WYOMING CATHOLIC FAMILY AND RESPECT LIFE MINISTRIES

Life Lesson #3

Women, Bearers of the Gift of Life - Younger Child Lesson

Scripture
In the very first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, we learn that God made both man and woman. Genesis 1:27

In the Gospel of Luke, the story of the Annunciation is told. The angel told Mary not to be afraid. He told her that she would have a baby son and that she should name him Jesus. Mary said to the angel, "I am the handmaid of the Lord." She told the angel that she would be the mother of Jesus. Luke 1:30-31, 38

When Jesus hung on the cross for us, both his mother, Mary, and his good friend, the disciple John were there. Before he died, Jesus gave Mary to John to be his mother and he gave John to Mary to be her son. When he did that Mary became our mother too, and we became her children

Important writings of our Church
You have learned that from the moment we are created each one of us is very special and important and deserves to be protected and cared for. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that because God was very good and wise, He created both men and women, so boys and girls are equally special.
In Pope John Paul's letter, The Gospel of Life, he writes about how when a woman says, "yes" to having a baby with her husband, she learns a very important lesson about accepting others. She also teaches us how important it is to accept other persons at home and at school and in our towns and world, not because they are strong, or smart, or beautiful, or healthy, but just because they are persons created by God.
When Pope John Paul II came to our country for World Youth Day, he told us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the best guide we can have. He said she leads us to know and love Jesus more and helps us to follow Jesus in our lives.

More about our lesson
The Bible tells us many stories about strong and holy women. We learn that Jesus treated all the women he knew with as much love and respect as he treated the men. That was not a popular thing to do in the time of Jesus, but he did it anyway because it was right to treat women in a good way. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is honored by us in the Church as the holiest of all women. She is the mother of Jesus, the mother of the Church and the mother of all of us. When she said "yes" to being Jesus' mother, she said the most important "yes" ever said by a human person. Mary loved Jesus and took care of him when he was little and then was with him when he died on the cross for us. Mary was born without original sin on her soul. She was perfectly good and pure and so we say she is the Immaculate Conception. The is the special protector of our country and of all the countries in North and South and Central America. We pray to her to especially protect all unborn babies because she was chosen by God as the mother of his unborn son, baby Jesus.
Mary's good example helps all of us understand what it means to follow Jesus. Her example also shows all women and girls how to be strong in good ways and still be gentle, loving and caring. Women have the special honor of being able to give life to their children and their families and many others as well. That life is physical, like when they have a baby and feed and take care of it until it is grown. That life is also spiritual, like being kind and generous and helping those who need help to learn to know about God and his ways.

Thinking and talking about our lesson
Think about your own mom and the other women who are good examples to you and who show you the kind of love and caring you think God has for all his children. Make a list with your class or by yourself of all the good gifts or qualities you see in your mother and other good women. Then choose one of those gifts or qualities and draw a picture of that quality and how it might be used by you or someone else to help others.

Something to do at home with your family
Write down the names of the "holy women" in your family, your mom, grandmothers, sisters, aunts or special friends. Talk about and make a list of the good qualities of each of them. Be sure to include girls of any age, and remember, a good quality is one that is present often or at least some of the time. No one shows their good qualities all of the time. When you are done, begin a prayer together like this, "Thank you God for _____________(Say one of the names) She has given me the gift of life through her ______________________(Name the qualities you have listed for the person you are praying for.) Please bless her with your love." Do this for each person you have on your family list.

If there is a feast of Mary during this month, attend Mass together if possible or have a special celebration at home of with your parish.

Prayer
The Hail Mary is about Mary's special role as the Mother of God and as our mother. Pray it together as part of your family prayer or in the rosary.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Life Lesson #3

Women, Bearers Of The Gift Of Life - Teen/Older Child Lesson

Scripture
"Male and female, God created them." Genesis 1:27

"The angel said to her, "Do not fear, Mary. You have found favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus..." Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." Luke 1:30-31, 38

"Seeing his mother there with the disciple whom he loved, Jesus said to his mother, "Woman, there is your son." In turn he said to the disciple, "There is your mother." John 19:26-27

Church documents - the important writings of our Church
"Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity "in the image of God." In their "being-man" and "being-woman," they reflect the Creator's wisdom and goodness." Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 369

"A woman's dignity is closely connected with the love which she receives by the very reason of her femininity; it is likewise connected with the love which she gives in return." Mulieris Dignitatem, On the Dignity and Vocation of Women, paragraph 30

Women first learn and then teach others that friendships are most real and honest if they are open to accepting the other person because of the dignity which comes from being a person and not because he or she is useful to us, strong, intelligent, beautiful, or healthy. Paraphrased from Evangelium Vitae, The Gospel of Life,paragraph 99

"Mary, the mother of the Redeemer, was her son's first and best disciple. She is the best guide we can have: She leads us to Christ and says, "Do whatever he tells you."
John Paul II, World Youth Day, 1993

Some more thoughts about our theme
Sacred Scripture tells the stories of many strong and holy women. Jesus went against the culture of his day and treated all women with deep respect as he healed them and taught them and revealed himself to them. Among them all, Mary is honored in the Church as the holiest of all women. She is the Mother of Jesus, the mother of the Church, and the mother of all of us. Her "yes" at the Annunciation was the most important "yes" in all of history. Mary lived her "yes" to Jesus every day from the moment he became alive inside of her and she followed him all the way to the cross. Before his death, Jesus told his disciple John that Mary was now his mother. At that moment, she also became the mother of us all in a special, spiritual way and we became her children. Mary is the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of our nation. As the pregnant Virgin of Guadalupe she is patroness of the Americas and of the unborn. Mary, the most dignified of all women and the most humble, was chosen by God as the first and most sacred dwelling for his only Son.
As the model of all who respect and protect human life, Mary's example can help us to understand and respond to our own call to be disciples of Jesus. In a special way, her example can help women of all ages to be both strong and gentle, to be open, and kind and caring. It can help them understand that their equality with men does not mean they should become the same as men, but rather that they should be proud of their beautiful feminine nature. Women have the special honor of being able to give life to their children and families and many others as well. That life is both physical and spiritual. It is life which leads others to God.

