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Stage 2 Module- Draft

Mary- Woman, Mother and Disciple

Mary – Woman, Mother and DiscipleModule Focus

In this module, students will explore the person of Mary as woman, mother and disciple. Students will look at the humanness of her life as woman and mother, discovering that her life was both similar and different to other women of her time and in fact women of all times. They will explore her faith filled role as the first disciple of Jesus, one who was central to his mission from his conception to the time she participated in Christ’s mission at Pentecost. They will also explore Mary’s special role as the person who made the divine human by giving life to Jesus.

As children explore the stories of Mary from the Gospels and from the Acts of the Apostles, they will discover that Mary was a woman of visitation. This was an important Jewish understanding as people believed that they were visited by God at important times. They also valued visiting other people which is seen in the stories of Mary.

Students will be encouraged to learn from the example of Mary and her response to God. Students will explore how in prayer Mary opened herself to the influence of God’s Spirit. They will also explore how the Church has tried to capture the person and of Mary in names, art and prayer. Students will experience Marian prayer throughout the module.

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Outcomes

CD S2.3: Identifies the Church as a community of disciples of Jesus guiding and supporting Christians through moral teaching and example.

S S2.5: Explains the messages of specific Scripture passages and their relationship to prayer, worship and the Christian life.

PS S 2.4b: Plans and participates in communal celebration

Learn About Learn To

CD S2.3 The Church as a believing community Mary as model of discipleship The Catholic Church as a community of disciples of Jesus Mary, a woman of visitation

S S2.5: How Jesus speaks to all through Sacred Scripture

PSS 1.4b:Different Marian prayers

CD S2.3 Name characteristics of a believing community Give reasons for belonging to a community of disciples Identify people who live like Jesus Describe features of Christian life

S S2.5 Discuss the message of Scripture

PSS 1.4b: Participate in prayers to Mary Plan and participate in a prayer/ liturgy to honour Mary

DISCIPLESHIP CHALLENGE

Students are challenged to: be part of the parish and school faith community Students are challenged to pray the Scriptures Students are challenged to participate in liturgical celebrations

Catholic Discipleship

“Although the Scriptures say very little about Mary, we do know that she was there in the early church, and we know that she was there as woman and as mother; and that already tells us a good deal.Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 3

The Gospel of Luke captures the character of Mary quite strongly, especially in the stories of annunciation, visitation and birth. In Chapter 8 of his Gospel, Luke outlines Jesus’ description of the perfect disciple.

The perfect disciple is the one who has a noble and generous heart, who hears the Word and takes it to heart, and yields a harvest through perseverance. In fact, Luke also applies this description of the perfect disciple to Mary through the stories in which Mary is involved.

Through stories about Mary, Luke describes her as: one who hears the word of God and accepts it wholeheartedly (1: 38): one who believes that what she has heard will be fulfilled (1: 42,45): one who cherishes what she has been told and ponders it (2: 19-51): one who hears the word of God, keeps it, and puts it into practice (8: 19-21, 11 :28); and one who is with the disciples in the community, praying continuously, receiving the Holy Spirit, and

witnessing to the Resurrection (Acts 1: 14).

And so, we learn a good deal about Mary when we reflect on her presence in the Church as woman, as mother, and as disciple. As disciple, Mary listened for the Word, pondered it, searched its meaning for her life, and then acted on it.”

http://www.acertainway.info/life-from-within/life-force/woman-mother-and-disciple/ Marist website

Mary carried Jesus in her heart from the moment of the Annunciation through to the fulfilment of Jesus’ mission which culminated in the sending of his Spirit and the growth of the early Church. As disciples today, we should look to Mary’s example of discipleship and of faith. Mary’s story includes her response to moments of wonder, of love, of faith, of worry and of extreme suffering. Such moments are experienced in most people’s lives in some way. We can learn from the ways that Mary responded with faith in these situations. We too can respond as disciples of Jesus.

Prayer Focus –The Rosary

The Rosary is a cherished prayer for Catholics. During the recitation of the prayers, people are invited to meditate on the mysteries of Jesus’ life and Mary’s faithful witness as her son’s disciple in these events.

Praying the Rosary, we journey through Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious and since 2002, Luminous mysteries of Jesus’ life.

The Joyful mysteries surround the incarnation (i.e. God entering our human world in the person of Jesus). Mary is significant in the stories of the Joyful Mysteries: The Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of the Child Jesus, the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

The Sorrowful mysteries focus on the passion and death of our Lord. The decades of the sorrowful mysteries invite reflection on: The agony in the garden, The scourging at the pillar, The crowning with thorns, Jesus carries his cross, and The crucifixion of Our Lord.

The Glorious mysteries invite reflection on: The Resurrection, The Ascension of Our Lord, The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, The Assumption of Mary into Heaven and The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

In 2002, Pope John Paul II introduced new mysteries, the Luminous mysteries or mysteries of light. The Luminous mysteries are: The baptism of the Lord Jesus in the River Jordan, The Wedding at Cana, The proclamation of the Kingdom of God, the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Last Supper and the institution of Eucharist.

How to recite the Holy RosaryFor instructions as to how to pray the Rosary, go to:

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http://www.newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdfThere are numerous Apps to help pray the Rosary. Summaries can be viewed at http://catholicapptitude.org/prayer-apps/Online Rosary websites are also available with instructions. For examplehttp://www.familyrosary.org/en/TheRosaryold/HowToPrayTheRosary/PrayTheRosary.aspx http://www.fatima.org/essentials/requests/rosary.html

History of the Rosary: Fr William Saunders “The origins of the rosary are "sketchy" at best. The use of "prayer beads" and the repeated recitation of prayers to aid in meditation stem from the earliest days of the Church and has roots in pre-Christian times. Evidence exists from the Middle Ages that strings of beads were used to count Our Fathers and Hail Marys. Actually, these strings of beads became known as "Paternosters," the Latin for "Our Father."

The structure of the rosary gradually evolved between the 12th and 15th centuries. Eventually 50 Hail Marys were recited and linked with verses of psalms or other phrases evoking the lives of Jesus and Mary. During this time, this prayer form became known as the rosarium ("rose garden"), actually a common term to designate a collection of similar material, such as an anthology of stories on the same subject or theme. During the 16th century, the structure of the five-decade rosary based on the three sets of mysteries prevailed.

Tradition does hold that St. Dominic (d. 1221) devised the rosary as we know it. Moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother, he preached the use of the rosary in his missionary work among the Albigensians, who had denied the mystery of Christ. Some scholars take exception to St. Dominic's role in forming the rosary. The earliest accounts of his life do not mention it, the Dominican constitutions do not link him with it and contemporaneous portraits do not include it as a symbol to identify the saint.

In 1922, Dom Louis Cougaud stated, "The various elements which enter into the composition of that Catholic devotion commonly called the rosary are the product of a long and gradual development which began before St. Dominic's time, which continued without his having any share in it, and which only attained its final shape several centuries after his death." However, other scholars would rebut that St. Dominic not so much "invented" the rosary as he preached its use to convert sinners and those who had strayed from the faith. Moreover, at least a dozen popes have mentioned St. Dominic's connection with the rosary, sanctioning his role as at least a "pious belief."…

…( however it developed)…the fact that our Church continues to include the Feast of the Holy Rosary on the liturgical calendar testifies to the importance and goodness of this form of prayer. "

Fr. William Saunders https://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/ROSARYHS.HTM

Fr. Saunders is president of the Notre Dame Institute and associate pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish, both in Alexandria.This article appeared in the October 6, 1994 issue of "The Arlington Catholic Herald." Courtesy of the "Arlington Catholic Herald" diocesan newspaper of the Arlington (VA) diocese.

