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UNIT 6Mary, the Mother of Godand Our MotherLessons in This Unitӹӹ Lesson 1: Exploring the BlessedMother with Sacred Artӹӹ Lesson 2: Mary Is the Mother ofGodӹӹ Lesson 3: Mary Is Our Motherӹӹ Lesson 4: Mary’s Example of theChristian Lifeӹӹ Lesson 5: The Annunciation andthe Assumption: Perfect ObedienceScripture Studiedin This Unitӹӹ Matthew 2:13-15ӹӹ Luke 1:26-56ӹӹ Luke 1:46-49 (RSV translation)ӹӹ Luke 2:41-52ӹӹ Luke 2:16-35ӹӹ John 2:1-11ӹӹ John 19:26-27 S O P HI A IN ST IT U T E F OR T E AC H E R SConnection to theCatechism of theCatholic ChurchLesson 1ӹӹ 963, 965-969, 973-975Lesson 2ӹӹ 430, 484, 488, 490495, 508-511, 971-974,1171, 2617-2619Lesson 3ӹӹ 430, 484, 488, 490-495,508-511, 971-974, 1171,1668-1673, 2617-2619Lesson 4ӹӹ 430, 484, 488, 490-495,508-511, 971-974, 1171Lesson 5ӹӹ 430, 484, 488, 490495, 508-511, 971-974,1171, 2617-2619661

IntroductionGod chose Mary to be the Motherof Jesus and prepared her to beHis Mother from her conception. Maryagreed to be the Mother of Jesus, and inher perfect obedience her soul magnifiedthe Lord. At His death on the Cross, Jesusgave His Mother to John and to all of us.She is the Mother of God, the Mother ofthe Church, and our mother. Therefore,we honor Mary because of her faith andbecause of her instrumental role in oursalvation, and we imitate her example asJesus’ first disciple.The Mother of GodThe angel Gabriel appeared to Mary andannounced that by the power of the HolySpirit she would conceive in her womb theSon of God and name Him Jesus. To thisastounding news, Mary gave her fiat, or her“yes”, by saying, “I am the handmaiden ofthe Lord. May it be done to me according toyour word.” Her perfect obedience to Godbegan the undoing of Eve’s “no” to Him andled to our salvation. Mary raised her Son,Jesus, knowing that He was the Son of God,and in a special way shared in His joys andAt the end of her life, Marywas assumed body and soulinto Heaven, where she iscrowned Queen of Heaven. Sheintercedes for us and hearsour prayers, taking them toher Son, who sits at the rightof God the Father, who willanswer her requests.The Coronation of the Virgin, by Paolo Veronese.662 S OP H IA IN S TITU TE FOR TE A C H ERS

sorrows as only a mother could. At the endof her life, Mary was assumed body and soulinto Heaven, where she is crowned Queen ofHeaven. She intercedes for us and hears ourprayers, taking them to her Son, who sits atthe right of God the Father, who will answerher requests.Mother and Model ofthe Christian LifeOn the Cross, Jesus gave His Mother toJohn the Apostle to care for. In doing so,not only did Jesus show His great love forHis Mother, but He also gave her to all ofus. Mary is the Mother of God, but also theMother of the Church and our Mother too.Therefore, we honor Mary in such a waythat no other human is honored. We prayfor her intercession and for her motherlycare over us, and we honor her commitmentto God. Mary was also the first disciple ofJesus and is our model of discipleship. Herhumble obedience to God is the perfectexample of what it means to follow Him.There are many ways we honor Mary, fromcelebrating important moments of her lifeon the many Marian feast days throughoutthe liturgical year, to using sacramentalssuch as the Rosary and scapulars, to prayingprayers such as the Hail Mary and the HailHoly Queen. All of these help prepare oursouls to receive the grace of God, whomMary, in all she does, unceasingly magnifies.

Connections to New YorkReligion GuidelinesCore ContentVocabularyӹӹ Mary has a special place in the Churchas Mother of God and Mother of theChurch.ӹӹ Betrothedӹӹ Fiatӹӹ Magnifyӹӹ AssumptionChristian Livingӹӹ We turn to Mary, our Mother in Heaven,who prays to Jesus for us. She is anexample of how her Son wants us to live.ӹӹ Original Sinӹӹ Rosaryӹӹ Discipleӹӹ Marian FeastPrayer and Worshipӹӹ Marian Altarӹӹ Explain the feast of the Assumption,August 15, which celebrates that Marywas raised body and soul into Heaven.ӹӹ Sacramentalӹӹ This feast strengthens our Catholic beliefin the resurrection of the Body. It alsoreminds us of the dignity of the body.ӹӹ Discipleӹӹ Complete the teaching of the Apostles’Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, theholy catholic Church, the communionof saints, the forgiveness of sins, theresurrection of the body, and the lifeeverlasting.”ӹӹ Miraculous Medalӹӹ Brown Scapularӹӹ Commitmentӹӹ Solemnity of theBlessed Virgin Maryӹӹ Baptismӹӹ Annunciationӹӹ MagnificatPacing Guide NoteAim to begin presenting Unit 6 in March.664 S OP H IA IN S TITU TE FOR TE A C H ERS