Reflection and group discussion
The Church teaches that women have a special dignity in who they are as women. How should we be treating the women in our world? What are the particular gifts that the women in your life bring to you? Think and talk about the importance of the role of a mother in the lives of her children. Perhaps you would want to think about or say something about your own mother or someone who is like a mother to you.

In scripture there are many stories of the compassion, mercy and love of God. These qualities are often said to be qualities of women and mothers. We know that God is more wonderful than the very best of fathers. Can we also say that God is more wonderful than the very best of mothers too? How are the wonderful qualities of compassion, mercy and love needed in our world today? Can you think of any women in the Church who are outstanding examples of these qualities?

Faith-building at home
Write down the names of the "holy women" in the life of your family, the mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, special friends, etc. Discuss and list the good qualities of each woman. Be sure to include girls of any age, and remember, a good quality is one which is present often or at least some of the time. No one displays good qualities all of the time. When the discussion and writing are finished, begin a prayer together like this, "Thank you God for ____________.(Fill in with each name, one at a time.) She has given me the gift of life through her _________________________.(Name the qualities you have listed for the particular person.) Please bless her with your love."

If there is a special feast of Mary during this month, attend Mass together if possible or have a special celebration at home or with your parish.

Prayer
The Hail Mary recognizes Mary's special role as the Mother of God and as our mother. Pray it together as part of your family prayer or in the rosary.

Life Lesson #3

Women, Bearers Of The Gift Of Life - Adult Lesson

Scripture
"Male and female, God created them." Genesis 1:27

"Seeing his mother there with the disciple whom he loved, Jesus said to his mother, "Woman, there is your son." In turn he said to the disciple, "There is your mother." John 19:26-27

Church documents
"Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity "in the image of God." In their "being-man" and "being-woman," they reflect the Creator's wisdom and goodness." Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 369

"The experience of motherhood makes you acutely aware of the other person....Women first learn and then teach others that human relations are authentic if they are open to accepting the other person: a person who is recognized and loved because of the dignity which comes from being a person and not from other considerations such as usefulness, strength, intelligence, beauty, or health."
Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 99

"Mary is truly the Mother of God, in whose motherhood the vocation to motherhood bestowed by God on every woman is raised to its highest level." Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 103

Further Development
Sacred Scripture tells the stories of many strong and holy women. Jesus, going against the culture of his day, treated women with deep respect as he healed them and taught them and revealed himself to them. Among them all, Mary is honored in the Church as the holiest of all women, the Mother of Jesus, the mother of the Church, and the mother of all believers. Her "yes" at the Annunciation was the most important "yes" in all of history, and yet, it was only her first. With every sword that pierced her heart, she stood, in the tradition of strong women before her, deciding to take that next step in life that would eventually lead her to the foot of her son's cross. There she was given to the apostle John, and by implication to all of us, as mother. There we became her children. She is the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of our nation, the pregnant Virgin of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and of the unborn. The most dignified of all women and the most humble, she was chosen by God as the first and most sacred dwelling place for his only Son.
Mary is the model of all who respect and protect human life. Her example can help all of us to understand and respond to the call to discipleship. In a special way, her example challenges women to be strong yet ever gentle, to be open, receptive and nurturing, to secure their rights by embracing their distinct and beautifully feminine natures as they bring sensitivity and commitment to their relationships and life to their husbands, their children, and all the world, life which is both physical and spiritual, life which leads others to God.

Reflection and group discussion
The Church teaches that women have an intrinsic dignity in who they are as women. What are the particular gifts that the women in your life bring to you? Think and talk about the importance of the role of mother in the lives of children. Perhaps you would want to speak of your own experience of being mothered or mothering.

One of the common descriptions of God in scripture has as its root the word "rahamim" which, in the singular, means womb and which, in the plural, expands to mean compassion, mercy and love, qualities commonly applied to women, to mothers.
What does this say to you about God, about the dignity of motherhood, about what is needed in today's world? What are the implications for how we treat women in this society?

Faith-building at home
Write down the names of the "holy women" in the life of your family, the mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, special friends, etc. Discuss and list the good qualities of each woman. Be sure to include girls of any age, and remember, a good quality is one that is present often or at least some of the time. No one displays good qualities all of the time. When the discussion and writing are finished, begin a prayer together like this, "Thank you God for ____________.(Fill in with each name, one at a time.) She has given me the gift of life through her _________________________.(Name the qualities you have listed for the particular person.) Please bless her with your love."

If there is a special feast of Mary during this month, attend Mass together if possible or have a special celebration at home or with your parish.

Prayer
The Hail Mary acknowledges Mary's special role as the Mother of God and as our mother. Pray it together as part of your family prayer or in the rosary.