St. Mary

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the 4th grade Saints module is to teach the children about models of prayer and saints who loved to pray and different aspects of prayer. First we learn about Saint Mary's prayer in praising God and how she prays to intercede on our behalf from her time on earth at the wedding of Cana, until now.

INTRODUCTION - 15 Minutes

  • Share the story of Saint Mary's apparition in Zeitoun-in 1968, a time when people were sad and oppressed in Egypt and maybe becoming more distant from God a man who wasn't even Christian saw a woman walking on the roof of Saint Mary's church in Zeitoun. He thought she was going to jump off the building and tried to call out to her to stop but she kept walking calmly and then when Christian people saw her and she kept appearing even in the night time with bright lights and doves they confirmed it was the Virgin Mary. Many miracles especially of healing and people were comforted and came closer to God when they realized He sent His mother to them to bring them comfort and support.
  • There are also icons that shed oil like the icon/picture of Saint Mary in Port Said and when people put the oil with faith God performs miracles through it.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 10 Minutes

Saint Mary's intercession at the wedding at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11).

LIFE OF THE SAINT - 10 Minutes

  • St. Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, were righteous people in front of God. They prayed earnestly asking God to grant them a child. Six years after they were married, they had Mary, and they knew that she was a special gift from God. They gave her the name "MARY" which means "Royal Incense" because she would become a special offering to God. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna took her to the temple and dedicated their child to God. She spent nine years in the temple. When Mary was twelve years old, Zacharias the priest wanted to find a suitable man who could take care of her. He gathered the rods of her male relatives, and placed them all together in the temple. A dove appeared and rested upon the rod of Joseph the Carpenter, so Zachariah the righteous priest of the temple knew that God willed for him to take care of Mary. So Mary and Joseph became engaged. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with Child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceive in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.'" (Mt 1:18-21)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 5 Minutes

  • Our Church, inspired by the Holy Spirit, venerates St. Mary more than any other person in the Bible, because God took flesh from her. Therefore, she became like a second heaven or a dwelling place for God.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

  • When we are asked to do something by our parents or other adults, is our first reaction to listen without hesitation? If no, then why not?
  • What aspects of St. Mary's life showed the huge amount of sacrifice that she made to serve God? Do we serve God through the church and services? If no, then why not?
  • Looking at St. Mary's life, what are some of the rewards that come from serving God with all of one's heart?

APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

  • St. Mary was very humble and obedient in every stage of her life. When God had a completely different, divine plan for her, she would obey without hesitation and humbly say, "Behold, the maidservant of the Lord Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). We can mimic her obedience whenever our parents ask us to do chores around the house, or if an adult or older servant tells us to do something, even if it's not something that we enjoy doing.
  • Think about how St. Mary's life was all about service, from the time she was three years old up until she departed to be in Heaven with her Beloved Son. What are some services that we can get involved in at church, in order to serve God, like St. Mary did?

CONCLUSION - 5 Minutes

  • Because of St. Mary's holiness, purity, obedience, and humility, God chose her to be the Theotokos, the Mother of God.
  • In every step of her life, she would wholeheartedly fulfill God's will: when she was given by her parents to serve in the temple of God, when Archangel Gabriel told her that she was going to become the Mother of the Son of God, when the Holy Family fled to Egypt, when they came back to Israel to dwell in Nazareth, and on countless other occasions. We should learn from St. Mary these virtues of humility and obedience, and apply them in our lives.

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

Find an icon of Saint Mary. Read Luke 1:26-1:56 and the story of the wedding at Cana of Galilee John 2: 1-11. Think of some of the virtues that the holy Virgin Mary showed.

Every morning when you pray, ask her intercession and ask God to give you love and other virtues/characteristics like hers to be closer to Him.

Ask Saint Mary's intercession to help you with something

RESOURCES

Lives of Saints: Synaxarium Stories

Video of Miracle-Performing Icons

Video of our Lady Appearing at Zeitoun

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

  • Read and put an icon of St. Mary in the children's room along with an icon of the Lord.
  • Have the children use the icons during prayer for meditation and source of focus.
  • Parents should teach the children to ask for the intercession of Saint Mary and other saints