Core Scripture

This module has a variety of Scriptures which can be used in expert groups or as a journey in the story of Mary

Scripture in Context

Luke 1:26-38 The Annunciation: Responding to God’s Call

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In the Gospel of Luke, the Annunciation is the first “announcement” about Jesus, through which He is proclaimed as “the Son of God.” The Annunciation should be interpreted in light of the whole Gospel, because Luke identifies Jesus as the Messiah from the beginning. Luke would have considered this to be an important understanding in early Christian communities as they grappled with the meaning of the crucified and resurrected Jesus. Whilst Luke presents Mary as the perfect disciple by saying yes to God in the Annunciation story, the Gospel also reveals that “her awareness of her son’s identity evolved over time, as do her understanding of discipleship and her faith journey.” P. 43

Mary was steeped in Hebrew faith and tradition, a belief in one God. “She would have shared in her people’s hope in God’s promise, announced through the prophets, that a Messiah would soon come who would show them the way of true freedom- a way of justice and peace. Mary held this expectation in her heart.” (P. 45) To Mary, as an Israelite woman, her life and work would have only had value in relationship to God . Mary’s love of God would have been founded in humility, compassion, reverence, understanding and piety. The response of this young woman was one of a courageous woman of faith who was able to call on her faith tradition to help her in the situation in which she found herself, which would have been difficult in the cultural context of the time.

“The Annunciation reveals the courage of this woman as she steps out of traditional behaviour and makes her own decision without first consulting her father or intended husband. As wonderful as this call was, Mary had to realise that it would alter her plans for life with Joseph. She had to wonder if she would be believed. Would her family or Joseph reject her? What would happen to her? That must have been frightening. Moving out of the status quo always is.” P. 51

In the story of the Annunciation, Luke combines two literary forms used in the Hebrew Scriptures to announce the coming of Jesus and the vocation of Mary:

1. God’s intervention through an angelic messenger2. Biblical vocation used to call prophets and leaders.

The Annunciation framework captures elements of major life decisions and choices for all of us including fear, re-assurance, finding obstacles to the choice, signs, and acceptance.

(Marie Azzarello: Mary, the First Disciple2004 Novalis, St Paul’s Press, Ottowa,)

Luke 1:39-56 The Visitation to Elizabeth and the Magnificat

The concept of “visitation” was important in the Hebrew Scriptures as the people recognised “God’s visitation” in their lives. They believed that God “visited” them in special times such as feasts or times of liberation. The Annunciation would have been seen as a time of visitation from God and so was strongly connected to Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth. “Her (Mary’s) vocation to be a disciple of Jesus, as his mother, unfolds throughout her life, which she lived in visitation-attentive to God and God’s word.” Marie Azzarello: “Mary, the First Disciple: a Guide for Transforming Today’s Church.”2004 Novalis. St Paul Uni, Ottowa, p. 63

The journey of Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth is the only story in the Gospel where two women meet and hold centre stage. The story calls for some imagination on the part of the hearer: • What would it have been like for Mary, a young and pregnant woman travelling on her own through dusty and perhaps dangerous roads in the Judean countryside?• The story tells how the women rejoiced with great joy when they met each other. What would they have done then…maybe had a meal together?• What would have they talked about? Mary’s prayer (the Magnificat) reflects the concerns of the Israelite people and a belief that God will rescue them from their concerns and poverty. Would have they talked about social issues of the time and their hopes for the future?

What we are told about the meeting in Luke’s story tells us much about these two women, their faith, their courage, their joy and their deep connection to their Jewish faith. Mary’s prophetic prayer, known as the Magnificat, Mary’s Song of Praise

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captures her knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, being derived from Hannah’s Song in the Book of Samuel (1 Sam 2: 1-10). Hannah expressed her concerns for Israel after the birth of Samuel and Mary used her Jewish tradition to express her own sentiments in this light. It is a prayer that expresses different emotions and actions including praise, gratitude, mercy and concern. “As Mary and Elizabeth grew together in intimacy with their God and in inexhaustible compassion for their people, we can imagine for their people, we can imagine that, as a heightened moment of prayer, Mary would have made her own the sentiments and concerns of Hannah”(p. 15 Coyle). Mary’s prophetic speech has been echoed through time and still speaks to us today’s world. Mary’s human values were expressed in this prayer were brought to life in the way that she raised and formed Jesus. The Magnificat can be considered as a call to all Christian parents to raise their children in an environment in which is just and thankful.Sr Kathryn Coyle: “Mary in the Christian Tradition from a Contemporary Perspective1006, 23rd Publication, Mystic

Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus

The Gospel of Luke presents a vivid picture of the birth story which invites us to further imagine what it would have been like for Mary, Joseph and the other characters in the story. This story has been romanticised and joined with the story of the visit of the magi from Matthew’s Gospel to create the enchanted story we hear today.

However, Luke’s story is imbued with meaning that unfolds throughout the Gospel. Luke invites us to go on the journey with Mary and Joseph and to imagine the challenges and joys that they faced as well as their place in the story of God’s great love coming to human life in Jesus. “Mary’s ‘yes’ at the annunciation, her willingness to make the journey and her openness to what life offers” reveals what it means to respond to God (p.65). Mary also is presented as an evangeliser as she presents her son to the shepherds, another visitation in Luke’s Gospel. “The wonder of this story lies in the fact that these shepherds, from whom society never expected anything unusual or astonishing, inform Mary and Joseph what they had been told about this child…In this visitation, the shepherds echo Gabriel’s message of Good News”. (p. 66) By showing her son to the poorest of society, Mary also brings to life the words said in the Magnificat.Marie Azzarello: “Mary, the First Disciple: a Guide for Transforming Today’s Church.”2004 Novalis. St Paul Uni, Ottowa,

Today as we reflect on all Gospels we are able to theologically combine Matthew’s visit of the Magi to Luke’s visit of the angels and shepherds and conclude that Jesus came for all, rich and poor, from all traditions and cultures . In these stories we see that He was both human (as exemplified by the shepherds and kings) and divine (as exemplified by the angels). Mary, as the mother of Jesus brought to life, Jesus human and divine. Whilst Matthew’s story does not directly address Mary’s character, reactions or feelings, his story about the flight into Egypt reminds us of the precarious situation in which Mary raised Jesus.

Luke 2:21-38 Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple As the infancy narrative continues to unfold, Mary and Joseph are presented as faithful Jews. In keeping with Jewish tradition:• Jesus is circumcised and officially receives his name 8 days after his birth, connecting Jesus with the covenant of Abraham• Mary presented herself for purification after childbirth 33 days after Jesus’ circumcision by sacrificing a pair of pigeons or turtle doves as a penitence for sin.• The male child was consecrated to the Lord (this was usually in a separate ceremony, but Luke combines the two, maybe because he was not an expert on Jewish Law).

In the midst of these two ceremonies, Mary and Joseph encounter another visitation…as they meet two prophets Anna and Simeon who both recognise this infant male child from the poorer classes as the Promised One. Simeon’s words echo Gabriel’s message to Mary at the Annunciation. Simeon also projects the suffering that is to befall Jesus and the agony that such suffering will cause Mary. This is another visitation in which God’s message to Mary is being slowly revealed. “The encounter between Mary and Simeon shows Israel’s understanding that God visits in and through life events. In this light, we see that Simeon realises that God is visiting him in this newborn child, whom he describes as a light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.” (p. 68) Whilst Anna’s presence elicits no response from Mary or Joseph in Luke’s Gospel, yet the presence of this elderly prophetess is significant. “ We can rejoice at this woman whose institution allows her to know and acknowledge

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who is before her and to speak of it to all who hear…Anna’s proclamation of Jesus to all who look for the redemption of Jerusalem reminds Mary that her Son must be proclaimed to all.” (p. 69)Marie Azzarello: “Mary, the First Disciple: a Guide for Transforming Today’s Church.”2004 Novalis. St Paul Uni, Ottowa

Luke 2:41-52 The Finding of the Child Jesus in the TempleThe incident where Jesus is ‘found’ in the temple highlights Mary’s great inner strength and unwavering faith (Lk 2:41-50). Mary shows the distress expected of any mother whose son was missing and relief when he is found safe and well. This story anticipates the heart wrenching pain of losing Jesus which later occurs at his crucifixion. Mary appears initially to be confused by Jesus’ lack of remorse for the anxiety he has caused. However, as a young rabbi in training Jesus would have spoken to church leaders about the scriptures. His level of capacity to do so is probably reflective of the skill of his ministry to come.

