mary and the four last things

Mary and the Four

Last Things

Mary and the Four Last Things

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

The Coronation of the Virgin by Quarton

Mary, the Mother of Jesus (1)

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Mary was conceived immaculate. As a

virgin, she became Mother of God by

bearing Jesus Christ. She was without sin, was assumed body

and soul into heaven, and is the

Mother of the Church.

KEY DEFINITION


Mary

Mary body and soul in

heaven

Hands crossed This is the same

gesture as found in Annunciation pictures. Here it emphasises her

perpetual virginity.

Mary crownedbecause of her

sinless perfection and her

motherhood of Christ the divine

King.

Mary, Mother of the Church

She is surrounded by the saints in heaven and

intercedes for us below.

The Holy Trinity


Why is she called ‘Mother of God’?

The Nativity by Fra AngelicoThis shows the adoration of God made man, whose

mother is Mary.

Why is she called ‘Mother of God’? (1)

Why is she called ‘Mother of God’?

Mary is called ‘Mother of God’ because she became the mother of Jesus Christ, true God and true man.Elizabeth called Mary ‘the mother of my Lord’ (Lk 1:43) and the Council of Ephesus (431) declared Mary to be ‘Mother of God’ and not only of Christ’s humanity.

This title, part of the Hail Mary, recognises that Jesus is a single person, God and man.

Why is she called ‘Mother of God’? (2)

The Annunciation by Fra Angelico This shows the moment of the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive Jesus

Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why is she called the ‘Virgin Mary’?

Why is she called the ‘Virgin Mary’? (1)

Why is she called the ‘Virgin Mary’?

Mary has this title because she was and remained a virgin before, during and after Jesus’ birth.


Why is she called the ‘Virgin Mary’?Mary’s question to Gabriel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34), reveals her virginal commitment.

The angel’s response, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most High will overshadow you” (Lk 1:34) shows that this proposed conception would be miraculous and preserving of Mary’s dedication to a virginal life.

Mary’s continued virginity is also fitting for the chosen spouse of the Holy Spirit. As Mother of the Church, Mary bears many spiritual children.


What is the Immaculate Conception?

The Virgin in Prayer by Sassoferrato This conveys the sense of the purity and perfection of

Mary which she possessed from the first moment of her existence.

What is the Immaculate Conception? (1)


Mary was conceived immaculate and spared from Original Sin and its effects from her beginning.



In Scripture Mary is ‘blessed among women’ (Lk 1:42), and ‘full of grace’ (c.f. Lk 1:28). Pope Pius IX officially defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854.

Mary appeared to St Bernadette at Lourdes in 1858 and declared, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”


What is her Assumption?

The Coronation of the Virgin by Fra AngelicoThis depicts Mary, assumed into heaven body and soul,

being crowned by her Son, the ‘Resurrection and the Life’.

What is her Assumption? (1)


The doctrine of the Assumption teaches that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life.



Death is a punishment for sin (Gen

3). One without sin should not experience the grave, since “You will not let your holy one see decay” (Acts

2:27).

As Mary shared closely in the saving death of Christ, she is first to share his Resurrection.



Mary is therefore in heaven, body and soul, “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev 12:1).

Her Assumption is also a sign of our own future resurrection.


The importance of Mary for us

San Marco Altarpiece by Fra AngelicoThis depicts Mary in heaven as Mother of the Church where she intercedes for all

of us as her children.

The importance of Mary for us (1)


In Mary we see our human nature gloriously restored and raised to heaven. As our mother in Christ, she also protects and intercedes for us all.



Mary became the Mother of the Church when Christ made her mother of the beloved disciple, representing all Christians, “Behold, your mother!” (Jn 19:27).

As the first Eve is the mother of all the living; so Mary is the ‘Second Eve’, the mother of all the redeemed. “All generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:28).


SummaryQuestions

to reinforcekey points

Discussionquestions

Practicalactivities

Presentation Part II

Summary Activities I

Please select an activity or go immediately to part II of the presentation

Summary Activities I

Summary

Activities Menu Presentation Part II

• Mary is called ‘Mother of God’ because she became the mother of Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

• Mary has the title ‘Virgin Mary’ because she was and remained a virgin before, during and after Jesus’ birth.

• The ‘Immaculate Conception’ means that Mary was conceived immaculate and spared from Original Sin and its effects from her beginning.

• The ‘Assumption’ teaches that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life.

• In Mary we see our human nature gloriously restored and raised to heaven. As our mother in Christ, she also protects and intercedes for us all.

Summary I

Questions to reinforce key points

Immaculate Conception

Annunciation

The Virgin Birth

Faithfulness at the cross

Presence at Pentecost

Assumption

What are the main events of Mary’s life?


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answers

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Questions to reinforce key points I

Discussion questions


• Discuss why Mary is so important for Christian doctrine and life.

• Discuss some personal experiences of Marian devotion.

Select one or more of the following:

Discussion questions I

Practical activities


• Pray one or more decades of the Rosary.

• Read the Compendium of the Catechism questions 95-100; 196-199.

