Mary (mother of Jesus)

According to the New Testament, Mary (Miriam: Hebrew: מרים‎; c. 18 BC – c. 43 AD), also known as Saint Mary, the Virgin Mary, or the Blessed Virgin Mary—amongst other titles, styles and honorifics—was a Galilean Jewish woman of Nazareth and the mother of Jesus.

The gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament describe Mary as a virgin (Greek: παρθένος, parthénos) and Christians believe that she conceived her son while a virgin by the Holy Spirit. This took place when she was already betrothed to Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of marriage, the formal home-taking ceremony. She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. According to ancient Jewish custom, Mary could have been betrothed at about 12, however, there is no direct evidence of Mary's age at betrothal or in pregnancy. The term "betrothal" is an awkward translation of kiddushin; according to the Jewish law those called "betrothed" were actually husband and wife.

The Gospel of Luke begins its account of Mary's life with the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus. According to gospel accounts, Mary was present at the Crucifixion of Jesus and is depicted as a member of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. According to Apocryphal writings, at some time soon after her death, her incorrupt body was assumed directly into Heaven, to be reunited with her soul, and the apostles thereupon found the tomb empty; this is known in Christian teaching as the Assumption.

Mary, Mother of Jesus (film)

Mary, Mother of Jesus is a 1999 American Biblical drama television film that retells the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary, his mother.

Plot

The film emphasizes Mary's importance in Jesus's life, suggesting that his parables were inspired by stories she told him in his childhood. This, and similar details about Jesus's upbringing, cannot be confirmed, but are certainly not impossible. The resurrected Jesus also appears to his mother privately. This event is not found in the Gospels, but is probably based on an ancient Catholic tradition (not official teaching) that he appeared to her first of all people. The tradition influenced Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises among others. The film closes with Mary suggesting the disciples should start preaching about her son.

Production

It stars Swedish actresses Pernilla August and Melinda Kinnaman as Mary, English actor David Threlfall as Joseph and British actor Christian Bale as Jesus. The film was produced by American Eunice Kennedy Shriver and aired on NBC.

Jesus (1999 film)

Jesus is a 1999 Biblical television film that retells the story of Jesus. It was shot in Morocco and Malta. It stars Jeremy Sisto as Jesus, Jacqueline Bisset as Mary of Nazareth, Debra Messing as Mary Magdalene and Gary Oldman as Pontius Pilate.

Overview

The film's chronology entails a cinematic blending of the Four Gospels with the addition of extra-biblical elements not found in the New Testament Accounts. It provides a down to earth approach through its focus on the human aspect of Jesus. Compared to more solemn and divine portrayals in earlier films, Jesus expresses emotions weeping at Joseph’s funeral, throwing stones in Lake Galilee upon meeting Simon Peter and James son of Zebedee, dancing at the wedding at Cana, and starting a water-splashing fight with his disciples.

While the film mainly presented familiar Christian Episodes, it provides extra-biblical scenes such as flashbacks of his first trip to Jerusalem with John as well as scenes of war and destruction waged in the name of Jesus during the medieval and modern times. Likewise, the film's Satan comes in two different forms: a visual exemplification of a modern man and a woman in red, instead of the traditional snake that can be found in most films. The film also adds a composite character, an apocryphal Roman historian named “Livio” who watches and comments as events unfold; he is presumably named after Livy.

Love Out Loud

Love Out Loud is an album by Jaci Velasquez released on March 18, 2008.

Album background

On the heels of the tenth-year anniversary celebration of her debut platinum selling album, Heavenly Place, Velasquez returned to the studio to write and record Love Out Loud. Velasquez once again teamed-up with Mark Heimermann, the producer of her first three albums. The lead single is "Love Out Loud" that speaks of putting one's words into action to show others God's love through us.

Track listing

Queen (Queen album)

Queen is the eponymous debut studio album by British rock band Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker (as Roy Baker), John Anthony and Queen.

The album was influenced by the hard rock, progressive rock and heavy metal of the day. It covers subjects such as folklore ("My Fairy King") and religion ("Jesus"). Lead singer Freddie Mercury composed five of the ten tracks, guitarist Brian May composed four songs, (including "Doing All Right", which was co-written by Smile band-mate Tim Staffell), and drummer Roger Taylor composed and sang "Modern Times Rock and Roll". The final song on the album is a short instrumental version of "Seven Seas of Rhye". The band included on the album sleeve the comment "And nobody played synthesiser", a purist principle of May's, as some listeners had mistaken their elaborate multi-tracking and effects processed by guitar and vocal sounds as synthesisers. Bassist John Deacon was credited on the sleeve notes of the original vinyl release as "Deacon John", but after its release, he asked to be referred to by his real name.