Jn 2:1-11 The Wedding Feast at CanaIn John’s Gospel, there are stories which present Mary at two significant events in Jesus’ adult life. The wedding feast at Cana signifies the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and the story of Mary at the foot of the cross takes place at the end of his ministry. “The incident at Cana…challenges normal family relationships and the structures of honour and status upon which society was built. In particular, the story focuses on the expectation inherent within mother-son relationships in Mediterranean society. For Mary, Cana becomes a visitation with her son in which she is challenged to move beyond her relationship as Jesus’ mother into a new relationship shaped by his ministry and within the community of disciples.” P. 87

After the miracle at Cana, Mary goes with Jesus and his disciples to Capernaum, signifying her presence within his ministry. What is begun at Cana, ends at the cross. Cana and the cross show that Mary’s motherhood and discipleship are not two separate roles: her call to be a disciple grew out of her call to be Jesus’ mother.” (p.88)Marie Azzarello: Mary, the First Disciple2004 Novalis, St Paul’s Press, Ottowa

Jn 19:25-27 Mary at the Foot of the Cross“Mary stands at the foot of the cross and endures the pain of watching her son suffer and die on the cross- an unjust, humiliating death. In her anguished moments of pain and confusion before the horror of what is happening to her son, the ultimate visitation between them takes place”. (p.87)

The image of Mary standing at the foot of the cross is often linked to Simeon’s prophecy when Jesus was presented at the Temple, that a sword of sorrow would pierce her heart. But Mary created an inner space to receive the words, “Woman, here is your Son,” and those spoken to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” (Jn 19:26-17). “The transformation of her relationship to Jesus as his biological mother, begun at Cana, is completed at the cross as she is given the role of mother in the circle of disciples.” (p.88) Her relationship with the beloved disciple has come to be described as “the Marian dimension of a Christian’s inner life. Simply put, Mary’s faith journey becomes a model for any disciple’s inner life of faith.” (p.88) Marie Azzarello: Mary, the First Disciple2004 Novalis, St Paul’s Press, Ottowa

Acts 1:13-14 Mary and the Early Church

“The New Testament is short on details, but clear on the fact: Mary was there. She was joined to the Church at the moment of greatest uncertainty and biggest risk, in the days preceding Pentecost. We are faced here with a situation whose meaning can be grasped only in faith.

The mother of a deceased great leader or founder is not normally expected to mingle with the members of the movement he founded. She is in a totally different position: they received everything from him and set out to follow him; but she gave him life, formed him, and has a unique relationship with him. She has no need to raise the party flag to express a communion of mind and purpose which was probably there long before the foundation of the party itself.

The one thing that Luke allows us to glimpse is that this was not the case with Mary, that she wished to be a member of the group and that she had no position of authority or privilege. One has only to read the Acts of the Apostles to realise that the apostles are the pillars of the Church, and that Mary is among the crowd with those women whom we know had no vote in chapter at that time” There is an infinitely fruitful paradox here. The person closest to Christ, she Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 8

who was the mother of Jesus , she who was more apostle than the apostles and who later merited to be called their queen, did not claim any position of power or privilege, but simply joined the Church, bringing to it her own special richness”. Jean Coste, smhttp://www.acertainway.info/life-from-within/life-force/woman-mother-and-disciple / Marist website

Catechism of the Catholic Church for teacher reference

nn. 494498 Born of the virgin Mary nn. 721726 Mary and the Holy Spirit nn. 963965 Mary and the Church nn. 2619, 2622 Prayer and Mary nn. 2676-2679 Hail Mary

Background for Teachers

Mary and the Incarnation

The Incarnation is at the heart of Christian theology. “The incarnation” refers to the presence of God entering human existence in the person of Jesus and becoming part of the messiness of human life. In Jesus, God became a living presence who shared the same life substances as other living creatures. Jesus smelled, tasted, heard and touched in the same ways as all people do. He felt emotion, and experienced love, pain and worry as we all do. Through Jesus, God who was already revealed to humankind in creation and in the events and people of the Old Testament became more fully revealed. In the person of Jesus, the creator became creation. Jesus revealed a deeper dimension of experiencing God. Jesus called people to find God not only in the Temple but in “sinners and shepherds, tax collectors and traitors, Pharisees and those possessed by demons, the miserable and the marginalised – people in whom society places little value”.Sr Kathryn Coyle: “The incarnation: a Cosmic Mystery” http://www.catholicireland.net/the-incarnation-a-cosmic-mystery/

Through Mary’s co-operation, God’s compassion became human in our world. “She has made possible this union of God in Christ with all of humankind, no area of human existence, whether physiological or psychological, is left untouched or unaffected by God’s grace.”

Sr Kathryn Coyle: “Mary in the Christian Tradition from a Contemporary Perspective1006, 23rd Publication, Mystic CT p. 12

Mary, Mother in Jesus’ Early Years

Nazareth was situated close to the major centres of Sepphoris and Tiberias. “Residents of Nazareth interacted with people en route to these major centres, and thus were exposed to other religions and cultures.” (p. 76)

Judaism held the belief that men and women were created equally in God’s image and both men and woman held important family roles. The family household was the basic unit of society, including extended families along with their buildings, livestock, fields etc. Women would have worked in the fields, cared for children and their homes, cooked and fetched water at the village well. Both parents had an authoritarian role in families. “Loyalty and bringing honour, not shame, to the family was a controlling factor in Mediterranean life.” (p.77) In Jesus’ ministry, he challenged some of these long-held views. The mother-son bond was very strong. “For the Jewish people, the universe was filled with God’s Spirit- the Lord was present everywhere. Consequently, every moment of life was religious, at the service of the God of Israel.” (p. 77) The synagogue was a central gathering place for the community.

“Within these broad strokes of Israelite village life, we can picture Nazareth during the formative years of Jesus’ life. Mary would have worked with the women in her extended family, her neighbours and friends, helping to build community Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 9

life in family and among their village neighbours. Like any mother, she would also have cared for her child, guiding him through childhood and adolescence to adulthood.

Since the early years of education were done by the mother, she would have taught Jesus about the Jewish faith…she would have prepared the house and food for the Shabbat (Sabbath); lit the candles for Shabbat prayer on Friday evening, gone to the synagogue for prayer and the reading of Scripture, and made an annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

…Jesus learned to live and worship God as a Jew, to be a member of his family, to become a carpenter like his father, to be a neighbour and to live under Roman occupation.

…We can only imagine her life lived in visitation called her to be attentive to God’s [presence, God’s word spoken to her in her daily life at Nazareth. Attentive to her vocation as his mother, her growth as Jesus’ disciple, her faith journey would be shaped by his teachings and activities during his ministry.”Marie Azzarello: Mary, the First Disciple2004 Novalis, St Paul’s Press, Ottowa, pp. 76-79

Mary, a Woman of Visitation

Christians commonly refer to the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth when talking about visitation. However, both women would have been immersed in their Hebrew tradition which saw God’s visitation to people in life events. These could have been transcendent moments or everyday events through which they identified the presence of God. The Israelites believed that God was constantly with them and spoke to them through their lives. Mary’s stories in the Gospels capture the theme of visitation. Sometime she is visited and is evangelised herself (e.g. the angel Gabriel visits Mary at the Annunciation, Anna and Simeon visit Mary and Joseph at the temple) and sometimes she visits others and is the evangeliser (e.g. the Wedding Feast at Cana).

