(ii) Explain how Catholics see Mary as a model of the Church.

Question 1

• This means that she is an example to all Catholics of how human being should
respond to God.
• She is a perfect disciple. A disciple is one who follows the way of a teacher and
from the very beginning Mary followed God even when she did not fully
understand, in accepting that she was to be the mother of Jesus at the
annunciation.
• Mary is an example of great faith. She believed the angel who told her she would
conceive even though she was a virgin.
• Mary is an example of great commitment. She did not abandon Jesus at the end
of his life when all of the other disciples had fled in fear.
• Mary is an example of great courage. To agree to become an unmarried
pregnant woman in first century Palestine required bravery since the
consequences of being pregnant and unmarried was potentially a death
sentence.
• Mary is a prophet of the Kingdom. When she meets Elizabeth she prays a
famous prayer called the Magnificat in which she anticipates some of the themes
of the kingdom Jesus will preach: the proud will be scattered, the powerful
dethroned, the hungry fed and the humble lifted up.
• Mary is also an example of loyalty to Jesus since she stayed with him at the foot
of the cross when the other disciples had fled.
• Catholic believe she intercedes for them with God, like she did at the wedding
feast of Cana when she asked her son to have pity on those who had no wine.
This is why Catholic still ask Mary to pray for them and have lots of prayers and
feasts dedicated to asking for her help and inspiration.
Relevant reference to sources could include:
• The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55):
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has
regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all
generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for
me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from
generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered
the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their
thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good
things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in
remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his
posterity for ever.”
• The marriage feast of Cana (John 2:1-11):
‘On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of
Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When
the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And
Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet
come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone
jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty
or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them
up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward
of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now
become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who
had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and
said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk
freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the
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first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his
disciples believed in him.’
• The crucifixion (John 19:25-27):
‘So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and
his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus
saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his
mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your
mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.