By Paul Dion, STLDear readers, it has happened to ParishWorld.net again. We have been asked for the "x"tieth time the question, "Why do Catholics worship the Virgin Mary as much as Jesus?"
This question used to really get to me. It doesn't send me up the wall so much any more.
I have just returned from the Holy Land and Italy and France. I have returned from the world of the churches that are built in the name of the Virgin Mary. I have come from a country in which I personally entered three churches named St. Mary Major. I entered and visited numerous Crusader churches that carry names like, Annunciation, Visitation, Immaculate Conception, Mary, Mother of God, Birth of Mary, Dormition of Mary and Assumption, just to name a few.
Those who ask the question about worship of Mary see the same churches and monuments that we do. They know about Lourdes, La Salette, the Miraculous Medal, Medjugorie and the rest. For the most part they have The Lord and their Bible.
This is a serious question. How do you answer the question, "Why do Catholics Worship Mary as much as Jesus?"
Share your thoughts and ideas with us. Post a comment here.
I had an interesting exchange with my evangelical friend about this last week and she was adamant that we worship the Blessed Mother even as I desperately tried to explain that we do not. I tried my best but I could not present enough stuff to her to get my point accross.. Maybe the other readers on this blog can help me and many others get the correct information to put out. Thank you for this interesting blog and wonderful website.
ReplyDeleteCatholics do not worship the virgin mary. We pray with her, not to her.
ReplyDeleteIn the Philippines we have devotions like the 10000 Hail Marys, etc. We have Catholic churches named after the Blessed Mother. No we do not worship her. I know that. But it's hard to shake that image with all the symbols of our devotion to her. She is the mother of our God. She deserves the respect of us all. But she is not worshipped at the same level as Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThe whole world will be watching us at the Rosary Bowl. It is a great way to show the world about our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us pray for peace and happiness in the world. We will not pray to her. We will ask her to get our message accross to her Son because who can be a better intercession to Jesus but her mother.
ReplyDeleteI am a former Catholic, I am now Christian. But I read your magazine once in a while because my friends keep sending it to me. And this is one of those Catholic things I just can't get a grasp on. It would be interesting to see all the comments on this one.
ReplyDeleteWe do not worship Mary, we honor her. She is the Mother of heaven and earth. We show her the respect she deserves. We ask for her intercession to her son, our lord Jesus Christ. There is no better person to get our prayers to than through the mother of God. She has always be obidient to the Father and we honor and respect her for that. I am a Catholic Christian and it has always been my belief and understanding that Mary is to be honored and respected for who she is, not worshipped. There is only one person that we worship and that is God.
ReplyDeleteCatholics do not worship Mary. WE love her, respect her as her Son JEsus Did, the Son of God made flesh, carried in her womb,flesh of her flesh, blood of her blood. She was born with out sin, because how could a tainted vessesl deliver into the world that which was pure without sin? Jesus gave her to us at the foot of the cross, when he said to St.John the Evangelist, "Behold your Mother!" and he took her into his home as her son! To His Mother, Jesus said, "Behold your son." AS he stood with her at the foot of the cross...She is everyone's Mother as God is our Father. Mary is the Daughter of the Father, The Mother of the Son and the Spouse of the HOly Spirit. Who are we to ignore her? She is the Queen of Heaven and Earth, if you ignored the Queen Mother in the world...you would have a rough road to hoe...so get wise, get help and get holy...seek your answer. You do not have to believe us who know thhe Way, The Truth and The LIght, seek Him who knows all! If you have such a hot relationship with Abba, The Father, Yeshua, Jesus the Son and The Counselor, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, I invite you to lay face down on the floor in front of a Cross/Crucifix is better, and implore the Blessed Trinity Father, Son and HOly Spirit to enlighten you themselves! Alleluia! He is Risen and Will Come Again! As Mary brought forth Jesus in the First Advent...look for her, she is bringing him forth in the Second Advent and we her loving children must learn of her proper role in Redemption and Salvation History, because she has lots to teach us, to teach others and reach others to Love and obey Her Son Yeshua! Catholics have the pearl of great price, and those who have left the field will return when you realize we have Jesus Christ, Body, Blood,Soul and Divinity, everytime we receive HOly Communion, as he gave it tous at the Last Supper to be our sustenance till He comes again...Wake up People...His Word is for real! Believe that you may live! LIfe to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteAs Mary taught Jesus, she