“Each scriptural reference to Mary can be read as God’s visitation to her in other significant events in her life, and in her relationship with Jesus and the people she meets along the way. In fact, her vocation to be a disciple of Jesus, as his mother, unfolds throughout her life, which she lived in visitation-attentive to God and God’s word.” (Marie Azzarello: Mary, the First Disciple2004 Novalis, St Paul’s Press, Ottowa, p.63)

Mary as Disciple

Mary describes herself as the Servant of the Lord in Luke’s Gospel. For Luke, she is the first disciple, one who hears and acts upon the Word of God. She does not fulfil a submissive role and is active in fulfilling her discipleship. Mary reflects the First Testament understanding of “servant,” in which there is a loving relationship between God and servant. Mary’s role as disciple begins with free choice.

Mary saw herself as a supporter of Jesus’ work to bring about the Kingdom of God which was the focus of His life and ministry. “In him the compassionate action of God is present for us in history, God’s glory is revealed, and God’s will is done…it is a personal, social, cosmic reality, and its starting point is the experience of God’s liberating love” (p.2) Today, as in the early church community, we are called to bring about the Kingdom of God by working to set people free from oppression, isolation, fear and poverty.

Mary in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles

Writers of the New Testament did not focus on Mary. For them, Jesus was the central figure. He was the focus of all their attention and hopes. The stories of Mary are mainly used to throw light of the life and work of Jesus. However, the Gospel of

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Luke contains several stories in which Mary is a significant figure. John’s Gospel places Mary at the beginning and end of Jesus’ ministry (wedding Feast of Cana and Mary at the foot of the cross).

Because of their different contexts, the Gospel writers each present Mary in different ways.Mark3:31-35, the family of Jesus visit him6:1-6, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth

Luke1:26-38, the Annunciation1:39-56, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth2:1-20, the birth of Mary’s son Jesus2:21-38, Mary takes Jesus to the Temple2:41-52, Mary and Joseph lose Jesus during a visit to Jerusalem4:16-30, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth8:19-21, the family of Jesus visit him during his ministry

Matthew1:18-25, the birth of Mary’s son Jesus2:13-21, Mary, Joseph and Jesus flee to Egypt12:46-50, the family of Jesus visit him during his ministry13:53-58, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth

John2:1-11, Mary and Jesus attended a wedding at Cana19:25-27, Mary witnessed the crucifixion of her son

Acts of the ApostlesActs 1:13-14, Mary’s role in the early Christian communities

As stated, stories involving Mary are most significant in the Gospel of Luke. She is also present in the Acts of the Apostles in the Pentecost story, which is believed to be the work of Luke or his tradition. “In the gospel written by Luke, Mary was a model of what a follower of Jesus ought to be: she had faith in God, she thought deeply about what was happening to her, and she co-operated with God, holding nothing back. She was also a very human figure, experiencing distress and joy as she watched over her child”. http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.1.Mary_of_Nazareth.htm

Mary’s in our lives today

“Mary is the paradigm of our encounter with the mystery of God disclosed in Jesus Christ. In her uniqueness, she encounters God in a way which does not eliminate her from history, her (bodiliness), her world.. but rather fulfils and surpasses her dreams. Her yes to God is one of perfect love….she lives outside of herself, not making her own limited plans but rather, from the annunciation onward, journeying in the mystery of God opening up in Jesus Christ, a journey of unforeseen horizons for her in reaction to humanity”.(pp.47-48 Leahy)

Mary’s role continues today, and we look to her for love and guidance, making her in the images we need support us in our lives. “The Book of Revelation (Rv12) points out to us this definitive state of Mary as the woman ‘in between’ heaven and earth, the woman whose mission continues between time and eternity.” (P. 95)

Student ContextPlease cater for the student context of your class in your planning of this module.

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Developing the PartnershipPlease make connections between the learning in this module and parents and the wider community.

Curriculum LinksIn your planning, please make links with other Key Learning Areas.

Planning a Quality Learning Sequence for your class

Quality religious education will be achieved only by deep thinking about where you are going and how you plan the learning journey to get there. Begin with the end in mind and then consider how you will build field to meet your goals. Remember that you cannot expect children to develop deep knowledge and understanding, unless you as teacher have deep knowledge and understanding yourself. According to the Quality Teaching Framework, quality teaching will occur when you ask yourself four questions:

What do you want the students to learn? Why does the learning matter? What are you going to get the students to do (or produce)? How well do you expect them to do it?The suggested learning sequence has been planned through such a process. However, it cannot be written with the understanding of the student context of each class and relationship to other learning that is happening in the class. It is therefore necessary for you as teacher to plan your own unit, using this module as a support. Doing so is part of your role as an “activist professional” (a teacher who actively works to improve their professionalism).

Suggested Teaching, Learning and Assessment Experiences

These are suggested teaching and learning experiences. The essential part of teaching this module is that you, as teacher have deep knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. Reading in depth the “Background for the Teacher” and “Scripture in Context” will give you the basic understanding you need.

It is essential to use the whole module to plan your own unit. You might like to change the questions to suit your class. Your unit should be written in acknowledgement of the student context of your class. The suggested learning experiences are meant to be adapted for this purpose. You should design learning experiences for the purpose of formative and summative assessment. When designing quality learning experiences and assessments, they must address the outcomes, learning intentions and success criteria based on the enduring understandings of the module.

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We can be Disciples like Mary

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Key Concepts

visitation divinity images of Mary celebration Pentecost

ordinary mother disciple evangeliser love

extraordinary prayer scripture sacred family

humanness example/model faith Annunciation compassion

active understanding servant loving relationship Gospel

courage Hebrew faith tradition story journey life

What is important for Students to Know and Do

We find many of the stories involving Mary in Luke’s Gospel.

In John’s Gospel, the Wedding Feast of Cana is Jesus’ first miracle and Mary was there at the beginning of his

mission. Mary is also at the end at the foot of the cross at the end of his life journey.

Mary was a witness to and participant in the life of Jesus.

Mary cared for and guided Jesus as a Jewish woman, living out her role as mother within Israelite village life.

There are many stories about visitation involving Mary in the Gospels.

Enduring Understandings

Mary was both ordinary and extraordinary.

Mary’s humanity showed in her motherhood.

We connect to and learn from Mary in many ways, including through prayer.

Mary was both disciple and evangeliser

Mary is a model for our discipleship. She accepted and fulfilled God’s call.

God’s great love came to life in Jesus.

Because of Mary, Jesus became human, revealing the presence of God in the world.

Our church values Mary as our most important female role model.

Suggested Big Question

How is Mary a model of discipleship for us?

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Suggested Essential Questions

Who was Mary, the mother of Jesus?How was Mary both disciple and evangelizer?How do we relate to Mary today?

Suggested Teaching, Learning and Assessment Experiences

How is Mary a model of Discipleship for us?

