Who Is Mary?


Book Description

For women of the Italian Renaissance, the Virgin Mary was one of the most important role models. Who Is Mary? presents devotional works written by three women better known for their secular writings: Vittoria Colonna, famed for her Petrarchan lyric verse; Chiara Matraini, one of the most original poets of her generation; and the wide-ranging, intellectually ambitious polemicist Lucrezia Marinella. At a time when the cult of the Virgin was undergoing a substantial process of redefinition, these texts cast fascinating light on the beliefs of Catholic women in the Renaissance, and also, in the cases of Matraini and Marinella, on contemporaneous women’s social behavior, prescribed for them by male writers in books on female decorum. Who Is Mary? testifies to the emotional and spiritual relationships that women had with the figure of Mary, whom they were required to emulate as the epitome of femininity. Now available for the first time in English-language translation, these writings suggest new possibilities for women in both religious and civil culture and provide a window to women’s spirituality, concerning the most important icon set before them, as wives, mothers, and Christians.




Mary, the First Disciple


Book Description

a Catholic religious recognition workbook




Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary


Book Description

“Brant Pitre is one of the most compelling theological writers on the scene today.” –Bishop Robert Barron Bestselling author of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist casts new light on the Virgin Mary, illuminating her role in the Old and New Testaments. Are Catholic teachings on Mary really biblical? Or are they the "traditions of men"? Should she be called the "Mother of God," or just the mother of Jesus? Did she actually remain a virgin her whole life or do the "brothers of Jesus" refer to her other children? By praying to Mary, are Catholics worshipping her? And what does Mary have to do with the quest to understand Jesus? In Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, Dr. Pitre takes readers step-by-step from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation to reveal how deeply biblical Catholic beliefs about Mary really are. Dr. Pitre uses the Old Testament and Ancient Judaism to unlock how the Bible itself teaches that Mary is in fact the new Eve, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and the new Ark of the Covenant.




Walking with Mary


Book Description

Mary appears only a few times in the Bible, but those few passages come at crucial moments. Catholics believe that Mary is the ever-virgin Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven and Earth. But she also was a human being--a woman who made a journey of faith through various trials and uncertainties and endured her share of suffering. Even with her unique graces and vocation, Mary remains a woman we can relate to and from whom we have much to learn. In Walking with Mary, Edward Sri looks at the crucial passages in the Bible concerning Mary and offers insight about the Blessed Mother's faith and devotion that we can apply in our daily lives. We follow her step-by-step through the New Testament account of her life, reflecting on what the Scriptures tell us about how she responded to the dramatic events unfolding around her. “This book is the fruit of my personal journey of studying Mary through the Scriptures, from her initial calling in Nazareth to her painful experience at the cross,” writes Edward Sri “It is intended to be a highly readable, accessible work that draws on wisdom from the Catholic tradition, recent popes, and biblical scholars of a variety of perspectives and traditions. With the riches of these insights, we will ponder what her journey of faith may have been like in order to draw out spiritual lessons for our own walk with God.” He add, “It is my hope, therefore, that whether you are of a Catholic, Protestant, or other faith background, this book may help you to know, understand, and love Mary more, and that it may inspire you to walk in her footsteps as a faithful disciple of the Lord in your own pilgrimage of faith.”




The Book of Mary


Book Description

She's the most famous woman in history, yet almost nothing is known about her. Although she's portrayed as the gentlest and most tragic of all women, her name has been used as an excuse for internecine hatred and wars between peoples. But who was Mary, mother of Jesus Christ? What type of family did she have? What was the community like in which she grew from child to teenager forced to marry a man three times her age? And why have virtually all the details of her early life been obscured and censored by the writers of the Bible? In The Book of Mary, novelist Alan Gold looks at first century Israel under the iron heels of Roman occupation and uncovers what life was like for a young woman in a distant outpost of the most aggressive and merciless Empire in history. Following Mary's story from teenager to a young woman married to a widower, to mother, and then to become a devotee of the new religion her Son had created. This tragic yet virtually unknown woman is forced to witness the excruciating pain of her son's crucifixion.




Mary for Today


Book Description

Fr. von Balthasar provides a profound and concise spiritual guide for all who desire to know and love the Mother of the Lord. The acclaimed theologian gathers from the Sacred Scriptures and the rich tradition of the Church to present a portrait of Mary that shows her importance and relevance for Christians today. In this inspiring work, von Balthasar exhibits the quintessential elements of a great theologian: depth of traditional devotion combined with intellectual brilliance and seasoned with common sense. He reveals to us the crucial spiritual role of Mary for all Christians: she shows us what the Church is and guides us close to Jesus. For Christians to understand their vocations as individuals and as the Church, Mary is essential as the model of the first disciple. Von Balthasar captures her singular role when he quotes her words in the Gospel at Cana: "Do whatever he tells you." Perhaps nowhere is Mary's role and significance more clearly present than in this Gospel scene. This work is beautifully illustrated with lovely silhouette drawings by artist Virginia Broderick.




Mary, the Mother of Jesus


Book Description

A beautifully illustrated picture book portrayal of the life of Mary, mother of Jesus Mary has captured the hearts of people throughout the centuries. Great cathedrals have been built in her honor. Many Christians venerate her image. Nearly 80,000 visions of Mary have been claimed since the third century AD. Drawing on scripture, legend, and tradition, Tomie dePaola re-tells the story of Mary’s life in fifteen beautifully illustrated, child-friendly segments. This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book.




The Testament of Mary


Book Description

A provocative imagining of the later years of the mother of Jesus finds her living a solitary existence in Ephesus years after her son's crucifixion and struggling with guilt, anger, and feelings that her son is not the son of God and that His sacrifice was not for a worthy cause.




Live Uncaged


Book Description

"Has pain prevented you from living joyfully today? Do you struggle with overcoming what happened in the past? Are you tired of constantly repeating the mistakes you swore you'd never make? It is possible to live an uncaged, freedom-infused life. Author and speaker Mary DeMuth has been in the cage, wallowed there. But God had other plans. He chose to set her free, and He longs to unlock your cage too. Based on a quote from Oswald Chambers, this book follows three stages of finding and creating an uncaged life. To let go. To give it to Jesus. To anticipate a new future. Through Biblical teaching, real life-in-the-trenches examples and an eye toward spiritual growth, Mary DeMuth helps you find the uncaged life you've always longed for." P.[4] of cover.




Saved by a Song


Book Description

"A handbook for compassion... a Must-Read Music Book.” —Rolling Stone Country "Generous and big-hearted, Gauthier has stories to tell and worthwhile advice to share." —Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much Is True "Gauthier has an uncanny ability to combine songwriting craft with a seeker’s vulnerability and a sage’s wisdom.” —Amy Ray, Indigo Girls From the Grammy nominated folk singer and songwriter, an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song Mary Gauthier was twelve years old when she was given her Aunt Jenny’s old guitar and taught herself to play with a Mel Bay basic guitar workbook. Music offered her a window to a world where others felt the way she did. Songs became lifelines to her, and she longed to write her own, one day. Then, for a decade, while struggling with addiction, Gauthier put her dream away and her call to songwriting faded. It wasn’t until she got sober and went to an open mic with a friend did she realize that she not only still wanted to write songs, she needed to. Today, Gauthier is a decorated musical artist, with numerous awards and recognition for her songwriting, including a Grammy nomination. In Saved by a Song, Mary Gauthier pulls the curtain back on the artistry of songwriting. Part memoir, part philosophy of art, part nuts and bolts of songwriting, her book celebrates the redemptive power of song to inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together.