How can one reconcile Marian & Divine Mercy devotions?

[FYvette]

Good morning.
I have read 33 days to Morning Glory, and was unable to do the consecration - having trouble with Mary as the quickest route to having prayers heard, to salvation…having been taught that Jesus is the WAY. Then comes Divine Mercy, where I understood that Jesus would not come back until then end of time…yet Sister Faustina (among others) sees Him, talks to Him and another devotion is born. What to do? Are these devotions a must, is it wrong for me to have these questions, are we being led astray? I worry also because we are told that we should be wary of false prophets. This is only one of the many questions I have about who to trust.
There is so much on the Internet that it is hard to decide.
Some are so full of warnings of danger…that it is scary. I don’t want to believe out of fear.
Hope I am being clear.
Thank you and may God richly bless the work you do.
FYvette

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

There is no need for any reconciliation because there is no conflict. God chose Mary as the channel through which He would enter the human race to redeem it. From the moment of His conception Mary has been the context though which he has come to us. Mary was HIS idea. Everything about her speaks of Him. It was she who interceded for the newly married couple when the wine ran out at their wedding reception and had Him work His first miracle. When she mentioned to him that they had run out of wine, He asked her what this had to do with Him. She turned and told the stewards to do whatever He told them. And so He worked His first public miracle at her request (Jn. 2:3 – 11). This in no way diminishes the fact that HE alone is the Way. He alone worked the miracle-–but at her request. He cured Peter’s mother-in-law at His Apostles’ request. He is comfortable using intercessors (Mt. 8:14). He asks us all to pray for each other. This does not take away the fact that He alone is Lord.

Jesus did indeed say that He would return at the end of time. But this didn’t stop Him from appearing to Paul of Tarsus, giving him a mission to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 9:3). Since then He has appeared to many people. His final return will be a very different thing. Jesus deliberately founded His Church to safeguard us against false prophets. If the Church officially teaches something, we can rest assured that it is true—including the Bible that it compiled.

As Catholics we are not required to embrace any private devotion. But to do so is appropriate so long as the devotion is officially approved of by the Catholic Church. The Divine Mercy is certainly an approved devotion.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.