
The reason was Christ’s
divinity was not clear in
his mind. The Council of
Ephesus was convoked in
431 A.D. to study the
problem of Nestorius, he
was later condemned in
the Council.
15. 1 5
Mary in Catholic Teaching
The main question is
this: Is Mary really
TEOTOKOS (Mother of
God) or Simply
KRISTOTOKOS (Mother
of Christ only in his
humanity).
16. 1 6
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
Both in the Old and
New Testament of the
Sacred Scriptures, there
abound allusions and
direct references as
regards Mary and her
role in the plan of
salvation.
17. 1 7
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
In the Old Testament, 2 passages are
important and which already quoted
concerning the Lord Jesus:
18. 1 8
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
I will put enmity between you
and the woman,
and between your offspring
and hers;
They will strike at your head,
while you strike at their heel.
Genesis 3:
15
19. 1 9
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
Therefore the Lord himself
will give you a sign;* the
young woman, pregnant
and about to bear a son,
shall name him Emmanuel.
Isaiah 7: 14
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3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
In the New Testament we have:
21. 2 1
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from
God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin
betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of
David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming
to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with
you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might
be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you shall name him Jesus.
Luke 1: 26-
31
22. 2 2
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
39 During those days Mary set out and traveled
to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40
where she entered the house of Zechariah and
greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried
out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are
you among women, and blessed is the fruit of
your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord[n] should come to
me?
Luke 1: 39 -
43
23. 2 3
3. Mary in the Plan of Salvation
But Mary’s acceptance of the will of God brought
her much suffering.
Lk 2: 6 – 7 – There was no room for them in
Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 14 – 15 – Herod wanted to kill the Child
Jesus.
Lk 2: 33 – 35 – Simon predicted the sufferings of
Mary.
Lk 2: 41 – 51 – The loss of Jesus in Jerusalem.
24. 2 4
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
The public life of Jesus was
one living testimony to
Mary’s involvement in the
salvific mission of Christ.
25. 2 5
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
At Cana in Galilee (Jn. 2: 1
– 11)
There Jesus worked his first miracle,
in behalf of the newly wedded couple
upon the request of the Blessed
Mother. “They have no wine” Jn 2: 3.
Although his hour had not yet come,
Jesus gave way to the request of
Mary. Here we have a glimpse of
Mary’s role of intercession before her
Son, our Lord Jesus.
26. 2 6
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
At Jesus’ Preaching (Mk 3:
31 – 35)
The passage in Mark tells us who
constitute the eschatological family of
Jesus. When it was announced to
Jesus that his mother and relatives
are outside looking for him, he
answered: “Who are my mother and
brothers?... Whoever does the will of
God is brother and sister and mother
to me.”
27. 2 7
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
At Jesus’ Preaching (Mk 3:
31 – 35)
This does not mean that Jesus
was rejecting Mary, his mother
and his relatives. What he meant
is that his eschatological family,
to which Mary and his relatives
belong, is much more important
than natural family ties.
28. 2 8
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
Praising Jesus (Lk 11: 27
- 28)
The last reference to the mother
of Jesus, involves and exchange
of beatitudes.
In Jesus’ words, value is placed
not on physical relationship but
on hearing the Word of God and
hearing it.
29. 2 9
4. Mary in the Public Life of Jesus
Praising Jesus (Lk 11: 27
- 28)
In answer to the praise of Mary:
Blessed is the womb that bore you
and the breasts that nursed you”,
Jesus answered: “Rather blessed are
those who hear the Word of God and
keep it”. And Mary was the very first
one who accepted the Word of God:
“Be it done to me according to your
word”.
32. Mary in Relation to all of us
1. Mary, Our Mother
“Woman behold your son;
behold your mother” Jn. 19:
26 – 27
This scene at Calvary holds a
very rich symbolic meaning.
33. Mary in Relation to all of us
1. Mary, Our Mother
Jesus’ last act upon the cross
was to give Mary as a Mother
to all Jesus’ faithful
followers, symbolized by the
disciple whom he loved.
34. 3 4
Mary in Relation to all of us
2. Our duty to Mary
Since we Catholics honor Mary as
our Mother, we invoke her and pray
to her; but we do not worship nor
pray to Mary as we pray to God.
We do ask Mary to pray and
continually guard us from all evil.
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Mary in Relation to all of us
2. Our duty to Mary
As Mary’s children we do well to be
sincerely devoted to Mary. The best
form of devotion to her is to imitate
Mary in the beautiful life she led while
on earth. Furthermore, it becomes
incumbent upon us to propagate that
Marian devotion in our private and
public life. Mary must and should be
special to every Christian and
catholic.
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Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
a.) Her Divine Maternity
Mary is a mother because she
conceived and gave birth as a normal
mother would do.
Mary is the true Mother of God
because she conceived and brought
forth the SECOND PERSON of the
Blessed Trinity in His human nature
(not in His divine nature).
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Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
b.) Her Immaculate Conception
As a daughter of the stock of Adam,
Mary was supposed to be stained by
original sin. But when she was
conceived by her mother, St. Anne, the
power of God intervened and the
original sin was prevented by God to
stain her. This is the doctrine of the
Immaculate Conception.
38. 3 8
Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
b.) Her Immaculate Conception
Mary was redeemed by her future Son,
but by a PREVENTIVE REDEMPTION. We
on the other hand, have been
redeemed but by a REPARATIVE
REDEMPTION.
39. 3 9
Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
c.) Her Perpetual Virginity
Mary was a Virgin BEFORE Christ’s
birth, DURING His birth, and AFTER His
birth.
Mary did not have any other child
except Jesus. The brothers and sisters
of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels
were actually his Relatives, not blood
brothers and sisters.
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Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
d.) Her Assumption into Heaven
Nothing is mentioned in the Gospel
regarding death, resurrection and
assumption of Mary into heaven. This
teaching is found in the Sacred
Tradition of the Church.
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Mary in Relation to all of us
3. Reasons for the veneration of
Mary.
d.) Her Assumption into Heaven
The doctrine of the bodily assumption
of Mary is based on her being FULL OF
GRACE as expressed by St. Elizabeth.
44. Conclusion
The Bible helps to clarify and
shed light on the person and
role of Mary in the framework
of human salvation. Such role
becomes unique because she
accepted it without mental
reservation.
45. Conclusion
And the Bible never hides the
fact that Mary, the Mother of
Jesus, and whom Jesus chose
to be the mother of the human
race, assumed her work in
complete harmony with her
Son, Jesus. In the same manner,
Catholics who enjoy the
privilege of having a loving
mother in Mary, must live their
lives in faithful imitation of her.