How Mary LIVED the "Our Father"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My husband and I were invited to give presentations to the Knights of Columbus in our parish, at their monthly social meeting . My husband chose to speak last month on the “Our Father”. Tomorrow evening, God willing, I will speak on “How Mary LIVED the Our Father”. I ask your prayers.

In past experiences, I’ve often “planned” presentations, and practiced, but in the actual giving, I found myself saying some things I didn’t plan and forgetting some things I had on the paper! I’ve been preparing for several weeks and keep thinking of different things to include. There really is so much that might be said.

It is very important for any disciple of Jesus to hear deeply the words of Jesus: “Behold your Mother” and obey as the beloved disciple John did, after hearing those words. John took Mary into his life. And I? By God’s Grace, I “Behold” Mary in the Word of God as she is revealed by the Holy Spirit, and also as the Holy Spirit continues to reveal her to any who prayerfully remain in Jesus (John 8:31-32).

Jesus promised (John 16:13) that the Holy Spirit will bring the Church into the complete truth, and so we continue to listen not only to Sacred Scripture but also to Sacred Tradition and to the Magisterium (teaching authority given to the Church by Jesus in Mt. 28). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

971 “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.

972 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.

In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.

The word “intrinsic” is italicized in the Catechism paragraph 971 to emphasize the Church’s devotion to Mary is essential; it is not merely a nice extra!; we simply cannot be without it, to worship God in spirit and in truth. In paragraph 972, I underlined words that emphasize : Mary is all the Church is called to be. Disciples need to hear and do the truth we hear in Jesus’ Words: “Behold your Mother” and take Mary into our lives. God willing, I’ll continue tomorrow and Friday, after the presentation, share more.

 

[TheSurvivor]

How could Our Blessed Mother live “forgive us our trespasses?”

 

[Mintaka]

She prays for other people’s trespasses to be forgiven, and graciously treats us sinners as part of her “our.”

 

[TheSurvivor]

She prays for other people’s trespasses to be forgiven, and graciously treats us sinners as part of her “our.”

She has never sinned; therefore, she cannot say “forgive us our trespasses.”

 

[Evania]

She has never sinned; therefore, she cannot say “forgive us our trespasses.”

True. However, she can say forgive “us” in the sense that she is praying on behalf of the human race of which she herself is part of.

 

[MariaChristi]

True. However, she can say forgive “us” in the sense that she is praying on behalf of the human race of which she herself is part of.

Thanks for your reply, Evania. Yes, of course, Mary is refuge of sinners, she intercedes for us as one conceived without sin. We belong to her even though she remains sinless.

The word “us” indicates a union and our union with Mary is in Christ, who Himself redeemed all and gave freedom from sin to the human family by Hiss death on the Cross.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. Refuge of Sinners, pray for us. Jesus we trust in You!

 

[MariaChristi]

She has never sinned; therefore, she cannot say “forgive us our trespasses.”

Dear Survivor,

Thanks for your reply. It is true, Mary has never sinned yet the word “us” can indicate a “union” of another sort, and in this case Mary is a human person as we are. She is sinless and yet she is given to be Mother and Model for all of us who are sinners.

 

[MariaChristi]

She prays for other people’s trespasses to be forgiven, and graciously treats us sinners as part of her “our.”

Thanks for your reply, Mintaka,

There is a difference in Mary since she was conceived without sin – her great privilege as Mother of God – which makes her unique. There was never any obstacle between Mary and God. We on the other hand have sinned and by our own willfulness, we have put obstacles between ourselves and God, even after being cleansed of all sins by our Baptism.

When Mary prays for sinners, she is praying as a member of the human race; she shares our humanity but not our sin. She is for us a Mother and Model of what we are called to be. When we obey Jesus’ words as John did and take Mary into our lives, we see by faith, the marvelous things God has done in Mary. By God’s Grace, we believe as she did that nothing is impossible for God. He tells us to be Holy as He is Holy and we see in Mary a humble, completely human person and that it is indeed our vocation to become holy too!

Mary, Mother of the Church, Refuge of sinners, pray for us! Jesus, we trust in You!

 

[MariaChristi]

How could Our Blessed Mother live “forgive us our trespasses?”

Dear Survivor,

As you scroll down to read my other responses, I try to explain in different ways, this role of Mary’s intercession for us sinners. Jesus gave Mary to John, and to all, as Mother. The more we do as John did, taking Mary into our lives, the more, I believe, we begin to see her by faith as our Mother and our Model in Grace…

She was sinless from the first moment of her existence, She is the Immaculate Conception, and this great privilege granted by God, makes her unique. She is however “redeemed” as a human person and remains only human. Mary is not God but she is the human person so perfected by Grace that she is our model. Beholding her we see, as the Church teaches, all we are called to be.

Mary intercedes for sinners as a member of the human family. She intercedes for sinners and is the refuge of sinners as Mother. She united herself with Jesus in his forgivng all from the Cross. She asks forgiveness for us as “belonging to her” i.e. we share in the humanity God has given Mary and us. She does not share in our sinfulness. Preparing this presentation, it seemed to me, Mary lives the first petition most: “Hallowed be Thy Name.” May lived continually growing in union with God on this earth. His Name was hallowed in her, and she is now in the Beatific Vision. The Catechism teaches all the petitions are included in this first one of the “Our Father”.

She awaits us in heaven, where we long to be fully one with her and with all our holy brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus came from the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit through Mary. We return to the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus, through
Mary. Hope this helps. Please read down the thread to other responses also and if there is still a question, please ask again. It is good to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus with Mary,
sinners though we are, she intercedes with Jesus for us to become all God intends.