FORMATION
FORMATION 1999
THEME NO. 8
‘Mary, full of grace, the
Lord is with thee’
1. Opening Prayer
(To be introduced by the leader then
prayed by all present.)
Leader: My brothers in Christ, as the great
Jubilee draws near, let us prepare our minds and hearts and pray to the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ for the renewal of the Church and the salvation of the world.
All: Holy and mighty God, in the fullness
of time you sent forth your Son, born of a woman, to redeem those subject to sin and to
make them your adopted children. Hear our prayers and give us the Spirit of love, that we
may serve you in others, not as slaves, but as heirs with Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
2. Scripture Reading – Luke 1:
46–55
(Read by the discussion leader or
member nominated by him.)
My soul glorifies the Lord. And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has
looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his
name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown
strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has
brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the
hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham
and to his descendants forever.’
(The reading of scripture is followed
by several minutes silent reflection before the reading of the Message.)
3. The Message
(Read by the discussion leader or the
member nominated by him.)
As Christians look at Mary, it is her
profound self-effacement, her authentic lowliness that comes to the fore. In a
power-hungry and ambitious world where people are forever forgetful that within a century
they will be a name on a tombstone, Mary is a constant reminder that the standards of the
world do not last. But God’s will does, and that goes well beyond the grave. In her
song of praise, the Magnificat, Mary reminds us of the things that endure, the abiding
presence of God, the wonder of God’s mercy and empowerment of those who follow his
way. Mary indeed shows us the way for ‘she heard the word of God and kept it.’
4. The Exercise
(Five minutes of reflection by all
members.)
What place does Mary have in my life?
What lesson does Mary have for us as
Knights of the Southern Cross?
Why is devotion to Mary such an important
part of Christian life?
5. The Sharing
(Members share aspects of their
personal faith and its place in their lives that have come to them through the Exercise.)
6. The Word
(The basis of meditation and reflection
for the ensuing month given by the discussion leader.)
1. ‘While he was saying this, a woman
in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and
the breasts that nursed you!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear
the word of God and obey it"!’ (Luke 11: 27, 28)
2. From the Catechism of the Catholic
Church # 2676 – 2679.
7. Closing Prayer
(Prayed by all members.)
O God, in the Virgin Mary, masterpiece of
your Spirit, you have given us a foretaste of the new creation; may we, who are freed from
slavery to sin, embrace with all our hearts the freshness of the Gospel and in word and
deed be witnesses of the commandment of love. We ask this through Jesus your Son. Amen.
