Praying to Mary

[Cari]

But some Protestants have a valid point about excessive displays of “reverence” paid by Catholics to statues, pictures, et al. I would personally prefer to see sacred Christian art “considered” rather than “fussed-over.” Statuary and icons may be cherished and revered as material things representing and conveying truths that inspire and teach us, or lift our minds to the Divine (just as the ink letter-IMAGES of scripture do), but I find no point in dressing statues in gowns or jewels and grovelling before them. Christian art can be properly revered without such excess.

I understand your point on this part. I personally, am not one to engage in dressing up statues, but I can understand the type of person who finds the giving of material gifts to be one of their ways of expressing love.

Some people express love most comfortably through service, others through words, some through gifts. I think those who dress up statues fall into the last category. Their overwhelming love for Our Lord, Our Lady, and the saints manifests itself in a desire to gift them with material goods. Since statues are meant to be a representation of that which is no longer available to us physically, the statues become the recipreant of the baubles.

Again, not a practice I engage in (though I do wish my kids wouldn’t keep moving my statue of Our Lady because they play with her), it is understandable in my mind.

Of course, that’s one of those things I call “Advanced Catholicism”, and not something I’d immediately launch into with someone who still insists we worship Our Lady.

C

 

[dylkow]

You guys have given me more answers than I expected! Thanks again for putting your time into these posts.

 

[DLC]

Q, What Bible verse tells us that Mary is an intercessor for us or for that matter for many one? Jesus is our only intercessor.
1 Tim 2:5-7
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimonygiven at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
NASU

I hope this helps.

Darrel

 

[aaronjmagnan]

Jesus is the intercessor between God and men, that is, between the Father, and Himself. That is no doubt. Was and is Mary human? Yes! Thus, can Jesus intercede for Mary who is praying for us? Yes! Anyway, everyone should try asking Mary to pray for them! It’s not a sin if you’re not Catholic! They might be surprised by the results.

God bless
Aaron

 

[Franciscan]

Q, What Bible verse tells us that Mary is an intercessor for us or for that matter for many one? Jesus is our only intercessor.
1 Tim 2:5-7
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimonygiven at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
NASU

I hope this helps.

Darrel

Hey Darrel, I don’t know if you read through each post of this thread. I suspect that maybe you have not.
Question for You: Do you ever pray for your family?

 

[jimmy85]

You guys have given me more answers than I expected! Thanks again for putting your time into these posts.

Mary wasent a vessel if you call someone a vessel youa re forgeting the love that God has to men. God didnt needed Mary but he wanted his son to be born from Mary shes more blessed than all the propets of the old testament.

On the acts of the apostoles Jesus said to Saul: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Saul persecuted the church and the christians this show how attach they are to Jesus and how the saints n teh church lead to Jesus.

Even Luther n Calvin had a deep devotion to Mary. so noone really knows why protestans stoped praying to her.
but sicne the first century the first christians have prayed to her and to the saints n martyrs in order that they will lead them to Jesus.

 

[CatholismRox]

Jesus chose Mary to become like us. Body, flesh he got from Mary. He chose to become like us to save us.

 

[Cari]

Q, What Bible verse tells us that Mary is an intercessor for us or for that matter for many one? Jesus is our only intercessor.
1 Tim 2:5-7
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimonygiven at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
NASU
l

I don’t know if you’re a church goer, but if you are, doesn’t your church have some sort of prayer chain, or prayer request section in your weekly program? This common practice in all Christian denominations is the same as asking Our Lady to pray for us.

Maybe it would help to understand the difference between being a mediator and an intercessor. From American Heritage Dictionary:

me·di·a·tor n.
One that mediates, especially one that reconciles differences between disputants.

in·ter·ces·sion n.
Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or petition to God in behalf of another.

So yes, only Jesus can bridge the chasm sin has caused between humanity and God. No one here is claiming that’s what Mary does.

C