I'm a convert from Protestantism- how should I properly view Our Lady?

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violeta9

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I’m looking to convert to Catholicism, but I was raised in a denomination that viewed prayers to saints as idolatry. I’ve moved past that point and pray to saints now, and I also say the Hail Mary and have prayed Rosary a few times. However, today I encountered the “Mary, Undoer of Knots” prayer, and I’m a bit confused. The saints can only intercede for us, correct? I understand the Virgin Mary has special status as the first among saints, the Mother of God and spiritual Mother of mankind, and that she is to be respected and revered. But how can I pray a prayer invoking her to “deliver us from evil” when the Lord’s Prayer tells us to ask God the Father to do this? And how is she able to deliver us from evil now, if she has already given birth to her Son and He has died for our sins? Sorry if this is confusing!
 
You should see her as your Mom. Jesus gave her to all of us when He was dying on the Cross. Reading chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation should help you.
 
First of all, it’s great that you are with us now in the Church!

Second, one of Mary’s jobs is to repel the devil and protect her children from evil. There is a lot of art depicting this and many prayers mentioning it. Mary does this because God has tasked her with it, the same way he tasked St. Michael with fighting the devil. Mary always does God’s will, perfectly, and God works through her so she’s not just off doing stuff on her own.

Third, I believe the prayer you mention asks Mary through “her grace, her intercession, and her example” to “deliver us from evil.” Mary is not only “full of grace” (from God) on her own, but is also the mediatrix of all graces that God provides to us. So we ask her to use her grace to combat evil and also give us the grace to avoid or escape evil. “Intercession” just means she’s praying to God for us. And “example” means we should follow her example of how to act so we avoid evil. None of these things are odd or impermissible and we can still pray to God to deliver us from evil and Mary’s “grace, intercession and example” is just one way he does that.
 
The biggest knot of all, the fall of mankind that came about from the disobedience of the first woman came undone by the grace of another. Check for example Revelation of John 12:17 And the dragon was angry at the woman. And so he went away to do battle with the remainder of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. We are Her offspring. And it is good that we ask Her for intercession to our Father and Her son Jesus.
As for the last question seems that the serpent is still angry with Her and Her offspring. The battle has not finished until the last breath is exhaled by us. Yes Jesus died for our sins that does not mean that we can sit on our laurels as it were. We also need to play our part. Salvation is not decided in 1 particular instance of our lives. Until we die we can trow away the treasure.
 
Can you please help me to understand verse 14? “The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.” Is this about the assumption? And if so, what do verses 15 and 16 represent? Thanks for your help!
 
The Book of Revelation has the Archangel Michael battling Satan. So we have a prayer where we ask him to defend us in battle. Of course in the end it is God who delivers us but it is a gift that we have such wonderful intercessors too.
 
Thank you for your warm welcome! ❤️

I like the way you worded that, that Mary repels the devil and protects her children from evil, because God has tasked her with it. I understand the concept a lot better now! Can you explain how she protects her children? I presume she leaves heaven to do this and the task isn’t completed just through prayer and intercession. But I was taught that once you’re in heaven, you cannot leave- well, save for the transfiguration, because Moses and Elijah showed up there. And I also know that Our Lady appears on earth in Marian apparitions at times, for example, Saint Avoye of Sicily was visited by her in jail. I’m just uncertain as to how she appears, because of the traditions I was taught. Sorry if that’s a complex question 😅
 
That’s what I’ve been appreciating so much recently about asking the saints for intercession, it is a wonderful gift I have sadly missed out on up until now, but I thank God that He lead me to discover it.

Could you link me to a page with this prayer about the Archangel Michael defending us in battle? I’d love to read it, I’ve never heard it before!
 
