Mary in an Adult Church Beyond Devotion to Response

FROM MARY TO CHRIST... THROUGH MARY TO THE LIFE OF GRACE...

Mary in an Adult Church takes devotion to Mary to its mature dimensions of “breadth and length and height and depth.” It explains the Church’s six doctrinal statements about Mary (breadth), shows how they are related to each other, and extends them to their practical consequences in daily life (length), roots them in the reasons that make each necessary (depth), and identifies them with the five “ordinary” mystical experiences that are inherent in living the life of grace (height). This is a delightful and developmental parallel to the “five steps” of Reaching Jesus.

• The Immaculate Conception calls us to make Jesus as Savior an active part of everything we do in family and social life, business and politics. (Evangelization)
• The Virgin Birth calls us to make prayer the sign of our dependence on God and to lead lives characterized by reflection on the Gospel. (Discipleship)
• The title "Mother of God" calls us to lives of conversion and witness: to work at embodying the truth and values of Christ in everything we do. (Prophetic Witness)
• The title "Full of grace" calls us to surrender ourselves to mediating Christ's divine life to others through love. (Priestly Community)
• The Assumption calls us to transform society, bringing every area and activity of human life under the life-giving reign of Christ. (Apostolic Involvement)