Aspects of Mary, and other questions

[Falco]

Why do people have a special devotion to a particular aspect of Mary, such as OL Guadaloupe, OL Star of the Sea, OL Fatima. Why not just a devotion to Mary?

Do we have such varied devotions to saints, or Jesus himself? (though I suppose the Infant of Prague is a specialised devotion to Jesus, and I did see a devotion to the shoulder wound of Jesus recently). Why fragment or concentrate on just one aspect?

 

[losh14]

I know that the various devotions began, for the most part, in a time when information was very hard to communicate between geographically-distant areas or between cultures that spoke different languages. Mary, Star of the Sea would have been familiar in Latin America for decades before it became popular in Italy, and Our Lady of the Snows is a devotion not commonly found outside of Italy and the Midwest US (where there is a Shrine devoted to this apparition). It strikes me that one could be devoted to Mary in any sense, but that since devotion is by its nature a very personal calling, it’s not unlikely that one is called to a particular devotion.

There are some such devotions to the Lord Jesus Christ. One is Infant Jesus of Prague, which was brought to the U.S. by Czech (or ethnically Slav) immigrants and has a profound cultural meaning - during one of the many wars between Muslims and Christians in southeastern Europe, a child was seen giving out food in what was essentially a prison camp by occupying Muslims for impounding Christians. That child was believed to be related to a prior apparition of the Infant Jesus, who was seen in Prague. There are prayers directed towars Christ in the Nativity, Christ on the Cross, Christ in Gethsemane, Christ in the Desert, etc.

What is interesting is that, for all the varied history of devotions, the tendency is towards a handful - the Rosary, the Immaculate Hearts, St. Francis, St. Therese of Liseaux. Despite the prominent roles and volume of writings left by them, few keep a devotion to St. Paul the Evangelist, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Irenaeus of Smyrna, etc.

I personally keep a devotion to the Holy Trinity.

 

[Falco]

thank you losh - that makes it a lot easier to understand,

 

[Dorothy]

People are attracted to certain devotions. I believe the Holy Spirit attracts them.

Even in the religious orders of our Church there is emphasis on different mysteries of our faith, such as the Visitation Sisters, Passionist Fathers, etc.

There are devotions to the Precious Blood of Jesus, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the various mysteries of the Rosary, our Lord’s Presence in the Holy Eucharist, etc.

They can increase our understanding of how much God loves us, and desires our love and obedience in return.

 

[Eufrosnia]

Why do people have a special devotion to a particular aspect of Mary, such as OL Guadaloupe, OL Star of the Sea, OL Fatima. Why not just a devotion to Mary?

Do we have such varied devotions to saints, or Jesus himself? (though I suppose the Infant of Prague is a specialised devotion to Jesus, and I did see a devotion to the shoulder wound of Jesus recently). Why fragment or concentrate on just one aspect?

There are various titles under which the Our Lady is addressed. They recall the special graces given when she appeared under that title (or was the title given by the people). So naturally people who want similar Graces tend to invoke her under the same title.

It’s like a person who goes to Lourdes when they are sick as opposed to visiting Fatima. Our Lady of Lourdes appeared in Lourdes and is known to have granted Graces related to health when invoked under that title. So the devotion grows. There are so many titles for Our Lady because she has granted so many varying Graces which is understandable since she is the Mediatrix of all Graces that her son has won for us.

There are also titles for Jesus like Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jesus of Divine Mercy, Infant Jesus.

The reason for the higher number of such titles for Our Lady may be because she has appeared more times to the faithful rather than Christ. This is not to take anything away from Christ because it shows that the Mother is hard at work to lead her spiritual children to her beloved son, Jesus Christ.

 

[sw33tcar0l1n3]

Falco,

I also found this topic to be confusing. I was recently on a pilgrimage in Europe and I went to Lourdes and was so confused why it was such a big deal that she be refered to as Our Lady of Lourdes. And how at different places, she is wearing different colored sashes. It’s still a little fuzzy to me… like I can understand it in my head but if I try to explain it, I can’t find the right words.

 

[Eufrosnia]

Falco,

I also found this topic to be confusing. I was recently on a pilgrimage in Europe and I went to Lourdes and was so confused why it was such a big deal that she be refered to as Our Lady of Lourdes. And how at different places, she is wearing different colored sashes. It’s still a little fuzzy to me… like I can understand it in my head but if I try to explain it, I can’t find the right words.

Well what you have to realize is that these specific titles are usually connected to a case where Our Lady appeared to someone or a group of persons. The icon or statues usually mirror that particular appearance.

In referring using such a particular title, we also meditate upon that appearance and the message that was given by Our Lady at that appearance.

This is why you have different statues of Our Lady with different clothing. It reflects what she wore when she appeared and calls us to meditate on her message.

 

[sw33tcar0l1n3]

Well what you have to realize is that these specific titles are usually connected to a case where Our Lady appeared to someone or a group of persons. The icon or statues usually mirror that particular appearance.

In referring using such a particular title, we also meditate upon that appearance and the message that was given by Our Lady at that appearance.

This is why you have different statues of Our Lady with different clothing. It reflects what she wore when she appeared and calls us to meditate on her message.

Ahh thank you! So, for example… Our Lady of Lourdes is the portrayal of when Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette in the grotto. Correct? So when I think of Our Lady of Lourdes it makes sense to meditate upon the healing waters, and the immensity of Bernadette’s faith… right?

 

[Dorothy]

Ahh thank you! So, for example… Our Lady of Lourdes is the portrayal of when Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette in the grotto. Correct? So when I think of Our Lady of Lourdes it makes sense to meditate upon the healing waters, and the immensity of Bernadette’s faith… right?

And, also the fact that “wash in the spring” really means to wash in the living waters of her Son.

Physical healings point to the healing of the soul. Miracles put a spotlight on that. I have never been to Lourdes, but how beautiful it must be with the healthy and the sick holding their lights in the evening, at the procession.

Many are not healed physically, but if they are open they go hom refreshed and peaceful by the blessings and graces given at Lourdes.

 

[bzkoss236]

There’s also a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

[Danielcpb]

Having come from a protestant background myself I had exactly the same questions! Why do catholics focus on specific aspects of god or apparitions of the Virgin Mary??

It was explained to me like this…basically it all comes down to us relating. Relating culturally, emotionally and spiritually to whatever message or miracle heaven has deemed necessary for us to hear/learn.

Our Lady of Guadalupe was revealed to Juan Diego (a native Mexican) at a time when the abuses towards the native population by their Spanish conquerors were spiraling out of control. She presented herself to Juan Diego looking much like how Mexicans look and speaking Juan Diego’s language of Nahuatl (Aztec). Why was this necessary? So Juan Diego would be able to relate and assimilate the message of God’s and our Heavenly Mother’s infinite love for all of us.

Personally, I have found that (generally speaking) we humans don’t very often see the full picture in life. In my experience it’s been easier to focus of certain aspects and apparitions that eventually lead me to a richer, fuller understanding of God and his plan for my life.

God bless,

Daniel

 

[CB_Catholic]

Jesus is very good to His Mother. She has an absolutely stunning wardrobe, and never wears the same thing twice.

I think what we have to never forget is that Mary is bearing messages from her Son. So every “aspect” is something Jesus wants us to know. It does not come from Mary, it comes from God.