First of all, if God wished to have Mary, an angel, a saint, or anyone else in Heaven appear on earth or do something on earth, He could do it. Scripture shows he frequently sends angels to earth to deliver messages or perform tasks. God is not limited, and Heaven is not a spatial place with a gate that you can’t pass through. Heaven is being in God’s presence. One can be connected to God while on an errand from God to earth. However, please be aware that Catholics are not required to believe apparitions and locutions and any other private revelations that happened after the closing of the deposit of faith, not even if the Vatican or a bishop approved the private revelation. Some Catholics believe in them and some don’t, and that’s okay.

Second, Mary doesn’t have to appear or send a locution to protect you. Just ask her to help and she will. The ways she does it are known to her and God.
 
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violeta9 said:
I understand the Virgin Mary has special status as the first among saints, the Mother of God and spiritual Mother of mankind
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This is a very good formulation for understanding the Virgin Mary’s special role in Catholicism. Thank you for sharing it.
The idea of intercession can go beyond someone, e.g., praying for you and resulting in some grace of favour from God. It can take on a more “concrete,” so to speak, role: as in an action (prayer too is of course an act/action). God Himself could choose to, e.g., send an angel or holy soul to intervene on someone’s behalf (as he sent an angel to free Saint Peter form prison), helping them to resist or turn away from or avoid evil or, in a word, to ‘deliver them from evil.’ This doesn’t take anything away from God but even makes sense, as God desires unity and love in His Church for not only Himself but for each other: obviously, special acts of charity - and certainly being delivered from an evil - would build up love (which is edifying), appreciation and affection among “the communion of saints,” that is, the faithful.
Ultimately, of course, such graces still proceed from God and are directed and oriented to God; but I don’t think angels and saints in heaven are to be thought of as like automatons or mere instruments, they are also persons or personal beings.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
Heaven is not a spatial place with a gate that you can’t pass through. Heaven is being in God’s presence.
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That’s very thought-provoking, it reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:2, where Saint Paul was both alive and on earth, and taken up to heaven!
Tis_Bearself said:
The ways she does it are known to her and God.
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I appreciate this comment. Perhaps sometimes I dig too far trying to find answers and overthink things 😉 Sometimes we are not given an exact explanation, and that’s okay.
 
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My answer is thus:

Dear Mother Mary, you have been honored, blessed, and gifted by God.

You are our mother because in figure of John, Jesus gave us to you as your children as He hung dying on the cross.

We ask you to speak to God on our behalf, for it was through your faith that Jesus first manifested His power at Cana, thus beginning His work before the appointed time.
Although it concerned neither life nor death, nor eternal salvation but the human feelings of others, He granted your trusting prayer.

Such was your faith, and God’s love for you, Saint of all saints! Therefore, we trust our prayer to Your faith in God! Please intercede for us before God for what we need in service of God, and all that we desire for each other. Through God’s grace you feel the aching of our hearts and hear our longing prayers. You behold our faith, our repentance, and our love.

Stand not silently by, Mother! Our Father, your Son, and the Holy Spirit who overshadowed you and blessed you with our Saviour—They will not refuse your intercession for all that is according to God’s will!

We stand humbly before you, Mother, and entreat you with our hearts, minds, and spirits…Mother!
 
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Mary is your mother. Our Lady protects her children through her intercession and her love pushes the devil away from us and helps us fight temptations. Welcome to the Catholic Church, I’m a convert myself!
 
I grew up Protestant. I was received into the R.C. Church 29 years ago.

Praying to saints can seem odd at first. But then you realize, the saints are our friends. You can talk to the Blessed Mother with formal prayers, aspirations, or in your own words. She’s our Mother. She loves us. When I was going through a period of doubt many years ago, I would say, in my mind, “Blessed Mother, I can’t pray right now. Please pray for me.” She got me through it. And always, she leads us back to her Son. “Do whatever He tells you to do.”

To honor the Blessed Mother, you can simply say what comes into your heart, “Blessed Mother, I love. you. Thank you for praying for me.”

I hope that helps. God bless you.
 
Welcome home, OP!

I’m a convert too, thankfully.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!
Saint Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, defend us in the battle!
 
@violeta9

Dear Friend in Christ:

Welcome to the CAF prayer community. I pray you find many blessings here. ✞
 
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