Part I. Mary and the New-Born Church

To live the Marist life, we begin by learning about Mary and the early Church. We will learn how Mary watched over the new-born Church. We will try to feel what her presence was like in the early Church, and the influence she exerted in her own quiet way. We will try to understand how it is that Mary and the early Church mirror each other: each tells us what the other is like; each is our mother; together they embody the one and only ideal of Marist living.

The early Church looked at Mary and saw itself reflected in her. It looked at itself and saw Mary's presence. What the early Church saw is expressed in the New Testament, especially the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, which was written by members of the early Church community.

Therefore, we will look at the places in the New Testament that speak about Mary and the Church. We will look, and we will listen. Each of us must listen carefully, because there is a message here addressed to each of us. Listen and answer.

Reflection Day November 2011

Marist Spirituality