2 hours 46 min. (4 CDs / MP3)

In recent years, the song "Mary, Did You Know?" has become popular at Christmas time.  But what exactly did Mary know? As a first-century Jewish woman, how would she have understood the mysterious events that led up to the birth of Jesus? What are the Jewish roots of Christmas? 

In this Advent Bible study and retreat, Dr. Brant Pitre takes you on a scriptural journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem by looking at Jesus through the eyes of the person closest to him: the Virgin Mary.  In it, you will learn about:

• The Annunciation: What would the announcement of the birth of Christ to Mary by Gabriel have meant in its original Jewish context? How would Mary have understood his words?

• The Visitation: What do the words of Elizabeth to Mary reveal about the ancient Jewish prophecies of the lost Ark of the Covenant? What light do they shed on the way Catholics pray to Mary?

• The Nativity: What would the "good news" have meant to Jews and pagans in the first-century? How does the mystery of Christ's birth foreshadow his death on the Cross and the Eucharist?

• Epiphany: Who were the Magi? How did Jesus fulfill pagan prophecies of the future King of the World? And what does the presence of the Wise men at Bethlehem reveal about  Mary's true identity?

With each session, Dr. Pitre will help you to see the mysteries of Advent and Christmas through the eyes of Mary and with the mind of the Church. Above all, you will learn what Luke means when he says that "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).

So, if you're tired of rushing through Advent each year, and you'd like to enter more deeply into the Christmas season, then do yourself a favor: Go on 'retreat' this Advent with Mary, and let her help you prepare your heart and mind to celebrate the great feast of the Incarnation.