teaches us, She is our MOTHER! She clothes us with virtues, as she did Jesus as a little boy. She shared His life and gave permission for Him to enter in and save us from perdition! She is sent to earth even in our modern time to teach us and help us to return. google Mary Fatima, Knock, Guadalupe, Betania, Akita, Medjugorje. She cleans us up to present to Her Son and believe it, she has lots of clout with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So who is anyone who loves the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to IGNORE and Disrespect her? We do not adore or worship her, she is not a goddess, she is human like us, in all things except sin! We only adore God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but we love and reverence her as they do. She is appearing in our time with Jesus to many across the world, even to those in war torn areas and other religions. They are asking for Bibles, they are converting to Christianity an Catholicism. Don't swallow error that has been promulgated about Catholicism and Mary. Seek the Truth and the TRuth will set you free. Mary appeared in Egypt and thousands saw her. She is coming in our time, to get us back to God, to get us to pray and follow God's Word and direction and teaching for us as His Children. She never asks anything for herself but brings us to God and tells us as she did at the first public miracle of her Son..."Do As He Tells you." Good advice of a loving mother...and when you get up from your prayer with forehead to the ground, and arms outstretched at your sides emulating Jesus as He hung on the cross..I would like to hear about your experience and if you got an explanation in word or picture, about Mary and what Jesus and the Father and The Holy Spirit told you about Mary, our Mother. And remember who it was who stayed at the foot of the Cross when all others ran away...His Mother..Mary, and the Holy Women and St. John the Evangelist...were you there when they crucified Our Lord? Will you be caught sleeping or in a trance when He returns again...or awake, watching and praying as our Mother has taught us and Jesus has asked us? Then you can tell Him in person,what you think of His Mother Mary, and ours. Maranatha. Jesus is Lord and Mary is His Mother and ours! Hail Mary! Full of Grace, the Lord is With you...Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus...Holy Mary,Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death AMEN...That is all Scriptural from the Bible, from the mouth of Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation..we do not pray to her we pray with her...she presents us to Jesus and He is the only intercessor to the Father, see we know our Bible too. WE hear it and study it and pray it..who do you think preserved it for all..the Catholics, the monks who copied the manuscripts by hand and the Catholics are the only ones to trace their beginnings back to Jesus Christ. So get with the program, all you wonderful Brothers and Sisters in the Body of Christ, Come Home, One Mind, One Heart. THE greatest abomination in the Body of Christ is the division...and who gets a kick out of division/ THe same one who would like you to think Catholics adore Mary, because he knows his time is limited as she is going to crush his ugly head with her dainty heel when given the Word's Word to do so! WE are one body, one Body in Christ. Stop the battle, the war has been won, but the battle for souls rages on. And when people come to the knowledge, the true knowledge of the Blessed Mother's role in salvation History, History, HIS STORY will make another appearance and be understood by all...Alleluia! He has Risen and Will Come Again! Soon I hope to straighten this mess on earth out!
This reply is just great I could not have said it better myself many thanks
DeleteThe expressions of faith and prayer that have found their way into the Burning Question Blog about the Worship of Mary confirm our faith at Parishworld.net that Catholics really know that they do not adore Mary. They love her and hug her as their mother. They know that she is the one who can intercede for us like no one else. Mary is the fullest blossom of the Christian flower of faith. Her Son expects us to listen to her just as He did. He expects us to make sure that she present our needs and thanks to Him. It is the Catholic conviction that the most complete way to love Jesus is to revere His Mother, Our Mother, as He pointed out from the Cross. We believe that to set her aside in our prayer life is to be ungrateful to Jesus for having pointed us in her direction.
ReplyDeleteAs A Catholic we Honor, respect,love the Blessed Mother.If you listen carefully to the Hail Mary we say pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death. And a quick correction for Evangelical Phillie being Catholic is being A Christian. We Catholics are Christians.
ReplyDeleteThe most misunderstood and disputed Catholic doctrines are often those concerning Mary because they think we worship Mary or pray to Mary as to God. We don't. We think of Mary as an intercessor with Jesus, same as asking a friend to pray for us. Who better to ask than the Mother of Jesus? Besides, being a Jewish mother, she'll say "Do I have a Son for you!" We honor her just as Jesus does. Mary brings us to Jesus.