• Visit a church and note any symbols of Mary, such as statues. Consider what teachings about Mary are represented by these symbols.


Practical activities I

The Four Last Things

The Last Judgment by Fra Angelico

The Four Last Things

What are the four last things?

What are the four last things? (1)


The Four Last Things are the two inevitable and two possible realities that we face at

the end of our earthly lives.KEY DEFINITION



The Four Last Things are the two inevitable and two possible realities that we face at

the end of our earthly lives.KEY DEFINITION

Heaven

Hell

Death

Judgment


What is death?

Detail from The Seven Deadly Sins by Bosch.A dying man is aided by a priest and his family. Above the bed an angel and a demon vie for his

soul.

What is death? (1)

What is death?

‘Anointing’ from The Seven Sacraments by Weyden

Death is the cessation of our present earthly lives, the moment of separation of our souls and bodies. Once dead, we cease to choose between good and evil: death irrevocably fixes our state for eternity.

Although death came to us because of sin, not God’s will, God has removed its terror for us and made it the path to eternal life.

What is death? (2)

What is death?

We should remain in God’s friendship and live each day as if it were our last.

We should also ask God for the grace of a good and holy death.Human beings die only once, after which comes judgment.

Heb 9:27

What is death? (3)

Detail from The Seven Deadly Sins by Bosch.The Last Judgment is shown by Christ coming and

raising the dead from their tombs ready to be judged.

What is judgment?

What is judgment? (1)

What is judgment?

First, there is a particular and unchangeable judgment which follows immediately upon our deaths. Second, as the Creed affirms, there is a final and universal reckoning at the end of time when Christ “will come again”.

At this Second Coming he will “judge the living”, those still alive, “and the dead”, united physically with their resurrected bodies.


What is judgment?

As we are to be judged by God, we should ask for his mercy and help to put our lives in order, examine our consciences regularly and practise Confession.They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

1 Pet 4:5


Detail from The Seven Deadly Sins by Bosch.Hell is shown as a place of torment, pain, darkness

and egoism.

What is hell?

What is hell? (1)

What is hell? Hell is the eternal loss of the vision of God, and the place of punishment of damned souls, the devil and his angels.

It is the choice of evil and lack of repentance before the end of our earthly lives that leads to our damnation. After the Fall, hell would have been the just end of the human race. God in his great love, however, has offered us salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

What is hell? (2)

What is hell?

We should ask God to save us from the ‘fires of hell’ (c.f. Mt

18:9; Rev 20:14) as he himself desires (1 Ti 2:4).

We also have a duty to warn others, just as Jesus warned us, of the reality of hell and the need to repent and follow him in our lives.Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Mt 25:41

What is hell? (3)

What is heaven?

Detail from The Seven Deadly Sins by Bosch.Heaven is depicted as a glorious city filled with

angels and saints.

What is heaven? (1)

What is heaven? Heaven is our eternal home where God gives us the vision of his face and shares his divine life with us. Scripture describes heaven as a city or kingdom where the saints enjoy the perfected creation and the reward they deserve.

Those who die in God’s grace either go straight to heaven or first enter purgatory, a place of purification for sins and for reparation.

What is heaven? (2)

What is heaven? We can truly hope for heaven since it is God’s desire for us. We should ask him to prepare us for heaven even if we face sufferings on the way.

It is good to make the saints our companions through prayer and to pray for the holy souls in purgatory.

(c.f. 2 Macc 12:44)Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Mt 25:34

What is heaven? (3)

SummaryQuestions

to reinforcekey points

Discussionquestions

Practicalactivities

Summary Activities IIPlease select an activity or go immediately

to the concluding prayer

Concluding Prayer

Summary Activities II

Summary

Activities Menu

• Death is the cessation of our present earthly lives, the moment of separation of our souls and bodies.

• Judgment refers to our particular and unchangeable judgment by God following our death. There will also be a last, universal judgment at the end of time.

• Heaven is our eternal home where God gives us the vision of his face and shares his divine life with us.

• Hell is is the eternal loss of the vision of God, and the place of punishment of the damned.

Concluding Prayer

Summary II

Questions to reinforce key points

Death

Judgment

Heaven

Hell


Activities Menu Concluding Prayer

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answers

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Questions to reinforce key points II

Discussion questions

Activities Menu

• Discuss why the moment of our death is so crucial to our eternal destiny. How can we prepare for a good death?

• Discuss what relationship our lives here and now have with eternal realities.


Concluding Prayer

Discussion questions II

Practical activities

Activities Menu

• Read the Compendium of the Catechism questions 202-216.

• Read Matthew 25:31-46 on the last judgment, heaven and hell.

• With reference to this picture of The Mystic Lamb or other pictures in this course, what are the main characteristics of heaven that the artists are seeking to convey?


Concluding Prayer

Practical activities II

Final Prayer

The ‘Salve Regina’ Hail Holy Queen, mother of mercy. Hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of

Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of

tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O

loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Amen.

Final Prayer

mary and the four last things

Spiritual

Transcript of mary and the four last things