Marian Chapel Service, Princeton Theological Seminary November 2024

Mary was present at key moments of Christian salvation history including the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, and Pentecost). On November 12, 2024, Margarita Mooney Clayton led a Princeton Theological Seminary chapel service, helping those present to remember Mary by meditating on Scripture, images, and songs, engaging all our senses to ‘know’ Mary, not just know about Mary.

Margarita wrote: “The content of this service has grown out of my work, introducing Mary as a model of grace and hope to Protestants, starting with Scripture and then entering the mysteries with music and art. I thank my Protestant students for many things, including their love of Scripture, passion for Pentecost, and openness to a Catholic woman sharing Mary’s presence.”

We are pleased to share a YouTube video of the service and the worship aid, as well as her reflections.

You can download the worship aid, which includes Scripture, images, chants, and Margarita’s full reflections, here.

Here are some excerpts:

“At the Annunciation, despite not knowing what saying yes to God would entail, Mary consented to become the Mother of God, the Theotokos. Although God’s grace is always primary, Mary’s freely given “yes” was necessary for the divine to enter the world in a new way.”

“The suffering mother stood at the foot of the cross, consoling her son in his suffering. Her son had come to lay down his life for us freely—she doesn’t stop his suffering, but she doesn’t turn away from his gruesome suffering either. Saying yes to God’s calls always entails a risk. There is no glory without the cross. However, a suffering Christian can turn to Mary as a model of hope.”

“At Pentecost, gifts of the spirit flow out to the disciples with Mary by their side. Mary is remembered at Pentecost as the “virginal fountain”—the one whose heart was so pure that she became the bearer of God in the world. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit inspires us to praise Mary in song—praises that exist in every tongue and in every nation where Christ is followed, songs that lift up prayers for unity among the children of God who have the same mother, songs that invite us to imitate Mary’s hope and courage at the crucifixion so that we take up our call at Pentecost.”