ReplyDeleteConsider...
ReplyDeleteJesus said : Woman (not Mother), behold your son
Jesus said : Why is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?
Can't you see how the Lord Jesus is detaching Himself from the "woman" or from the earthly parents. The fact that Jesus said "My Father's business" denotes that there is business that is not His Father's.
Cut the dramatics. Giving Mary too much attention and importance takes away your FOCUS on the Savior and God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, who is in the Father's business of saving the world from the consequence of sin, which is eternal damnation.
"For I your God am a jealous God"
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL your heart, and with ALL
your soul, and with ALL your mind"
Idolatry is a sin. Don't make her your idol.
The bible says "...ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Mary is considered a sinner until she acknowleges the sacrifice of her son on the cross.
FOCUS...the apostle Paul said "this ONE thing I do..."
FOCUS...the ACTS of the apostles are all about "Jesus and Him cucified", no mention of Mary in the entire book about the militant, new testament, baby Christian church of the way.
Repent! Don't miss the mark. It has irreversible, eternal consequences.
I care for you guys because Christ's love is in me.
Right on. Catholics are Christians and have been so for 2,000 years,along with the Christians of the Orthodox persuasions.
ReplyDeleteJill,
ReplyDeleteWe DO pray TO Mary, it would be counter-productive to say that we dont, since our teachings are quite clear. We pray TO Mary and TO the saints... the crux of this issue lies in our dual usage of the english word "prayer" to signify both worship (latria) and honor/veneration (dulia)... Latria is only given to God, whereas dulia is given to honor any Saint...
Jimmy Martinez,
ReplyDeleteMary is not worshipped at all, on any level… I know you know this because you said as much earlier in your comment, but then you say “she is not worshipped at the same level as Jesus.” We need to change our language, or at least be more careful, because a Protestant will capitalize on that error.
-Laurence
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYes we do pray to her… Prayer also means “to ask”, and therefore, we are speaking to her, and asking her to intercede.
-Laurence
Evangelical Phillie,
ReplyDeleteWelcome… But, let me say, you were already a Christian before you left the Church. Read the first chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, and there you will find the Angel Gabriel addressing Mary as, “Ave, gratia plena”, “Hail, full of grace”… She says it herself, “All generations shall call me blessed.”…
-Laurence
Okay, so I read time after time, “We don’t pray to Mary”… I suppose the apologists who started spreading this apologetic had a good intention, but it is misguided and dishonest… We do pray to Mary, and to say otherwise would simply be a “foolish apologetic” to the astute inquisitor. Just to prove it to you that this line of argumentation is weak, and perhaps even scandalous, read our Catechism:
ReplyDelete2679 Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus' mother into our homes, for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.
We have to recognize that when a Protestant hears the word “prayer”, they hear “worship”, because that is the limitation of their language. However, we Catholics have applied the same term to both latria and dulia, worship and veneration. We latria God alone; we dulia the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and all the Saints. In regards to dulia, hyperdulia (the highest honor and veneration) goes to Mary, protodulia (first-honor) to St. Joseph, and dulia to the Saints.
AMDG,
Laurence
I can only repeat that we Catholics do not worship any one but the Triune God, Father , Son and Holy Spirit anybody totally desperate for a feminine "side" or aspect of that Deity can look to the Holy Spirit. Mary is for us. She is the great example of saying "yes!" to God. If she had taken counsel of her fears where would we be? You must imagine a 14-15 year old girl being told that she has the oppoetunity to become publicly pregnant in a society which stones addulterers to death. Wow! What deal! And she said, "beit done unto according to yuor will." Is it any wonder that "all generations call her blessed". I pray to Mary, Mother of God (Theotokus to the greeks, who love to split hairs)as I pray to St. Anthony and St. Jude and others. I ask them to join in my prayer in the hope that the maor and better my fellow petitioners the more likely a favorable result. But, and this is most important, every prayer ends addressed to God saying, "Thy will be done." because what God wills for me is better in every case than that which I will for myself. He loves me better that I do and Knows my needs better than I. But still Im see no harm in asking for help in my prayer.