Exploring the BlessedMother with Sacred ArtUNIT 6, L E S S ON 1Learning Goalsӹӹ Mary agreed to be the Mother ofJesus.Connection to theCatechism of theCatholic Churchӹӹ Mary magnifies the Lord — her lifeshows us the power and love of God.ӹӹ CCC 963ӹӹ Mary was assumed into heaven at theend of her earthly life.ӹӹ CCC 973-975ӹӹ Mary is our Mother because she lovesus and loves God.ӹӹ We can always ask Mary to help us.ӹӹ CCC 965-969Vocabularyӹӹ Betrothedӹӹ Magnifyӹӹ Fiatӹӹ AssumptionB IB L ICAL TOUCHSTONESIn the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sentfrom God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David, and the virgin’s namewas Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail,favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she wasgreatly troubled at what was said and ponderedwhat sort of greeting this might be. Then theangel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, foryou have found favor with God. Behold, you willconceive in your womb and bear a son, and youshall name Him Jesus. Mary said, “Behold, I amthe handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to meaccording to your word.”And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for hehas regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.For behold, henceforth all generations willcall me blessed; for he who is mighty has donegreat things for me, and holy is his name.”LU K E 1:4 6-4 9 (R SV T R ANSL AT I ON)LU K E 1 : 2 6-3 1, 3 8Unit 6, lesson 1665

Lesson PlanMaterialsӹӹ Handout A: Trinity andCoronation of Mary Muralӹӹ Drawing or constructionpaperӹӹ Markers and/or coloredpencilsMy Notes666DAY ONEWarm-UpA. Project the photograph on Handout A: Trinity andCoronation of Mary Mural in Saint SimplicianoChurch, Milan. Give students several minutes toquietly view the art before you say or ask anything.Allow them to come up and stand closer to theimage to examine the details.B. Once several minutes have passed, ask students:ӹӹ What do you first notice about this work of art?ӹӹ What do you like about it?ӹӹ How does this work of art make you feel?ӹӹ Where is your eye drawn?ӹӹ What is happening in this painting? Mary is beingcrowned Queen of Heaven by her Son, Jesus, whois present with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thehosts of heaven, all the angels and saints, standaround and observe.C. Explain to your students that this painting is in St.Simpliciano Church in Milan, Italy. In the 300s, St.Ambrose was the bishop of Milan, and he directedthe church to be built. He died before the churchwas finished, so the next bishop, St. Simpliciano,had the church finished. The church is nownamed after St. Simpliciano. This painting is onpart of the church’s ceiling. It was painted over athousand years after the church was built, by theartist Ambrogio Bergogne, an Italian painter wholived from 1470 to 1523. He was about 45 years oldwhen he painted this. If you go to Italy, you can stillsee this painting on the ceiling of St. SimplicianoChurch. S OP H IA IN S TITU TE FOR TE A C H ERS

ActivityArrange students in small groups and give each group a laminated copy of Handout A:Trinity and Coronation of Mary Mural. Have them discuss the questions on the back of thehandout. During this time, try to keep students focused on the artwork and the discussionquestions, letting their conversations go in unexpected ways.Formative AssessmentA. Circulate among the groups, listening to their discussion, keeping them on task, andoffering insights or clarification where needed.B. Before moving on to the next activity, have each group write one question they wouldask the painter about his work and turn it in.DAY TWOWarm-UpProject again the image of the Trinity and Coronation of Mary mural in Saint SimplicianoChurch, Milan, from Handout A, and read aloud a few of the most interesting questionsoffered by the student groups the previous day. Allow students to share their reactions andother personal responses to the art.ActivityA. Give students copies of the art, and have them skim over the questions they discussedthe previous day. Then call on groups in turn to share their answers to each of thequestions. Conclude the discussion with the question of how the artist probably wantedthe people who viewed his painting to feel.B. Project and read aloud or have a student stand and read aloud Luke 1:26-31, 38:In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee calledNazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, andthe virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lordis with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sortof greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for youhave found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,and you shall name him Jesus. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.May it be done to me according to your word.”Unit 6, lesson 1667