60. Devotion to the Holy Virgin


Introduction

    The most important fact in history is the encarnation of the Son of God in the pure womb of Virgin Mary, becoming man to dwell among us and save us from sin. Therefore, the Virgin is Mother of God, but she is also our mother, mother of all men and Christians. During the Calvary, Jesus entrusted her as our mother. Near his death, and seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' (John 19,26-27).

    For that reason, the Church encourage her sons to live a filial and affectionate devotion with the Holy Virgin. Our last lesson of Curso de Catequesis try to increase our devotion to the Virgin. Let’s hope we search for her in order to be better sons, better Christians and better followers of her son Jesus Christ!

A. Answer with one of the following words: Isabel, Mary, God, Satan, grandson or son.

  Jesus becoming man in the womb of Virgin

  The Virgin is Mother of

  Being in the cross, Jesus said to his Mother: Woman, this is your



1. The Virgin is our Mother

    The Holy Virgin is the first among angels and saints in Heaven, because she is the Mother of Jesus, our Reedemer.

Just like Jesus is our brother, the Virgin is also our mother. When He was dying in the cross, He gave to us in the figure of John, saying: “This is your Mother”. She ascended to Heaven in body and soul, and from here she intercede as a good mother for all of us.

2. Christians adore Virgin Mary in a special way

    In the same way as John took care of Mary after the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven, we must also love and revere her as good sons.

It is done by Christians along centuries, and all saints had a special devotion for the Virgin; as a result, there are many ways of honour her. We must know them and put them into practice, if we want to show our love to our Mother in Heaven.

B. Choose one of these answers: Mother, Grandmother, Ascension, Resurrection, sinners, saints.

  Jesus said to John from the cross: This is your

  John took care of the Virgin after the

  There is a special devotion to the Virgin by the


3. Marian devotions

    a) To pray to the Virgin while wake up and go to bed. Our mothers like to be greeted in the morning or at night. The Virgin-our mother-also likes that. We can do it praying three Hail Holy Mary and another prayer, like “Oh my Lady...!”

    b) Venerate her images. There are paintings and images of the Virgin in churches, streets, houses and squares, placed by Christians to make it easy to praying her frequently. Seeing her image, we could say a short prayer.

    c) The Angelus or Queen of Heaven. Many Christians used to pray the Angelus-or the Queen of Heaven during Easter- at noon day. With this prayer, we remember important moments of the Virgin’s ife, like the Encarnation or the Resurrection of her Son.

    d) The Saint Rosary. The Hail Holy Mary are repeated while we meditate about the mysteries of Redemption. It is a long tradition among Christians, and highly recommended by the Church. It could help to love the Virgin, and it likes her.

    e) May month. This is the month dedicated by the Church to honore the Virgin; the altars are decorated with flowers and we could have special details with Our Lady.

    f) The scapular of Carmel. The Virgin promised to St. Simon Stock (siglo XIII) that those who died with her scapular won’t condemn to Hell. Carrying it reminds us to our Mother and help us to turn to her.

    g) Saturday, dedicated to the Virgin. The Church wants to mark Saturday as a suitable day for the Virgin’s worshipping. We can live Marian devotions praying or singing the Salve Regina.

    h) Visits to a Marian sanctuary. At all time, but in a particular way since the month of May, the Christians visit the sanctuaries and images of the Virgin to honour her and increase their devotion. The Rosary could be prayed in withdrawal and mortification.

    i) The Virgin’s festivites. Along the year, the Church joyfully celebrates the Holy Virgin festivities. We must join it, enjoying them and celebrating them with joy. The most important are:

    January 1: St. Mary, Mother of God.

    February 2: Purification of Our Lady.

    March 25: The Annunciation.

    August 15: The Assumption of Mary in body and soul.

    September 8: The Nativity of Mary.

    October 12: Virgin of El Pilar.

    December 8: The Immaculate Conception.

4. Increasing the love to the Virgin

    A Christian’s life is to walk on the path towards God: we come from Him and go to Him. The Virgin walks with us, protecting and helping us. We must increase our love to her with care, offering things, being confident with her intercession, living the devotions we have choosen. Our love to the Virgin must be big, constant and always growing.

Curso de Catequesis. Don Jaime Pujol Balcells and Don Jesús Sancho Bielsa. EUNSA. Navarra. 1982. With permission from the authors.

C. Choose one of these answers: bed, dusk, pictures, photos, Rosary, Angelus, December, May, Carmel, Saturday, Sunday, Marian, festivities, growing, weak.

  To pray the Virgin while waking up and going to

  In the streets and houses, Her ... are venerated

  Many Christians pray at noon day the

  We repeat Hail Holy Mothers and behold the mysteries in the

  The Church honoured the Virgin in the month of

  She promised salvation to those who died with the scapulary of

  The day of the week dedicated to the Virgin is the

  On May, we could visit a ... sanctuary

  Along the year, we celebrate some

 Our love for the Virgin must be big, constant and


Questions from the catechisms

1. What the Virgin Mary does for us?  Virgin Mary worries about all our necessities as a true Mother, and speaks by us to Jesus, her Son and our Lord.

2. What are the main prayers to the Holy Virgin?  The main prayers to the Holy Virgin are the Hail Holy Queen and the Salve Regina.

  D. Write the right letter (A or B). Answers are below.


 QUESTIONS

 ANSWERS

  What the Virgin Mary does for us?

  Which are the main prayers to the Holy Virgin?


 POSSIBLE ANSWERS

 A

  The Hail Holy Mary and the Salve Regina.

 B

  She worries about all our necessities as a true Mother, and speaks by us to Jesus, her Son and our Lord.




  Intentions for a Christian life

- Define some of the previous Marian devotions and live them with affection and perseverance.

- Remember the prayers dedicated to the Holy Virgin (see the link “Oraciones y prácticas de vida cristiana").

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®Arturo Ramo García.-Record of intellectual property of Teruel (Spain) No 141, of 29-IX-1999 Plaza Playa de Aro, 3, 1º DO 44002-TERUEL







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