Does Mary watch you?

[dronald]

Hey all, I was just curious about this. Do Catholics believe that Mary sees your every action? For example, is another reason (among many) not to sin be that Mary or other saints can see you at all times as well?

I know that Catholics believe Mary can hear (all?) petitions, so would it be right to say that she can see all humans at all time too?

Thanks!

 

[Catholicdeacon]

-Dose Mary and other saints see your every action?

No. Only God is Omnipresent, only God can see our every actions. Mary and the saints see what God allows allows them to see.

• Would it be right to say that she can see all humans at all time too?

No it would not be right.

“Viva Cristo Rey!!”
DHS

 

[kkollwitz]

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

 

[TimothyH]

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

The word witness in Greek can mean martyr.

-Tim-

 

[Robyn_p]

Hey all, I was just curious about this. Do Catholics believe that Mary sees your every action? For example, is another reason (among many) not to sin be that Mary or other saints can see you at all times as well?

I know that Catholics believe Mary can hear (all?) petitions, so would it be right to say that she can see all humans at all time too?

Thanks!

Good question. As far as I know, this isn’t something the Church has an official teaching or opinion on. So I can’t really tell you if Catholics believe that Mary sees our every action, since this is one of those areas where Catholics are free to have differing opinions.

Personally, I think they do see us. It makes sense to me, given how intimately connected they are to us through Christ. I know if I were in heaven, I would want to see the people I was praying for. But again, that’s just how I think about it. Others may disagree.

The only thing we know for sure is that the saints constantly intercede for us. How exactly they do that or what exactly that entails (do they watch us to know when we need help or does God choose to reveal it to them?) is only really speculation on our end, since it hasn’t been revealed to us.

Anyways, sorry I couldn’t give a more official answer. Hope that helped you out a little though.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Catholicdeacon is correct. If Mary could witness every event then she would be omnipresent, and only God has this ability.

Without a special ability (a miracle) granted by God, Mary cannot witness even you. We have no reason to believe God grants that ability to any Saint.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

With respect to the other posters, tell me this.

Is Mary in Heaven?

Yes.

If so, is she perfectly united to Jesus, as Scripture informs us that all in Heaven will be?

Yes.

Now, if Mary is perfectly united to Jesus, tell me how she does NOT ‘see’ what He sees, or ‘hear’ what He hears.

I mean, are y’all picturing heaven like this vast Graceland kind of place, where some people like St Peter are at the gates, and thus don’t see anything ‘beyond’ that, and just about everybody has a personal ‘cloud’ and can ‘see’ just that and nothing more, and Jesus is kind of wandering around everywhere but nobody actually really sees or hears Him?

Or are you picturing Heaven as the Beatific Vision and that somehow everybody is all focused on Jesus and yet they DON’T ‘see’ anything else? Not each other? Even when they’re all united (as Scripture says we will be?)

I cannot see how anyone in Heaven could NOT (being united to Jesus) see and hear everything He does.

Here’s the thing. That does not make them omnipresent. No, it really doesn’t.

It makes HIM omnipresent, and they, in perfect union with Him, ‘see’ and ‘hear’ what He does BECAUSE He is omnipresent. If He were not omnipresent, etc., then they could not ‘visualize’ that omnipresence. It is all JESUS, the saints do nothing on their own to be godlike, but they experience what Jesus experiences.

 

[Todd977]

No. Mary doesn’t watch us directly but she does get regular reports about us indirectly, from omniscient God or from his ubiquitous angels.

 

[DavidFilmer]

It makes HIM omnipresent, and they, in perfect union with Him, ‘see’ and ‘hear’ what He does BECAUSE He is omnipresent.

Then does this also make Mary and the Saints omniscient (all-knowing), or omnipotent (all-powerful)? Can the Saints, of their own ability, perform miracles? Do they know everything that can be known (even cardiognosis - the knowledge of the secrets of the heart)?

