Just how close is Mary to us?

[Colorad007]

I know that Mary has a glorified body in Heaven, which is her proper dwelling place. But I try to picture where she actually is when I"m praying to her. So, where exactly is she? Can she rest in our hearts? Our souls? Or better yet, does she rest there? Is she intimately present in the way that God is–like right there in our midst? Thanks for your help.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I know that Mary has a glorified body in Heaven, which is her proper dwelling place. But I try to picture where she actually is when I"m praying to her. So, where exactly is she? Can she rest in our hearts? Our souls? Or better yet, does she rest there? Is she intimately present in the way that God is–like right there in our midst? Thanks for your help.

Spiritually speaking, she is in your heart. You can “picture” whatever you want - there really isn’t a geographic coordinate that applies here.

*Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others *

 

[DavidFilmer]

Mary is the greatest of all the Saints, but she is still a Saint, and is not fundamentally different in nature than any other Saint.

She resides in heaven. Like all Saints, she cannot transcend heaven and be physically present with us except by a miracle of God. You may occasionally see prayers or devotionals that seem to ascribe supernatural properties to Mary (such as dwelling in our hearts or souls), but this is more poetic license than theological doctrine.

However, like all Saints, she is “in communion” with us - she is “aware” of us, and cares for us, and she can “hear” our petitions of prayer, and she can offer prayers on our behalf. Scripture tells us that the prayers of the righteous are particularly effective (James 5:16), so we believe that Mary’s prayers pack a pretty good wallop.

 

[TimothyH]

Mary is the greatest of all the Saints, but she is still a Saint, and is not fundamentally different in nature than any other Saint.

She resides in heaven. Like all Saints, she cannot transcend heaven and be physically present with us except by a miracle of God. You may occasionally see prayers or devotionals that seem to ascribe supernatural properties to Mary (such as dwelling in our hearts or souls), but this is more poetic license than theological doctrine.

However, like all Saints, she is “in communion” with us - she is “aware” of us, and cares for us, and she can “hear” our petitions of prayer, and she can offer prayers on our behalf. Scripture tells us that the prayers of the righteous are particularly effective (James 5:16), so we believe that Mary’s prayers pack a pretty good wallop.

Mary is fundamentally different from all creatures. No other saint was created without sin, but Mary was given that singular gift, which no other creature was ever given.

Mary’s glory exceedes all the angels combined, and all the saints combined. She is the pinnacle of creation, God’s perfect creature. No other creature can make that claim.

There is no honor too great for Mary, except for the honor due to her Son.

-Tim-

 

[Colorad007]

Spiritually speaking, she is in your heart. You can “picture” whatever you want - there really isn’t a geographic coordinate that applies here.

*Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others *

But Mary’s physical body is spiritualized, right? But that doesn’t mean that Mary is also physically present in our hearts, does it?

 

[DavidFilmer]

Mary is fundamentally different from all creatures.

Not in her nature (ontologically). It is rather important that she has a human nature (like us). This is where Jesus’ human nature comes from. If Mary was different in nature, it would present all sorts of theological problems.

And, besides, this is the doctrine of the Church.

 

[JonNC]

Mary is the greatest of all the Saints, but she is still a Saint, and is not fundamentally different in nature than any other Saint.

She resides in heaven. Like all Saints, she cannot transcend heaven and be physically present with us except by a miracle of God. You may occasionally see prayers or devotionals that seem to ascribe supernatural properties to Mary (such as dwelling in our hearts or souls), but this is more poetic license than theological doctrine.

However, like all Saints, she is “in communion” with us - she is “aware” of us, and cares for us, and she can “hear” our petitions of prayer, and she can offer prayers on our behalf. Scripture tells us that the prayers of the righteous are particularly effective (James 5:16), so we believe that Mary’s prayers pack a pretty good wallop.

With the exception of the highlighted, I agree with this. On the highlighted, I’m not saying she doesn’t. I’m saying I don’t know.

Jon

 

[TimothyH]

With the exception of the highlighted, I agree with this. On the highlighted, I’m not saying she doesn’t. I’m saying I don’t know.

Jon

That Mary hears our prayers is revealed truth.

-Tim-

 

[Francis93]

Mary may have ascended into heaven to be with the Holy Trinity but she is always here present together with her Son. She listens to us through the Holy Spirit whenever we pray to them through the Rosary.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Personally, I like to think that our prayers are taken to heaven and read before the heavenly court by angels (messengers), as the angel Raphael describes in the Book of Tobit:
I can now tell you that when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord. (Tobit 12:12)

 

[bmonk]

But Mary’s physical body is spiritualized, right? But that doesn’t mean that Mary is also physically present in our hearts, does it?

I think the usual term is “glorified”: she already enjoys the fullness of being body and soul in heavenly glory. It’s similar to Jesus after the resurrection in his glorified body–I’m not sure if it’s exactly the same–perhaps we will have to wait until we get to heaven and ask.

But more important is that the saints are “in communion” with us, as we profess in the Apostle’s Creed. In other words, as Catholics we believe that Jesus really has defeated death, and that so the Body of Christ, the Church, is not divided by death, but that those still in this earthly life, those in purgatory, and those in heaven, are in communion.

 

[JonNC]

That Mary hears our prayers is revealed truth.

-Tim-

Hi Tim,
I think you correctly present the view of Catholics and Orthodoxy, and I as a Lutheran do not take that agreed-upon view lightly. It certainly influences my opinion, as evidenced by my refusal to out-right deny it.

Jon

 

[Colorad007]

Mary is the greatest of all the Saints, but she is still a Saint, and is not fundamentally different in nature than any other Saint.

She resides in heaven. Like all Saints, she cannot transcend heaven and be physically present with us except by a miracle of God. You may occasionally see prayers or devotionals that seem to ascribe supernatural properties to Mary (such as dwelling in our hearts or souls), but this is more poetic license than theological doctrine.

However, like all Saints, she is “in communion” with us - she is “aware” of us, and cares for us, and she can “hear” our petitions of prayer, and she can offer prayers on our behalf. Scripture tells us that the prayers of the righteous are particularly effective (James 5:16), so we believe that Mary’s prayers pack a pretty good wallop.

Here’s what I have trouble with: if Mary is physically in Heaven alone, then that would still place her literally in our presence, because, as the YouCat and also, I think, the CCC, states, Heaven is not a physical place but rather wherever God is. Since God is infinite and imminent, then Heaven can be in us, around us, near us, etc. If Mary is in Heaven, then wouldn’t that also put her in us, around us, near us, etc.? But since she is, I would imagine, not infinite like God, how can she be in multiple places like that?