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Mary's Joy: A Woman—MARY
who marries Joseph and begins to prepare for when they can live together
who is committed to remaining a Virgin
who hears God's Word and says YES to becoming Mother of God
who is radiant because she is overshadowed by the Holy Spirit
who is found with Child by the Holy Spirit
who spends 9 months in close physical union with GOD
who remains silent toward Joseph about this grace
who may be considered and charged by the community as an adulteress
who trusts that God will provide understanding for Joseph
who hears amazing things about the Child to be born
who hears also about Zachary and Elizabeth's grace of a child
who is forgetful of herself and mindful of Elizabeth in this need
who makes the hard, dangerous, and fatiguing trip through the hill country
who is affirmed by Elizabeth for her faith
who praises and thanks God with all her heart in the Magnificat
who gives birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High, and bonds with Him
who wraps Him in swaddling clothes
who lays the Child in a manger
who believes this Child, so apparently ordinary, is the Saviour of the world
who presents the Child to the shepherds
who presents the Child to the Kings
who presents the Child in the temple
who is poor, offering turtledoves in sacrifice, not lambs,
who wants only to obey the prescriptions of the Law
who obeys the spirit not the letter of the Law
who really collaborates with Joseph in raising the child
who along with Joseph takes Jesus to the Temple when He is 12
who finds Him dialoguing with the Teachers of the Law
who is amazed that He has remained in the Temple
who lives with Jesus and Joseph at Nazareth for many years
who goes to the wedding of a relative with Jesus and His disciples
whose faith at the wedding disposes the apostles to believe in Jesus
who follows the life, teaching, and miracles of Jesus very closely
who is united with Him in everything she does, says, thinks
Mary's Sorrow: A Woman—Mary
whose life has been very hard
who has abandoned herself to God in her dilemma about telling Joseph
who is forced to leave home when she is almost ready to deliver her Child
who finds Bethlehem overcrowded with no place for her to give birth
who fears for the life of the Child because of Herod's jealousy
who flees into Egypt at Joseph's word
who mourns the death of so many innocent children
who is a refugee in a foreign land
who returns to Nazareth rather than Bethlehem in fear of Herod's son
who is distressed when the Child is nowhere to be found at 12
who grieves with Jesus at the death of Joseph
who willingly says Goodbye to Jesus to send Him on His Mission
who is saddened when she hears of the obstacles Jesus faces
who shares His ignominy when the Nazarenes wish to force Jesus out
who believes all the more as she finds others unbelieving
who is probably present at the Last Supper
who follows Him in the courtyard of Pilate
who hears her Son condemned as a common criminal
who shudders when she hears the crowd shout "Crucify Him"
who walks with Him along the way to Calvary
who would gladly take up His Cross when they force Simon to do so
who cringes as they nail Him to the Cross
who stands beneath the Cross loving Him to the end
who unites her heart with His, desiring the salvation of all humanity
who prays with Jesus, forgives with Jesus,
who receives the beloved disciple as her own son
who becomes the mother of all who believe in Jesus
who keeps believing His promise to rise again even after He dies
who holds the bruised Body of her Son close to her heart
whose heart is also pierced when He dies
who buries Jesus
who keeps the light of faith and hope alive when all seems lost;
who awaits the Resurrection.
Mary's Glory: A Woman - Mary
who receives a visit from her Risen Son
who does not boast of special graces
who does not intrude on divine mysteries given to others
who is probably in the upper room with the apostles when He appears
who is filled with joy that He is alive
who sees Jesus ascend into heaven
who gathers with the apostles in the cenacle as Jesus told them
who encourages and prays with His disciples for the coming of the Spirit
whose faith and love hasten the coming of the Holy Spirit
who receives the fullness of the Spirit—all His gifts and charisms
who receives Jesus lovingly in the Eucharist
who becomes the Mother and Heart of the Church
who encourages the apostles as they witness to Jesus and suffer persecution
who teaches them about Jesus
who dies herself to be no different than her Son
who is assumed body and soul into glory
who now is at the right hand of her Son interceding for us
who is the mother of the Good Shepherd
who continues her motherly role toward us in heaven
who is the mother of good counsel
who is the dispensatrix of all the graces of her Son
who is the prompt Help of Christians
who is the Queen of Apostles
who disposes us to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit
who is crowned Queen of heaven and earth
who has appeared to chosen ones to remind us of the Gospel message
who asks us to pray, to fast, to be reconciled, to convert, to love one another.