That’s obviously heresy. No finite being can share an infinite property of God, whether it is omnipotence or omnipresence. No matter what happens in heaven, we will all remain finite beings (Mary included). By our very NATURE we cannot share in omnipotence or omnipresence. It is ontologically impossible.

Even God himself could not grant us either of these properties, because they are impossible to grant because they are incompatible with our nature (not even God can do the impossible - God cannot draw a square circle, for example). God cannot make us into gods, even if he wanted to.

Being in union with God does not mean sharing his divine properties. We can’t do that. Finite beings cannot share infinite properties.

 

[Joy2day]

With respect to the other posters, tell me this.

Is Mary in Heaven?

Yes.

If so, is she perfectly united to Jesus, as Scripture informs us that all in Heaven will be?

Yes.

Now, if Mary is perfectly united to Jesus, tell me how she does NOT ‘see’ what He sees, or ‘hear’ what He hears.

I mean, are y’all picturing heaven like this vast Graceland kind of place, where some people like St Peter are at the gates, and thus don’t see anything ‘beyond’ that, and just about everybody has a personal ‘cloud’ and can ‘see’ just that and nothing more, and Jesus is kind of wandering around everywhere but nobody actually really sees or hears Him?

Or are you picturing Heaven as the Beatific Vision and that somehow everybody is all focused on Jesus and yet they DON’T ‘see’ anything else? Not each other? Even when they’re all united (as Scripture says we will be?)

I cannot see how anyone in Heaven could NOT (being united to Jesus) see and hear everything He does.

Here’s the thing. That does not make them omnipresent. No, it really doesn’t.

It makes HIM omnipresent, and they, in perfect union with Him, ‘see’ and ‘hear’ what He does BECAUSE He is omnipresent. If He were not omnipresent, etc., then they could not ‘visualize’ that omnipresence. It is all JESUS, the saints do nothing on their own to be
godlike, but they experience what Jesus experiences.

You are right here.

 

[thistle]

With respect to the other posters, tell me this.

Is Mary in Heaven?

Yes.

If so, is she perfectly united to Jesus, as Scripture informs us that all in Heaven will be?

Yes.

Now, if Mary is perfectly united to Jesus, tell me how she does NOT ‘see’ what He sees, or ‘hear’ what He hears.

I mean, are y’all picturing heaven like this vast Graceland kind of place, where some people like St Peter are at the gates, and thus don’t see anything ‘beyond’ that, and just about everybody has a personal ‘cloud’ and can ‘see’ just that and nothing more, and Jesus is kind of wandering around everywhere but nobody actually really sees or hears Him?

Or are you picturing Heaven as the Beatific Vision and that somehow everybody is all focused on Jesus and yet they DON’T ‘see’ anything else? Not each other? Even when they’re all united (as Scripture says we will be?)

I cannot see how anyone in Heaven could NOT (being united to Jesus) see and hear everything He does.

Here’s the thing. That does not make them omnipresent. No, it really doesn’t.

It makes HIM omnipresent, and they, in perfect union with Him, ‘see’ and ‘hear’ what He does BECAUSE He is omnipresent. If He were not omnipresent, etc., then they could not ‘visualize’ that omnipresence. It is all JESUS, the saints do nothing on their own to be godlike, but they experience what Jesus experiences.

Are we not in perfect union with Christ when we receive the Eucharist in a state of grace?

 

[schaeffer]

this isn’t a Church teaching, but I always felt that if you formed a special devotion to an saint, that by doing so, especially if you consecrate yourself to them, it is opening a special line of communication.

Since we ask the Saint to intervene for us, and to watch over us, we are inviting them to see what we are doing, and ask them to even nudge us when we are moving towards sin etc.

I never understood the communion of saints to mean all saints are watching everyone all the time, but that those who are in a special devotion to a saint, are watched over.

 

[Ignatius]

Hey all, I was just curious about this. Do Catholics believe that Mary sees your every action? For example, is another reason (among many) not to sin be that Mary or other saints can see you at all times as well?