Display the big question and as a class deconstruct, exploring the key words (Mary, model, discipleship): Who are role models in your life? Why are they role models? How do they influence you in a positive way? What does discipleship (being a disciple of Jesus) mean to me? Who can you think of who is/was a model of

discipleship? (e.g. Pope Francis, Mary MacKillop, St Vincent De Paul, Mother Teresa, people in your everyday life, people who care for others). Discuss quotes in Appendix 1

Brainstorm ideas from quotes (and childrens’ own ideas) about how disciples of Jesus live. Discuss how they might look for these characteristics in the person of Mary. Create a retrieval chart/ mind map e.g. using https://bubbl.us/ or Apps such as EduCreations or ShowMe

Begin praying the Rosary. Introduce children to the Rosary. Purchase or make sets of beads or ask them to bring in a set of beads and give children the experience of praying a decade of the Rosary regularly. Whilst children will probably not say a full Rosary, instructions for praying the Rosary are available at: http://www.newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf Rosary Apps and Websites can be explored at http://catholicapptitude.org/prayer-apps/http://www.familyrosary.org/en/TheRosaryold/HowToPrayTheRosary/PrayTheRosary.aspx http://www.fatima.org/essentials/requests/rosary.html

Who was Mary, the mother of Jesus?

Ask children to write their own wonder questions about Mary. Think/pair/share questions with a partner. Have a class discussion to share and record these questions. Address them as the unit progresses.

Tell children that we know that Mary was the mother of Jesus and that we now pray to her and have special liturgies about her. Mary was a human woman who lived a life in a small town called Nazareth. Let’s find out what life was like for her….Children read information in Appendix 2 and discuss what life would have been like for her. This can be used as a reciprocal teaching task in the English block. For images of Mary’s world, type these categories into a google image search.

Take care to choose appropriate photos: Life of women in Nazareth in Mary's times Ancient Nazareth Nazareth in Mary's times.

Children work together to prepare and display different aspects of Mary’s daily life e.g. housing, food, clothing, oils and creams used, personal items, prayer and worship. Discuss how her life was just like other woman of her times and her life ended up being different when she became the mother of Jesus. Children can bring in rustic items that look like they may Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 15

have come from that time and set up a display.

Prepare a similarities/difference chart showing what is alike and different about life for women in Mary’s time and today. Discuss how Mary’s day to day life shows her humble humanness. Include:

How children were/are educated in the early years The chores women carried/carry out How faith was/is shared, taught and experienced The life of the community and how it was/is built What people wore/wear Food – its preparation and rituals of eating Friendships/social relationships Prayer and liturgy Love of family

Make class statements that generalise findings e.g. “Many women of early Nazareth and of today love and care for their families”

How was Mary both disciple and evangeliser?Discuss the reference to the word ‘disciple’ at the beginning of the unit. Recall some of the characteristics of being a disciple using retrieval chart. Tell children that one of the roles of disciples is to evangelise …that means to spread the Good News of Jesus by both word and action. Ask if children think that Mary was both disciple and evangeliser. Why and how?

Introduce the story of Mary who was a disciple of her son Jesus who evangelised others (showed people how to live in Jesus’ way) through this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H22sLfaJtK4 (Stories of Mary in the Scriptures).

Ask: What stories did you recognise? Where do the stories come from (what part of the Bible?) How many Gospels are they? Did the Gospels all tell the same stories about Mary? What did you notice in the video? Was there anything different to what you originally thought? e.g. When did the kings come to visit Jesus in the movie? Is that what you thought? Do you know any stories of Mary that were not in the video?

Children look through children’s bibles to find stories in which Mary is present.

Remind children that there are similarities and differences in the four Gospels. The most significant Gospel to include stories in which Mary is important is the Gospel of Luke. This Gospel contains Mary stories that do not appear in any other Gospel (e.g. the Annunciation and the Visitation). John’s Gospel also has two significant stories in which Mary is important. One of these stories, the Wedding Feast at Cana only appears in John’s Gospel. Place children in small groups. Each group looks up a Bible reference for a Mary story:

Luke 1:26-38 The Annunciation: Responding to God’s Call Luke 1:39-56 The Visitation to Elizabeth and the Magnificat Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus Luke 2:21-38 Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple Luke 2:41-52 The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple Jn 2:1-11 The Wedding Feast at Cana Acts 1:13-14, 2:1-6 Mary and the Early Church

As a group: One child reads the story aloud Children discuss A second child reads the story again Group fills out the sheet in Appendix 4 with main details of the story. A reporter from each group re-tells the story and reports details from the group work.

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Each of these stories can be explored in special ways. These are examples only…please do not try to complete all of them e.g.

Annunciation Teacher facilitates a guided meditation based on the Annunciation story. See Appendix 4 Scripture storytelling see Appendix 5 Creative re-enactment of Lk 1:26-38, The Annunciation, using Just Imagine 2, p. 16 and/or 17. Recount briefly the key events of the Annunciation story using Lk 1:26-38. Students write a letter to Mary –Tell Mary about a time when you were chosen for something special and how you felt. Also tell Mary about times when you find it hard to say “yes”.

Visitation The story from Elizabeth’s point of view. See Appendix 6 Students read Lk 1:46-49. Discuss Mary’s prayer the Magnificat (Latin for “magnify” or “speak greatly”). Mary was a faithful Jewish woman who knew her scriptures well. This prayer is based on Hannah’s Song from the first Book of Samuel. How did this prayer foreshadow the type of ministry that Mary’s son Jesus would have to the poor and marginalised? Sing “My Spirit Sings” Michael Mangan (in album, “Forever I will sing”.)

Presentation in the Temple Lectio Divina, followed by hot seating characters : Mary, Joseph, Anna, Simeon Write a dairy entry from the point of view of Anna or Simeon about their experience in the Temple.

Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple Reader’s Theatre See Appendix 7 Create a movie strip / flow chart etc. of the story

Wedding Feast at Cana Scripture Storytelling. Script see Appendix 8 Who, what, when, where, how, why? Activity Who was in the story? How did they relate to each other? What happened/ what was the problem in the story? Where was the story set? How was the problem solved? Why do you think John told this story? What was he saying about Jesus and about Mary?

Pentecost Story Liquid Pictures Just Imagine p.6 Pentecost revisited Just Imagine p. 76 Write a letter from Mary to the apostles giving them courage to continue the work of her son, Jesus.

Children are grouped to explore in depth one of the Scriptures, making a display and presenting to class. This could include art, the message of the Scriptures, what is Mary’s role in the story, key words, characters and setting, challenges for Mary, prayer and reflection. The presentation must include a statement of how the message of the scripture story is connected to our lives as part of a community of disciples today? Group assessment SS2.5, CDS 2.3

Discuss what place visiting plays in their lives…Who do you visit and who visits you? Is visiting important in your life? Introduce the idea of Mary as a woman of visitation (visiting and being visited) and how this helped her to hear God’s word and respond to it. In the Old Testament, the idea of visitation was really important. People knew it was important to visit the synagogue regularly and to visit their families and friends. But they also thought that God visited them in their personal lives, especially at special times. There are many stories in the Old Testament in which God visited people. Sometimes images of angels represent God’s message. Discuss each of the stories and how Mary was visited on Mary visited someone.

The Annunciation~ Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel as God’s messenger. Mary was touched by and responded to God.

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The Visitation~ Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth The Nativity~ Mary, Joseph and Jesus are visited by shepherds who had been visited by angels. The Presentation of Jesus in the temple~ Mary, Joseph and Jesus visit the temple. They are visited by Anna and Simeon The Finding of the Child Jesus in the temple~ Jesus, Mary and Joseph visit the synagogue The Wedding Feast at Cana~ Mary and Jesus visit a family’s wedding celebration Mary at the foot of the cross~ Mary visits Jesus at the end of his life and ministry Mary and Pentecost~ Mary and the apostles are visited by the Holy Spirit.

Wonder questions: I wonder who you like to visit you and who you like to visit. I wonder if you ever feel that you are visited by God, maybe when you pray, go to Mass or when you are out in nature...it might just be a special feeling that God is in your life. I wonder what groups of people make special efforts to visit others (e.g. visiting refugees in detention; visiting street people on night patrol; visiting elderly people in nursing homes etc.) I wonder how you can be a disciple of Jesus by visiting someone in need.

