God’s plan for salvation began in the Old Testament
with Adam & Eve.
 The precursors of Mary in the Old Testament are
Hannah, Deborah, Ruth, Judith, and Esther.
 Hannah – (Hebrew ‫ )חנה‬means beauty" and "passion".
 In the Biblical narrative, Hannah is one of the two wives
of Elkanah. Hannah could not have children.
Nevertheless, Elkanah preferred Hannah. Every year
Elkanah would offer a sacrifice, giving Hannah a double
portion because of his love for her and because she did not
have any children.
 Hannah went up to the temple, and prayed with great
weeping while Eli the High Priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost.
 In her prayer she asked God for a son and in return she
vowed to give the son back to God for the service of the
Shiloh priests.
She promised he would remain a Nazarite all the days of
his life.
 Eli thought she was drunk and questioned her.
When she explained herself, he sent her away and
effectively said that her prayer would be heard and her
desire granted.
As promised, she conceived and bore a son.
 In the Old Testament, the childless are thought to be
cursed by God, for they have lost their place in history.
 Sarah, the wife of Abraham, God intervened by giving her
a male child named Issac.
 Issac became of the patriarchs of the Jewish history.
 Mary, the mother of Jesus, parents were Joachim and
Ann.
 She is a descendant of David from the tribe of Judah.
 Her “yes” to God makes up for the refusal of Eve to serve
God, and from this point she is entitled to be called “the
New Eve”.
 The gospels present a special relationship between Mary
and Jesus.
 Her most difficult moment occurred at Jesus’ crucifixion.
 After the completion of her early life, she was raised body
and soul into Heaven.
 The custom of calling Mary the “Mother of God” began in
the Eastern Church.
 Mary gave Jesus his human nature.
 Mary is also called the Immaculate Conception.
 Mary, from the moment of her conception, was kept free
from the stain of sin by God’s grace.
 Two years after the Church declared Mary the
Immaculate Conception, Mary appeared to St. Bernadette
at Lourdes and identified herself as the Immaculate
Conception.
 Promise of God to Isaiah 7:14 – “A virgin shall conceive
and bear a son.”
 The bible makes reference to Jesus’ brothers and sisters,
but they are cousins.
 At the time the bible was written, there wasn’t a word in
the Aramaic language for cousin.
 Like the Church, she embarked on a pilgrimage of faith.
 She joined her suffering completely to that of Jesus.
 Mary’s important role in the Church was confirmed with
here Assumption into heaven.
 Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb to say “yes” to the
Father as the new Adam.
 Mary’s virginity reflects the desire that Mary remain a
special creation in her role as Mother of the living God.
 Virginity frees a person to live a life dedicated totally to
God.
 While dying on the cross Jesus told his disciple John and
Mother:
“Woman, behold your son! Son behold your Mother!”