Mary: The First Disciple

Mary is mentioned for the last time in the New Testament in the opening chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. There she is pictured with the Apostles, praying and waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This last glimpse of her evokes a powerful image that has been retained faithfully in […]

Mary: Woman of prayer

One of the healthy signs of life in the Church today has been the desire for personal prayer. Christians of all ages and walks of life have felt within themselves the need to commune with their God on a personal one-to-one basis and deeply within their hearts. Thus they turn to Mary as a model […]

Mary: Woman of the Spirit

The last twenty years or so have seen a renewal of interest in the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian. The Charismatic movement has given prominence to the power of the Spirit in the Church, but a lively awareness of his presence is not confined merely to those who belong […]

Mary: The Spirit-filled Woman

Last month we reflected on Mary and the Holy Spirit by considering the wealth of Old Testament allusion that forms the background to St Luke’s account of the Annunciation. This month let us reflect again on the Annunciation, but this time with a closer focus on the relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit at […]

Mary: Fruitful in the Spirit

In the last two articles we have reflected on Mary and the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the Gospel story where she becomes the mother of Jesus, the Word made flesh. Now let us turn our gaze to the end of the Gospel story where Mary becomes the mother of the Church, the mystical […]

Mary: Icon of the Spirit

Last month we reflected on Mary the mother of the Church as portrayed by St John in the climactic Calvary scene of his Gospel. This month let us turn to the same theme as revealed to us by St Luke in his account of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles. At first sight the […]

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