Assessment CDS 2.3 Create a poster about with two elements: Mary, a woman of visitation. Write a short reflection about how I, as Jesus’ disciple, can be a person of visitation like Mary especially. Think about the sort of visiting that a disciple would do (things like visiting the church, visiting God in prayer, visiting the sick, poor or lonely or helping someone else to do so).

How do we relate to Mary today?Introduce the idea that we have a woman as a model of love and discipleship in our church today. Over the years, people have prayed to Mary in different ways to help them in their lives. We pray to Mary as the divine mother of Jesus .Today, we have many images of Mary…each able to play a part in our lives. Research “Mary” or “Our Lady” feasts to find the many ways that we celebrate Mary. Discuss at what times in our lives we might call on Mary, for example:

Our Lady of the Rosary Our Lady of Perpetual Succour ( that means Our Lady of everlasting help) Our Lady of Dolours ( that means Our Lady of sorrows or sadness) Our Lady Help of Christians Our Lady of Good Counsel ( that means Our Lady of good advice and support) Our Lady, Queen of Peace

Children research images used for Mary, include traditional and contemporary images. Children create an image of Mary that makes meaning to them in their lives.

Whilst introducing the Rosary as a prayer of focus, tell children that there are many formal prayers to Mary, including:

The Hail Mary The Memorare The Angelus The Rosary Hail Holy Queen

Children may like to pray some of these prayers e.g. the Angelus every day. Appendix 9

Reflect on how they have prayed the Rosary throughout the module. Explore the mysteries of the Rosary (see Background for the Teacher) discussing how they connect Mary’s discipleship to the mission of Jesus. Discuss how praying to Mary can support our life journeys.

Children work in small groups to plan a liturgy which is focused on Mary. Each group is given a role. Teacher assesses children’s roles and commitments to the preparation and celebration of this liturgy. Suggested Assessment PS S 2.4b

Return to the retrieval chart about discipleship from the beginning of the unit, discuss if they can see a place for Mary helping them to be disciples of Jesus in their own lives.Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 18

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Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Mary’s Daily LifeMary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 20

Pope Francis: o “Ask yourselves this question: How often is Jesus inside and knocking at the door to be let out, to

come out? “

o “To love God and neighbour is not something abstract, but profoundly concrete: it means seeing in every person and face of the Lord to be served, to serve him concretely. And you are dear brothers and sisters, the face of Jesus.”

o “Poverty calls us to sow hope…. Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus, in that child who is hungry, in the one who is sick, in those unjust social structures.”

Mary MacKillop

o “Never see a need without doing something about it.”

o “Believe in the whisperings of God in your own heart.”

o “Have courage no matter what your crosses are.”

Mother Teresa

o “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

o “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”

St Vincent De Paulo “God always blesses humble beginnings much more than those accompanied by a lot of show.”

o “The children of our Lord walk gladly in his ways; they have confidence in him, and so when they fall, they rise again; and if, instead of stopping to grumble about the stone they have tripped over, they humble themselves at their fall, this helps them to advance with great strides in his love.”

Mary and her family would have lived in a single roomed house. This house would have been dark as there was no electricity. There only probably would have been a couple of windows on one wall facing north, to protect the house from the heat of the sun, especially in summer. There would have been shutters or lattice on these windows. The house would have had a fireplace, which would have been a hole in the dirt floor, but no chimney to get rid of the smoke. There would have been a dim oil lamp which was kept alight always. It was used to light the fire as there were no matches back then.

The houses were made of mud bricks that would have been dried in the hot sun. Most houses had flat roofs that made terraces where families went in the cool of the evenings, chatting with neighbours. There would have been stairs or a ladder leading to this area. The terrace would have probably been shaded by some sort of matting. They even may have slept on these terraces on hot summer nights. The women probably would have spun yard, woven fabric and even prepared food there.

All the family would usually have slept together on the dirt floor in the house, probably covered by the cloaks they wore in the daytime. There would not be much furniture in the house, but there would probably be lots of kitchen utensils and storage jars as well as animal food.

The women of the village, including Mary had responsibility for caring for the house. Food was home-grown and homemade. Mary would have worked in the garden, planting and caring for her vegetables. She would have grown things like lentils, beans, onions, garlic, cucumbers and melons. She would have cooked these with spices, although there was no pepper. Lentils and beans were important in the diet as there was limited access to meat, except occasionally for chicken or fish.

She also would have helped in the village’s fields doing things like: harvesting, threshing and winnowing (cleaning) the wheat and barley; picking and crushing grapes for wine and olives for oil. She would have shared the produce with the other workers. Mary would have baked bread every day. She would have done this by grinding wheat between two stones, and then mixing it with salt and water to make dough. Sometimes, Mary may have made cakes and pastry by adding oil and honey and sometimes nuts and seeds.

Many household jobs, things such as baking bread and preparing food would have most likely been done in a small yard in the front of the house or in a courtyard in the centre of the house. She would also milk her sheep and goats, putting the milk in a goatskin bottle. Mary could then rock the bottle to turn it into butter. Mary also would have made cheese from the animal’s milk.

Mary would go to the village well every day to draw water. She would have pulled up the leather bucket from the well to fill her water jar which she would have carried home on her head or shoulders. Mary would have washed the family’s clothes at the village washing space. Here, she would have washed the clothes in a soap made of potash and lysol. Then she would have beaten the clothes on flat stones. Mary would have chatted with other women of the village here and at the well.http://www.jesus-story.net/buildings_NT.htm

Appendix 3

Scripture reference:

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Story:

People in the story:

Where the story was set:

What happens:

What we can learn from the story about our own lives:

Appendix 4Guided Meditation on the AnnunciationFind a place where you can be comfortable. Put your hands gently in your lap. If you feel comfortable, close your eyes. Breathe slowly in and out, in and out.

You are going on a journey back in time to a small town called Nazareth in the time of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

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Imagine that you are walking down the street past houses made of mud brick with small windows, maybe to keep the heat out and the rooms cool. There are little children playing and women talking in small groups. An aroma of food cooking wafts from one of the houses. It smells delicious.

It’s warm and you feel the sun’s rays gently caress your face. A gentle breeze blows through your hair.

Eventually you reach a small house and you feel compelled to visit this house. You walk down the steps towards the front door one by one. As your foot touches the first step, a wave of tranquillity passes through your entire body. You arrive at the second step, feeling calm and relaxed. As you step down a third time, you know that this will be a warm and safe house to visit. And now you take a fourth and final step. You are feeling completely safe, and completely relaxed.

You reach the opened door and enter a room. You feel the cool of the stone floor on your feet and see rays of light from a small window in the corner of the room. It smells a little damp and musty. A light is flickering from a lamp burning in the corner. You notice a young woman who seems to be doing chores. She is sweeping the floor. You hear the movement of the broom…swish, swish, back and forwards. Her face is gentle and calm. There is warmth and beauty about this young woman.

Suddenly a light floods the room, it is bright and its rays are catching the dust that is coming from the broom. Little speckles are glistening in the light. You notice the young woman fall to her knees. Is she shocked or maybe frightened? Does she know where this light has come from?

Then a voice comes from this light. “Hello Mary. Know that God is with you. I am God’s messenger, the angel Gabriel. I have come to tell you that you are blessed and the Lord is with you.”

So the young woman’s name is Mary. The poor thing looks petrified. The voice coming from the light is an angel called Gabriel. You want to go and be with her, but you can’t you are just an onlooker today.

The voice of the angel is gentle and calm. The angel seems to know that Mary is afraid. “Do not be afraid,” the angel said. God loves you and is going to send you a son and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be the son of the most high. He will reign forever and his kingdom will have no end.”

Mary seems to be even more confused now. You see her nervously whisper to the angel, “How can this be?”

