Catechism of the Catholic Church

887

Glossary

“Our Father,” which are its first words (2759).

MARY: The mother of Jesus. Because she is the mother of Jesus—Son of God and second Person of the Blessed Trinity— according to the flesh, she is rightly called the Mother of God ( Theotokos ) (148, 495). Mary is also called “full of grace,” and “Mother of the Church,” and in Christian prayer and devotion, “Our Lady,” the “Blessed Virgin Mary,” and the “New Eve” (722, 726, 963). See Virgin Mary. MASS: The Eucharist or principal sacramental celebration of the Church, established by Jesus at the Last Supper, in which the mystery of our salvation through participation in the sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection of Christ is renewed and accomplished. The Mass renews the paschal sacrifice of Christ as the sacrifice offered by the Church. It is called “Mass” (from the Latin missa ) because of the “mission” or “sending” with which the liturgical celebration concludes (Latin: “ Ite, Missa est. ”) (1332; cf. 1088, 1382, 2192). See Eucharist; Paschal Mystery/ Sacrifice. MEDIATOR/MEDIATRIX: One who links or reconciles separate or opposing parties. Thus Jesus Christ is the “one mediator between God and the human race” ( 1 Tm 2:5). Through his sacrificial offering he has become high priest and unique mediator who has gained for us access to God’s saving grace for humanity. Moreover, Mary too is sometimes called Mediatrix in virtue of her cooperation in the saving mission of Christ, who alone is the unique mediator between God and humanity (618, 1544; cf. 970). MATRIMONY: See Marriage.

LOVE: See Charity.

-M MAGI: The wise men who came from the East to pay homage to the newborn Savior (528). MAGISTERIUM: The living, teaching office of the Church, whose task it is to give as authentic interpretation of the word of God, whether in its written form (Sacred Scripture), or in the form of Tradition. The Magisterium ensures the Church’s fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals (85, 890, 2033). MARKS (NOTES) OF THE CHURCH: The four attributes (marks or notes) of the Church mentioned in the Nicene Constantinopolitan creed: “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church” (811). MARRIAGE: A covenant or partnership of life between a man and woman, which is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children. When validly contracted between two baptized people, marriage is a sacrament (Matrimony) (1601). MARTYR: A witness to the truth of the faith, in which the martyr endures even death to be faithful to Christ. Those who die for the faith before having received Baptism are said to have received a “baptism of blood,” by which their sins are forgiven and they share in the death and Resurrection of Christ (1258, 2473).