How important is Mary?

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BrooklynBoy200

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I don’t mean to sound like a heretic or something but i’ve noticed a lot of prayers going to Mary and praising Mary. I know she is an important person and everything, but shouldn’t God be the only one we praise that much?
 
BrooklynBoy200 said:
I don’t mean to sound like a heretic or something but i’ve noticed a lot of prayers going to Mary and praising Mary. I know she is an important person and everything, but shouldn’t God be the only one we praise that much?
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The honor that Catholics give to Mary isn’t the same kind as the worship we give to God. It’s not like comparing the ocean and a cup of water; it’s like comparing humans and angels: they’re fundamentally different things.

When we honor Mary, we do so as a way of praising God. Just like when we stand in awe at a beautiful sunset or a quietly rushing brook, we praise God for the beauty of His creation; when we honor Mary we praise God for the goodness of the best mere human ever to have existed.

When we “pray to Mary,” we don’t ask her to give us things; we ask her, the most righteous mere human ever, to pray to God for us, because the prayer of a righteous man (or woman, in this case :)) accomplishes a lot.

Jeremy
 
BrooklynBoy200 said:
I don’t mean to sound like a heretic or something but i’ve noticed a lot of prayers going to Mary and praising Mary. I know she is an important person and everything, but shouldn’t God be the only one we praise that much?
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Where are you noticing this? Your profile says you’re Catholic. Are you one of those people who has never gone to church much? Never went to CCD? Are you a “boy” – under 25? Just asking to get an idea of where you’re coming from. The answers we give would be crafted to meet your specific situation.
 
Unless we start addressing the prayers of the Mass (which is the greatest prayer and act of worship of all) to Mary instead of the Father or Jesus …

and claiming that it’s MARY’S Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity that we receive at Communion time…

then we’re not worshipping her more than we worship God or Jesus 🙂

It’s quality that counts, not quantity, otherwise I could claim that I love my work clients more than my family simply because I spend more time talking to them.
 
mercygate said:
Where are you noticing this? Your profile says you’re Catholic. Are you one of those people who has never gone to church much? Never went to CCD? Are you a “boy” – under 25? Just asking to get an idea of where you’re coming from. The answers we give would be crafted to meet your specific situation.
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I am Catholic, and i’ve heard the explanations, but just never really got it. And i’m only 15. And i just started going to church again, i stopped going when i was like 10 because i moved and we just never started going again. Back then i didn’t really care about religion though so i didn’t care if we went or not. I get the concept now though so thankyou for the explanation.
 
LilyM said:
Unless we start addressing the prayers of the Mass (which is the greatest prayer and act of worship of all) to Mary instead of the Father or Jesus …

and claiming that it’s MARY’S Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity that we receive at Communion time…

then we’re not worshipping her more than we worship God or Jesus 🙂

It’s quality that counts, not quantity, otherwise I could claim that I love my work clients more than my family simply because I spend more time talking to them.
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I know, it was just i got a little worried about all the titles we had for her. I understand now.
 
As they say, it is no more insulting to God to praise His creation than it is insulting to an artist to praise his paintings. In the order of the earthly creation, humans are the top of the heap. On top of *that *heap is Mary.
 
BrooklynBoy200 said:
I am Catholic, and i’ve heard the explanations, but just never really got it. And i’m only 15. And i just started going to church again, i stopped going when i was like 10 because i moved and we just never started going again. Back then i didn’t really care about religion though so i didn’t care if we went or not. I get the concept now though so thankyou for the explanation.
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High five, Brooklyn! You’ve come to the right place. The kind of question you ask is one a lot of anti-Catholic Protestants tend to ask without really wanting to know the answer – so I hope your query does not draw hostile fire!

Scott Hahn has written a book on the scriptural origins of the veneration of Our Lady, called *Hail Holy Queen. *Hahn writes in a style that is accessible to people who are coming at this without a lot of background. You might see if you can get a copy, either online, in a bookstore, or maybe through the public library.

Godspeed, young man.
 
BrooklynBoy200 said:
I don’t mean to sound like a heretic or something but i’ve noticed a lot of prayers going to Mary and praising Mary. I know she is an important person and everything, but shouldn’t God be the only one we praise that much?
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Read Sirach, chapter 48 to see saints being praised. Read Luke, chapter 1 to see angels and people filled with the Holy Ghost praising Mary. 🙂
 
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