FORMATION
FORMATION 2005
segment NO 2
theme:
“Mary, first among the
disciples”
call to prayer & opening prayer:
As
for the Order Prayers
intention:
“May
we, like Mary, bear Jesus in our hearts throughout our whole life and bring
him to others.”
word of reflection
Reflect on the reading of the following words
of the Pope:
From “mysteries” to
the “Mystery”: Mary's way
The cycles of meditation proposed by the Holy Rosary are by no means
exhaustive, but they do bring to mind what is essential and they awaken in the
soul a thirst for a knowledge of Christ continually nourished by the pure
source of the Gospel. Every individual event in the life of Christ, as
narrated by the Evangelists, is resplendent with the Mystery that surpasses
all understanding
(cf. Eph 3:19): the Mystery of the
Word made flesh, in whom “all the fullness of God dwells bodily”
(Col 2:9).
For this reason the
Catechism of the Catholic
Church places great emphasis on the mysteries
of Christ, pointing out that “everything in the life of Jesus is a sign of his
Mystery”. The “duc in altum” of the Church of the third millennium will be
determined by the ability of Christians to enter into the “perfect knowledge
of God's mystery, of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge”
(Col 2:2-3).
The Letter to the Ephesians makes this
heartfelt prayer for all the baptized: “May Christ dwell in your hearts
through faith, so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have
power... to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God”
(Eph 3:17-19).
The Rosary is at the service of this ideal; it offers the “secret” which leads
easily to a profound and inward knowledge of Christ. We might call it Mary's
way. It is the way of the example of the Virgin of Nazareth, a woman of faith,
of silence, of attentive listening. It is also the way of a Marian devotion
inspired by knowledge of the inseparable bond between Christ and his Blessed
Mother: the mysteries of Christ are also in some sense the mysteries of his
Mother, even when they do not involve her directly, for she lives from him and
through him. By making our own the words of the Angel Gabriel and Saint
Elizabeth contained in the Hail Mary, we find ourselves constantly drawn to
seek out afresh in Mary, in her arms and in her heart, the “blessed fruit of
her womb” (cf Lk
1:42).
John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae
– The Rosary of the Virgin Mary #2
Allow a few moments
reflective silence, then proclaim the Word of God
word of god
The
Gospel according to Luke 1:
26-38
The Word of God is now read aloud
slowly and prayerfully
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent
by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her
and said, "Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much
perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your
womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be
great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He
will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be
no end."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be,
since I am a virgin?"
The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore
the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old
age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said
to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."
Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of
the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed
from her.
For the next five minutes
silently read and reflect on the readings.
Underline what you
consider to be key words and/or phrases for you.
the sharing
Now bring your insights and
reflection around the theme and the Readings into discussion of the
following:
(10 mins)
v
What role does Mary play in the life
and work of Jesus?
v
How can you imitate the life of Mary
in terms of bringing the presence of Christ to the world in the year ahead?
conclusion
Leader:
As we conclude
this time of reflection, let pray in the spirit of the
Rosary prayer:
All:
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory be to the Father…
The meeting proceeds
closing prayers: As for the Order
Prayers at the Closing of the Meeting.