I know that Catholics believe Mary can hear (all?) petitions, so would it be right to say that she can see all humans at all time too?

God enables Mary and all of those in Heaven with Him to see and hear what He desires them to see and hear. It is through Gods power that they can do so. From Scripture we see clearly He allows some to know what is happening on earth. For example:

** Revelation 6:9-11King James Version (KJV)**

1. . . . I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
   10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

 

[Seraphim73]

Then does this also make Mary and the Saints omniscient (all-knowing), or omnipotent (all-powerful)? Can the Saints, of their own ability, perform miracles? Do they know everything that can be known (even cardiognosis - the knowledge of the secrets of the heart)?

That’s obviously heresy. No finite being can share an infinite property of God, whether it is omnipotence or omnipresence. No matter what happens in heaven, we will all remain finite beings (Mary included). By our very NATURE we cannot share in omnipotence or omnipresence. It is ontologically impossible.

Even God himself could not grant us either of these properties, because they are impossible to grant because they are incompatible with our nature (not even God can do the impossible - God cannot draw a square circle, for example). God cannot make us into gods, even if he wanted to.

Being in union with God does not mean sharing his divine properties. We can’t do that. Finite beings cannot share infinite properties.

God stands in the assembly of gods; and in the midst of them will judge gods - Psalm 81:1

For the Son of God became man so that men might become god - St Athanasius

I tend to agree with Tantum ergo. I tend to think the saints are able to hear and see us. Even while still on Earth many of them possessed the ability to know another’s thoughts and see the future or even know what was happening miles away. When perfecting sanctified I think many things are possible that we can’t even imagine.

 

[dronald]

Thanks for the answers.

The only thing I find sort of alarming is the belief that it’s open to be believed one way or another.

I understand that the CC doesn’t take a stance on every single position officially, but this doesn’t seem like a “believe whatever you wish” sort of thing. It’s either true or it’s not that Mary is watching even what I’m typing right now.

 

[adf417]

Thanks for the answers.

The only thing I find sort of alarming is the belief that it’s open to be believed one way or another.

I understand that the CC doesn’t take a stance on every single position officially, but this doesn’t seem like a “believe whatever you wish” sort of thing. It’s either true or it’s not that Mary is watching even what I’m typing right now.

I agree it is either true or its not but why does the church need to take a stance on it? Is someone’s salvation in jeopardy if it is not clarified?

Peace!!!

 

[Robyn_p]

Thanks for the answers.

The only thing I find sort of alarming is the belief that it’s open to be believed one way or another.

I understand that the CC doesn’t take a stance on every single position officially, but this doesn’t seem like a “believe whatever you wish” sort of thing. It’s either true or it’s not that Mary is watching even what I’m typing right now.

Just curious, why do you find it alarming? I’m sure you are familiar with the old saying, “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials freedom, and in all things charity.” This is one of those “non-essential” things. It’s interesting, but not really pivotal.

The Church defines something when it decides it is crucial to preserve the integrity of the Deposit of Faith. But otherwise, the Church is really more like Mary who “ponders all these things in her heart.” It doesn’t try to answer or define things that God hasn’t chosen to reveal to us. It’s quite content with mystery and letting us debate our own opinions, so long as we don’t deny some essential truth.

It’s like a mother in that sense. It sets the boundaries so that we don’t go completely crazy and lose our way. But after doing that, the Church basically says “Alright kids. Have fun!”

So yeah, while you are right that it either is true or not that Mary sees us all the time, and while it’s an interesting question, it’s not that critical to understanding the communion of saints. It’s one of those things we really won’t be able to know for sure this side of heaven.

 

[Ignatius]

From Scripture we see clearly He allows some to know what is happening on earth. For example:

** Revelation 6:9-11King James Version (KJV)**

1. . . . I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
   10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

God enables Mary and all of those in Heaven with Him to see and hear what He desires them to see and hear. It is through Gods power that they can do so.