Mary is the most famous woman in history
Many people, including Pope Francis, have a special devotion to her. In fact, he began his first full day as pope with a Marian devotion.
?St. Anne and St. Joachim traditionally are believed to be Mary?s parents,? said Sister Helen Jean Novy, HM, vice president of mission for Magnificat High School in Rocky River. ?The Holy Spirit was active in Mary?s life from conception to death.?
But the greatest achievement of the Blessed Virgin Mary?s life was to be chosen as the mother of Jesus.
?She is a model for those of us working our way through the ups and downs of daily life. She was a model of faithfulness, courage and true humility. In short, she was a strong woman,? said Sister Helen Jean.
Mary and St. Joseph, her spouse, provided a safe, loving environment for young Jesus, Sister said. ?They were an important part of his formation.?
Sister said Mary was well-versed in scripture, as were many devout Jews at that time. ?She was used to saying prayers in the Jewish heritage. Many of those prayers, including the psalms, were like poems. There was a rhythm and an echoing of lines,? she said, and this provided a foundation for Mary?s prayer, ?The Magnificat,? which can be found in Chapter 1 of St. Luke?s gospel. The prayer is also known as ?The Canticle of Mary? or ?The Song of Mary.? According to the gospel, these are the words Mary said to her relative, Elizabeth, when she went to visit her. Both women bore sons soon after. Elizabeth was the mother of St. John the Baptist.
Not much is known about Mary?s life or the childhood of Jesus. However, Sister Helen Jean said there are a few hints in the gospels. We know that Jesus was circumcised as an infant, according to Jewish custom, and presented in the temple. At a young age, probably about 12, he strayed from his parents and spent time in the temple visiting with the teachers and asking questions.
According to the gospel of St. Luke, when his worried parents found him, Jesus told them he needed to be ?in my Father?s house.?
