Understanding Marian Devotion Through Scripture, Theology and Daily Meditations

March 26, 2018ZENIT StaffPope and Holy See

 

A clear and beautiful exposition of what the Catholic Church believes and teaches about Mary

The Catholic understanding of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is sometimes misunderstood and dismissed. Who is Mary? Why do Catholics honor her? What are the foundational Marian doctrines? How can she help us grow closer to Jesus in our daily lives? What does the Bible show us about Mary? These questions and more are answered in three new products from Ignatius Press: a DVD, The Woman, and two books, Cause of Our Joy: Walking Day by Day with Our Lady and Mary in the Bible and Our Lives. 

The Woman

In the Gospels we hear Jesus refer to his mother Mary as “Woman”. This reference should draw our attention to the woman mentioned in Genesis, as well as in the book of Revelation. But who is this “Woman”, and why is she so central in the history of Salvation? This powerful film, The Woman, was filmed in England and presents the beautiful Catholic teaching about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her important role in the Church and in the lives of Christians today. Combining many gorgeous images from classic sacred art with a lovely soundtrack, the dogmas of the Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, and Assumption are explained, along with other traditional beliefs and devotions to Mary. Insightful commentary is provided by Fr. Marcus Holden, Fr. Andrew Pinsent, Sister Mary of the Trinity, Fr. Jeff Steel, and Joanna Bogle, along with a number of young people speaking about their faith and love of Our Blessed Lady.

Cause of Our Joy: Walking Day by Day with Our Lady

This beautiful book, Cause of Our Joy: Walking Day by Day with Our Lady, features meditations on Our Lady based on the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and on her Magnificat prayer. It also contains reflections for all the major feasts and solemnities of Mary, as well as poetry centered on the Mother of God. These meditations come from the profound prayer of a holy contemplative nun, which gives a unique unction to her reflections because they are inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

The great St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “Of Mary there is never enough”, and in the spiritually and morally challenging times that we live, these powerful Marian meditations will give us the wisdom, love, hope and strength we need to pick up our daily crosses and win the battle of life. Acclaimed spiritual writer Mother Mary Francis speaks with an intimate familiarity of the Mother of God, and you will feel that same closeness to Mary after reading these soul stirring reflections. This Poor Clare abbess, gifted with a brilliant intellect and a poet’s heart, lived in abiding relationship with Our Lord and Our Lady during a monastic life spanning 63 years. In these pages you will discover the wondrous secret that walking with Our Lady day by day is the unending cause of our joy.

Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., explains, “The writings of Mother Mary Francis are a sharing of a lifetime of spiritual wisdom of an abbess, and the richness of her many years leading her community. She teaches us how to pray well.”

Mary in the Bible and In Our Lives

This book is a clear and beautiful exposition of what the Catholic Church believes and teaches about Mary. Not a history or a compendium, it is written by a theologian and Carmelite monk who dedicated his life in pondering the mysteries conveyed through Mary. Such a presentation that comes from the deep life of prayer and meditation of the author, and includes the more challenging beliefs about Our Lady for non-Catholics, can be very helpful in conveying the essential teachings to those who may have difficulties with Catholic Marian beliefs and devotion.

The Mariology of the Church cannot be distilled only from statements in the Bible, but has matured through centuries of contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation in its totality.

Fr. Wilfred Stinissen shows how Mariology corrects any attempt to minimize the gospel of God who became man so that man should become like God. As Christ is God-with-man, so Mary is man-with-God, revealing the astonishing truth that God has engaged in intimate communion with man. In a world today that strives in many ways to reduce and humiliate the dignity of man, the Church shows in Mary the infinitely high value of man in the eyes of God, and God’s wondrous love and plan for each one of us.

Edward Sri, the author of Who Am I to Judge?, explains that in this book, “an acclaimed spiritual writer and holy monk presents the beautiful Catholic beliefs about Mary that he has meditated on throughout his whole priestly life. Fr. Stinissen draws from both Sacred Scripture and the long tradition of the Church’s beliefs about Mary.”