The angel softly answered Mary, “God will send the Holy Spirit to give you a son for nothing is impossible for God. Your cousin Elizabeth has also been blessed and she will have a baby as well, even though she is old.”

You notice the expression on Mary’s face change. She quietly smiles and says to the angel, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me as you have said!”

All of a sudden the light disappears and the angel is gone! Again the room becomes darker. Mary is sitting quietly trying to take this in. “Did this really just happen to me?” is what she must be thinking. I think it’s time to leave her with her own thoughts.

Quietly you walk past Mary and out of the room. The sun’s rays hit you as soon as you reach the outside. You blink as your eyes adjust. Now you climb those stairs, one, two, three, four. Again you walk through the village past the women and children ready to come back to your own world and again you feel the gentle breeze rustle through your hair.

Take a minute to think about where you’ve been and where you’re returning to. When you are ready gently open your eyes and have a stretch.

Mary Connor

Appendix 5

Scripture storytelling: The Annunciation (used with permission and adapted from Sydney RE Online).

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YOU WILL NEED: Brown cloth for floor on

Mary’s house Mary figure Angel figure An empty crib(Figures from Nativity Set could be used)

Place Mary onto the material.Mary was a girl from Nazareth. She lived a good life and loved God very much.

Place angel figure onto material near Mary.One day, Mary had a most unusual visitor. It was the angel Gabriel who came with a very special message from God.

Turn Gabriel to face Mary.Gabriel said “Rejoice, the Lord is with you.” The angel told Mary she was to be the mother of God’s own son. Her baby would be called ‘Jesus’.

Move Mary back just slightly as you say …Mary was at first amazed and afraid. “How can this be?” she asked.

Move Gabriel close to Mary and hold your hand over Mary in the sign of blessing as you say …Gabriel replied, ‘Do not be afraid, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and God will be with you.”

Mary said ‘Yes’ to God’s messenger, Gabriel.

Move the angel away.Mary was frightened, but happy. She was surprised, but blessed.

Move Mary close to the empty crib.From that time on Mary began to get ready to be the mother of God’s son.

Pause and sit with the story for a while before engaging the students with some ‘I wonder’ statements:

I wonder why God chose Mary to be the Mother of Jesus I wonder how Mary felt when she saw Gabriel I wonder how Mary felt about being the Mother of Jesus

Carefully pack story materials into storage box and put on shelf. Ensure that children are watching so they know how to pack the materials away and where to find them.

Appendix 6

My name is Elizabeth and I live in the hill county in Judea and I want to tell you an amazing time in my life.

The story is about my cousin Mary who was engaged to the carpenter Joseph. I hadn’t seen her for a while. I missed her, she lived in Nazareth. I hoped that maybe one day she would visit me. I couldn’t visit her at that time because I was pregnant. It was quite a shock because I am old, but the Holy Spirit came upon me and blessed me with the child I was carrying. We knew because an angel of the Lord came to my husband Zechariah when he was serving as a priest in the Temple. The angel Gabriel told Zechariah that we would have a son and that we should call him John and that he would be a great servant of the Lord. But Zechariah was so shocked and frightened that he couldn’t speak. The angel said that he would not be able to speak until he named his son John and that’s what has happened, he didn’t speak a word. He wouldn’t even leave our house, but he was very excited about our baby coming.Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 24

One day I was looking out the window and then my wish came true. I could see Mary walking through the hills to my place. I was so excited. I ran to the door now and was hugging her. As I did so my baby was jumping inside me. She told me that she had been blessed by the Lord and that she too would have a baby. Then I said to Mary:“God has blessed you among all women!God has also blessed the child you will have.Why would the mother of my Lord come to visit me?As soon as I heard your voice, my baby became happy and moved inside me.The Lord has blessed you and knows that you will keep your promises.”

Mary replied to me,“With all my heart I praise my Lord,And I am happy because of God.God cares for me,I am God’s humble servant.From now on all people will say thatGod has blessed me.God has done great things for me,God’s name is holy.God shows mercy to everyone who worships him.God scatters those who are proud.God raises up the humble.God gives the hungry good things to eat and send away the rich.God is merciful to all his people.The Lord has made this promise to our ancestors,To Abraham and his family forever!

Mary stayed with me for about three months. We had such a wonderful time together. I will never forget it.

Appendix 7

The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Reader 1: Every year, Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.

Reader 2: And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration.

Reader 3: After the Passover celebration, Joseph and Mary prepared to leave with everyone else who was going back to Nazareth.

Mary: Come on Jesus, we’re going home now. Make sure you’re with our family and friends as we go back home to Nazareth.

Jesus: Okay Mum, I’ll be there in a minute.Mary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 25

Reader 1: But Jesus was so interested in the Scriptures that he forgot what he was supposed to do and wandered back to the temple instead.

Reader 2: At the end of that day, the travellers going back to Nazareth stopped to eat. Mary went to find Jesus for dinner. She looked everywhere but couldn’t find him. She began to panic.

Mary: Joseph, I can’t find Jesus. Do you know where he is? Quick, we need to look.

Reader 3: Joseph began to sing out to everyone.

Joseph: We can’t find Jesus. Has anyone seen him?

Reader 1: Jesus couldn’t be found anywhere, so Mary and Joseph decided that they would have to go back to Jerusalem to look for him.

Joseph: He’s not here Mary… he must have stayed in Jerusalem. We must go back to find him.

Mary: Why would he stay there Joseph? I don’t understand. He knew we were leaving. I am so worried. I pray to God that he is okay.

Reader 2: So Mary and Joseph set off to return to Jerusalem to find Jesus.

Reader 3: When they arrived at Jerusalem they couldn’t find Jesus. They looked in the streets. They looked in the markets…but he was nowhere to be found. They looked for three days. Now Joseph and Mary were really worried. Mary began to cry.

Mary: Joseph, what shall we do? I am so worried. What will we do if we can’t find him? Dear God, please help us to find Jesus.

Joseph: I know Mary, I am worried too. I believe that God will help us find Jesus. Let’s go and look in the Temple.

Reader 1: So they went to the Temple and there to their surprise was their son, sitting and listening to the teachers and asking them questions. He was learning to be a rabbi and it was very important that he knew his Scriptures.

Reader 2: Everyone in the Temple was so surprised at how much Jesus knew and the answers he gave. This was an amazing young boy, the people thought.

Reader 3: Mary and Joseph were relieved, but also upset that they had suffered so much worry and that Jesus had let this happen.

Mary: Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you.

Jesus: Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I would be in my father’s house?

Reader 1: Mary and Joseph did not know what Jesus meant by this.

Reader 2: Jesus travelled back to Nazareth with his parents and he always did what they asked of him.Mary could not stop thinking about what happened in Jerusalem.

Reader 3: Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.

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Appendix 8

The Wedding Feast at Cana John 2: 1-12

***Used with permission from Sydney RE online***.

YOU WILL NEED:

Bible, with ribbon marking St John’s Gospel Green felt cloth 8 peg figures

Students are seated in a semi-circle ready to listen to the story. When the children are settled, get the materials and carry them respectfully to the storytelling place as you would the Bible. Place these beside you.

A wedding is a wonderful celebration of life. Families and friends gather to witness the joining of a man and a woman in marriage. It is a time of great joy.(Spread the green felt evenly on the floor, place the bride and groom at the centre)

This is a story from our special book – the BibleMary – Woman, Mother and Disciple Stage 2 Page | 27

(Reverently hold the Bible for students to see).

The story of this wedding is recorded in St John’s Gospel(Open the Bible to the correct place- using a pre-placed ribbon)

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. In Jesus’ time the wedding celebrations went for days!(Place figure of Mary at centre, left of wedding couple)

Mary, the mother of Jesus was there.(Place figures of Jesus and two disciples at right and two waiters at upper left)

Jesus and some of his disciples were also among the guests.(Move Mary figure to Jesus’ side)

During the party the wine for the guests ran out.