ReplyDeleteI can only repeat that we Catholics do not worship any one but the Triune God, Father , Son and Holy Spirit anybody totally desperate for a feminine "side" or aspect of that Deity can look to the Holy Spirit. Mary is for us. She is the great example of saying "yes!" to God. If she had taken counsel of her fears where would we be? You must imagine a 14-15 year old girl being told that she has the opportunity to become publicly pregnant in a society which stones addulterers to death. Wow! What deal! And she said, "be it done unto according to your will." Is it any wonder that "all generations call her blessed". I pray to Mary, Mother of God (Theotokus to the Greeks, who love to split hairs, as I pray to St. Anthony and St. Jude and others. I ask them to join in my prayer in the hope that the more and better my fellow petitioners pray the more likely a favorable result. But, and this is most important, every prayer ends addressed to God saying, "Thy will be done." because what God wills for me is better in every case than that which I will for myself. He loves me better that I do and knows my needs better than I. But still I see no harm in asking for help in my prayer.
ReplyDeleteTed:
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing. Your carefully crafted comment is welcome. It begs to be reviewed under the Catholic point of view.
"Woman" is not a distancing address to His mother. He would not distance Himself and then give her care of His favorite creature, now would He? At Cana, He called her "woman" and then did exactly what she wanted Him to do.
I am now going to underline the fact that by calling Mary, "Woman" at the foot of the Cross when He gave her to His people as their mother, Jesus made two statements about Mary:
a) She came into the world sinless, just as the first woman came into the world sinless. (Genesis 2:23)
b) She became the mother of all God's people of the New Covenant, the second Eve, who remains Our Mother since she was called into the Divine Creator's Presence, sinless, in Body and Soul. (Genesis 3:20)
"His Father's business" is all inclusive and in the world of Jesus, there is no other work than His Father's. Mary was not seeking to do "other business", she was exercising her mission of caring for the son that God gave
her. He knew it. In fact after her reproach, He went off with her and "grew in age, strength and wisdom" under her care and tutelage.
It is without dramatics that Catholics focus on the great job that Mary did to present Jesus to the world just as she was expected to do. She saw Him in, at Bethlehem and she saw Him out at the foot of the Cross where she
accepted His mission of being the mother of the community that He built.
Jesus Christ died for our sins in the company of the only other human being who was without sin, Mary, His mother. To accuse Catholics and Orthodox Christians of idolatry when they have been calling themselves children of Mary from the very beginning of Christianity when they venerate her in prayer, is irresponsible. Mary is not an idol. Idols do nothing for those who stand before them. Those who stand before them do nothing for the good of others. They only comfort themselves before a picture of what they believe a divinity to be. Original Christians have 2,000 years of tradition in the veneration of Mary as the Mother of God and of His people. She
is the human being who is the most intimately connected with the process of bringing Jesus Christ into the world.
God kept her sinless so that she would be a worthy vessel for His Son and an image of flawless humanity for His children. She was and still is totally dedicated to the care and support of those for whom Jesus Christ died.
No idol could ever come close to such a relationship with the living God and with His people.
Thank you for telling us to repent and not miss the mark.
If Christ's love were in you, your last line would read, "I love you" because that is what Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to do, to "love one another as I have loved you."
If Christ's love were in you, you would not call His mother a sinner and an idol.
By Paul Dion, STL
Parishworld.net Theology Editor
We honor our Blessed Virgin Mary, the only ONE worthy of Worship is God our Father.
ReplyDeleteOur Blessed Virgin Mary is our intercessor. Example: When we are troubled and need comfort who do we usually go to? "Our Mothers" our Blessed Virgin Mary is our Mother. Jesus said "honor your Mother and Father"
I always look at things simply, the fact that many protestant communities have this believe is quite frustrating, but my response to it is "Do you ever ask your friends to pray for you?" When your in need "Do you confide in someone, for pray or even guidance?" Are you worshiping them by doing this? Well with Mary and the Saints it's the same thing, we ask for their intercession and prayer, because who better to ask for prayer from, then Mary, who bore our Lord, Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She's close to him, so I don't see why you wouldn't want to ask for her intercession.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the lady who would pray to Jesus every day at the foot of the crucifix in church. After about a week of no results, she looked up and said, "Look, dear Jesus, if you don't do something about this, I'm going to tell your Mom!"
ReplyDeleteI would like to THANK Parish world editor for the comment to correct Ted. I could have never defended Our Blessed Mother as well as you did and I once again thank you. Everything he said was hurtful, I just wish that people would not talk bad about the mother of our God. It seemed to me as if Ted had more anger than Love, and by putting Our Blessed Mother down it not only hurts and angers us Catholics but I'm sure its not very pleasing to God. The Blessed Mother was born without sin, She lived without sin and She died without sin. She is the only one besides Jesus to asume into Heaven body and soul.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless
I liked this exchange of ideas about Mary because it is an opportnity to understand better her role in the history of salvation. Thank you Wally for answering so well.
ReplyDeleteFr. Roberto Mena, S.T.
my dear,don't be in a illusion dear.come out of this bondage.
ReplyDeleteCan God have a mother?the problem with we catholics is that we don't know the 'word of God'.In
LUKE 11:27,28 ,: one of the woman said to Him(Jesus), "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed you." But He(Jesus)said,"MORE THAN THAT, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND KEEP IT.
My dear Jesus said in John 14:6"I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH,THE LIFE.NO ONE COMES TO FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME
AND 1 TIMOTHY 2:5 SAYS "JESUS IS THE ONLY MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN,THE MAN CHRIST JESUS".
My dear,some say with lack of knowledge that we need a interceeder to interceed on behalf of us to christ.Dear,we are the interceeders and we don't need any interceeders to ask anything from JESUS.
Our LORD SAID : Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; I can never forget you. - Isaiah 49:14-16.
MY DEAR ,WHO KNOWS US BETTER THAN OUR LORD?HE WAS THE ONLY ONE BORN WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Mary was a virtuous woman ,obedient to God.You can be like that too.As she prayed to God,why don't you pray ?why don't you try to be obedient like her instead of being in the illusion ?God has given you that power and come out of the false doctrine
catholics really need to stop this and pray and worship the true GOD and Savior Jesus Christ..the real redeemer.catholics have even given Mary, the same scares on the hands as Jesus ..in many of their idol pictures they have.They have made Mary into their God, redeemer and salvation! They have even given her the same rights as our Lord, saying she was born free of sin..and ascended into heaven..without ever dying on earth first..sound familiar? They have made Mary, the sinner into a sinless Goddess.This is Isis, with a name change ..a few thousand years later.The worshiping of the "Mother of heaven' is nothing new under the sun, nothing is!! GOD didn't never have a mother. Jesus Christ had a mother on earth, because he was God born in flesh and blood..their is a difference. The "Mary' catholics worship, is not the "Mary' that we have read about in scriptures..they have created something else..a false, a fake teaching!
DeleteBy Paul Dion, STL, ParishWorld Theology Editor
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous who thinks we Catholics are illusioned,
Mary, Mother of Jesus, Son of God preceded her son into this world as a sinless human being. "We Catholics" believe that. So she too was born in and by the power of the Spirit. She conceived her son in and by the power of the Spirit. As He remained sinless, so did she. She accompanied Him along the road of human existence in
complete purity. "We Catholics" know that the power of intercession was handed down to us by Yaweh a long time before Jesus handed it down to His disciples for us to use.
"We Catholics" remember the words of Yaweh, "So now find seven bullocks and seven rams and take them back with you to my servant Job and offer a holocaust for yourselves, while Job my servant offers prayers for you. I will
listen to him with favor and excuse your folly in not speaking of me properly as my servant has done." (Job, chapter 42, verse 8)
We also remember the words of Yaweh's son, born of Mary, "I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be considered loosed in heaven." (Matthew, chapter 18, verse 18) Yes, "We Catholics" know that God expects us to reach out to Him in intercession for one
another.
It is not an illusion in which we live when we raise our hearts up to Mary and beg her to remind her Son of the wonderful sign of Cana when he followed her implicit instructions when she told the servants, "do everything He
tells you." (John, chapter 2, verse 6)
It is not an illusion that we live when we honor God by trusting that His mother can carry our needs before Him just as she carried the needs of the bridegroom at the fateful wedding at Cana. It is not an illusion that we live when we trust the sainted martyrs to carry our needs up to God.