Mary noticed this and said to Jesus, “They have no wine!”(Turn Jesus away from Mary towards empty space – pause – turn Jesus back to Mary)

Jesus said to Mary, “Mother, why are you telling me? It is not my time yet.” (Move Mary towards servants)

Mary spoke to the servants “Do whatever he tells you,” she said.(Turn Mary back to face Jesus)

There were some large water jars nearby, so big that they could hold gallons and gallons of water. (Move Jesus towards servants)

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”, and they filled them to the brim. “Draw some out now and take it to the steward”, he told them. The steward tasted the water and it had turned into wine.

When the guests drank, they were amazed that the best wine had been kept until last!(Move all figures into a circle)

The wedding feast continued and everyone joined in the celebrations. This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: It was given in Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him. Carefully pack story materials into storage box and put away.

Pause quietly for a moment and then begin to wonder together.

I wonder what part of the story you like best. I wonder why Mary said to the waiters, “Do whatever he tells you.” I wonder what Mary is thinking as she watches her son, Jesus. I wonder how the servants felt when they saw the water had turned to wine.

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Appendix 9

The Angelus

Leader: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.Response: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit All: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Leader: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

Response: Be it done unto me according to thy word.

All: Hail Mary…

Leader: And the word was made flesh.Response: And dwelt among us.

All: Hail Mary…

Leader: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of GodResponse: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

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All: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection.Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen

Angelus Style Prayer for young children

The Angel Gabriel told Mary that she had been chosen to have a very special baby.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Mary agreed to the plan. She said, ‘Let it happen to me as you have said.’

Hail Mary . . .

And Jesus was born and lived among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Holy Mary, please pray for us, that our love for Jesus may grow stronger every day.

Let us pray:

O Lord, fill our hearts with your lovewarming our hearts andbrightening our way.

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as we wait for his coming.

Amen

Appendix 10Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Liturgy OutlineLiturgy Definition: “work of the people” (in this case - the children)

A liturgy to celebrate module learning usually has four parts of which these can contain all or some one of the suggestions.

Before you begin some other considerations!! Where will the liturgy be celebrated? Does not have to be celebrated in the church or the classroom. Outdoors is a possibility - weather permitting. Consider the placement of chairs and sacred space. Who to invite? (parents, staff, priest etc)

WE GATHER: Setting the scene Sacred Space (cloth, candle, Bible, icons etc) to be created in this part. Procession Hymn or songs of welcome Welcome and introduction to celebration Opening prayer

WE LISTEN: Stories From the Bible Outline of what has been learnt Multimedia presentations Dramatisation/ dialogue of story Hymns Liturgical Movement of story Stories of their life and families Related narratives (eg Dreamtime story)

WE RESPOND:Responding to the stories Hymn or songs Liturgical movement

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Prayers of Intercession Prayer Multimedia presentations Sharing work from module (eg artwork)

WE GO FORTH:Sending Forth Recessional hymn or songs Liturgical movement Prayer Thank you statement

Liturgy can be followed by offer of hospitality

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Resources

Note: The resources indicated below are recommended but not essential to assist with the teaching of this module. Please locate those available in your school and add to those below.

Teacher

Hari, A., and Singer, C. 1993. Discovering the New Testament Today. France: Editions Du Signe O'Toole, Margaret.1996. Mary of Nazareth. Blackburn: Harper Collins Religious.Ryan, M. 2003. Expressions. A Religion Series for Catholic Primary Schools. Book 4. Tuggerah: Social Science PressThrelfo, Wayne. 2001Walking With Mary. Mittagong: Marist ResourcesThe Dramatised Bible, “The Birth of Jesus is Announced”.White, D., O’Brien. K. and Todd, S. 2003. Into the Deep. Marayong: K.D. PublicationsWintour, R. 2000. Just Imagine. SERIES 1-4 Brisbane: Mountjoy EnterprisesLabOra Worship

Audio Visual

Mary woman of faith. (video) 1989. Greenwich: Catholic Communications Centre.

Literature

Joslin, Mary & Wisenfeld Alison (1999) Mary, Mother of Jesus Chicago Loyola Press

MusicJohn Burland

Hail Mary (One Family, God Loves Me) Hail Mary - Traditional Prayer (Songs of Mary) Hail Mary Full of Grace (Songs of Mary) Mary a Woman of Faith (Lord Teach Me Your Ways, Move! Pray! Celebrate!, Songs of Mary) Mary Mother Of God (Let’s Celebrate, Songs of Mary) Mary O Blessed One (Christmas Star, Songs of Mary) Mary Our Mother (Let’s Celebrate, Songs of Mary) Mary You Said Yes to God (God Loves Me, (Songs of Mary) Mother I Come to You (Songs of Mary)

Andrew Chinn Our Lady Of The Southern Cross (People Of Peace) Our Lady Help Of Christians (In Joyful Hope)

We Walk With Mary (In Joyful Hope) Strength And Gentleness (Let Your Light Shine) Our Lady of the Way (Many Roads, One Journey) One Holy Family (In Joyful Hope)

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In the Footsteps of Jesus (Many Roads, One Journey) Many Roads One Journey (Many Roads, One Journey) I Sing to Mary (Wherever I Go) and (Together As One) Ka Waiata ki a Maria (Wherever I Go)

Michael Mangan From The Cradle To The Cross (Sing Your Joy) Mary Said “Yes!” (This Is The Time / Sing Your Joy (Annunciation)) Mary, Show Us The Way (1, 2, 3 God Loves Me) My Spirit Sings (Forever I Will Sing / Sing Your Joy (Magnificat)) Mary, We Ask You (Sing Your Joy) Queen Of All (Sing Your Joy (Assumption)) Standing By The Southern Cross (Sing Your Joy (Help Of Christians))

InternetMission and Religious Education (Lighthouse) http://missionandreligiouseducation.dbbcso.org/

http://www.womeninthebible.net/2.1.Mary_of_Nazareth.htm

http://www.jesus-story.net/buildings_NT.htm

Stories of Mary in the Scriptures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H22sLfaJtK4

Fr. William Saunders https://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/ROSARYHS.HTM

Marist website http://www.acertainway.info/life-from-within/life-force/woman-mother-and-disciple/

Rosary

http://catholicapptitude.org/prayer-apps/

http://www.familyrosary.org/en/TheRosaryold/HowToPrayTheRosary/PrayTheRosary.aspx

http://www.fatima.org/essentials/requests/rosary.html

Mindmapping

www.bubbl.us

Godly Play Resources

Godly Play Australia http://godlyplay.org.au/materials/

Godly Play Resources http://www.godlyplayresources.com/

Nurture Bright http://store.nurturebright.com.au/

Rob’s craft and toys robscraftsandtoys@hotmail.com http://godlyplay.org.au/robs-craft-and-toys.pdf

Storytelling

http://storybird.com/

Make short art-inspired stories

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http://www.capzles.com/

Capzles social storytelling

General

http://www.caritas.org.au/?gclid=CJOir6zrpb8CFcEJvAodjUwAJg

http://www.catholicmission.org.au/

http://www.vinnies.org.au/?gclid=CKXmk9Prpb8CFU8JvAodlo4ADA

http://wallwisher.com/

http://www.wordle.net/

http://www.tagxedo.com/

http://www.surveymonkey.com/home/

http://www.ning.com/

http://www.wikispaces.com/

Interactive Bible Map http://wild.biblesociety.org.au//wild/index.php

Useful Apps

3 Minute Retreat Sand Draw Lectio Divina Ignatian Examen

Superbook Bible App The Holy Bible Bible for kids The Pope App

Educreations PuppetPals Show Me Comic Maker

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