It is not an illusion when we ask the sainted archangel Raphael to accompany us on a voyage as he accompanied the young man, Tobias.
It is not an illusion that 'We Catholics" live when we keep ourselves aware of our presence in the Communion of Saints.
It is not an illusion that we live when we keep ourselves deep in the bright light of the love of God.
It is not an illusion that we live when we willingly answer the wish of Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, "How often
have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings..." (Matthew, chapter 23, verse
37 & 38)
Yes, "We Catholics" are comfortable and proud to be a part of the heavenly "brood" of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. We live in good company. You are all invited to come and share our "Illusion".
Protestants think that when the time was right, God looked around and said "That one there will do" making Mary a necessary coincidental.
DeleteIt just wasn't like that.
I'm a Cath-byt-eran Christian; Raised Catholic, Spent 15 years at a Presbyterian Church now going to a Lutheran Church. I have great respect and love all these traditions none fit me perfectly. All have history, policy, beliefs, organization and as Mahatma Gandhi said “I like your Christ . I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Lord forgive us, so many times we are “not like Christ.” I believe we all do have a personal relationship with our God. It’s not a preacher, pastor, priest, or even a pope who saves our soul, these are just people, able to witness the Christ. Jesus saved my soul about 2000 years ago, thank you, thank you thank you Lord!
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine, Lutheran retired pastor, who must have been wounded by some of us "acting not like Christ." In his anti-Catholic way said "...those Catholics worship Mary ... she, she, she is just..."
my response to him
Be mindful, my friend,
As a good little Jewish boy Jesus doesn’t like anyone who treats his mother disrespectfully.
Praying with not to Mary, you ever ask a friend to pray for you, with you? Same thing with the Saints, do you know any Saints? I feel sure when we are praying, singing all the saints are singing with us.
I always wonder what's missing in someones belief when they have to find something wrong in mine. May Mary help us all find and give God's Peace!
Bob
We all should read St. John with a prayerful heart. NASB IJohn 4:21 "And this is the commandment we have from Him that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
ReplyDeleteJesus was walking around Heaven, and seeing some suspicious characters, went to Peter and said, "I've been seeing some souls that don't seem to belong here." Peter replied, "I turn them away but they go around back and your Mother lets them in." At Cana, Jesus demured but then complied. How can I not honor Whom He did?
ReplyDeleteCatholics worship two things. Jesus and Notre Dame Football... :)
ReplyDeleteTo you all:
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I know some Catholics like the ones that "Anonymous" just mentioned. Humorous, but...
Paul Dion, STL
ParishWorld.net Theology Editor
to Evangelical Phillie - when you where a Catholic you where a Christian. Please note that that the word Catholic does not mean that we pray to anyone else but to our Lord Jesus Christ. Think about Mary in this way...Have you ever asked a friend, co-work, or your mother to say a prayer for you? If yes you have done the same as any Catholic to Mary. There are many prayer phone trees in many churches yet you must have faith the the person on the other end will pray for you.
ReplyDeleteJill is closer than most: "We pray with her and not to her." Yet ... there is a huge emphasis on Mary these days - taking things directly to her and skipping Jesus. The Bible says we can go directly to Jesus with everything anytime we wish. I love Mary too but I also know those in the church who adore her and speak to her and about her all the time and seldom even mention Jesus. I doubt that Mary would like that because according to all of her Apparitions she has been quite vocal about her Son being the center of our faith. Bless you all.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment about Mary in her apparitions making Her son the center of our faith. In no other apparition is this more evident than what she said at La Salette, France, in 1846:
ReplyDelete"If my people do not obey, I shall be compelled to loose my Son's arm. It is so heavy I can no longer restrain it. How long have I suffered for you! If my Son is not to abandon you, I am obliged to entreat Him without ceasing. But you take no heed of that. No matter how well you pray in the future, no matter how well you act, you will never be able to make up to me what I have endured on your behalf. I have given you six days to work. The seventh I have reserved for myself, yet no one will give it to me. This is what causes the weight of my Son's arm to be so crushing. The cart drivers cannot swear without bringing in my Son's name. These are the two things which make my Son's arm so heavy."
Notice how she makes His feelings Her feelings?