Struggling with devotion to Mary

[Credendum]

A bit more…

Kings and Queens demand respect and some sign—usually a visible, bodily action—to demonstrate that proper respect and homage is being given. It is not usually required in democratic societies such as the United States where a simple handshake with the President seems to suffice. But in a monarchy, even in England today, the intelligent and cultured Evangelical Protestant would not refuse to bow to the Queen saying, “Oh no. To bow is to worship; to kneel is to worship and I certainly can’t do that!” Heavens no, no more than great Christian men and women in ancient times would not fail to bow to the Queen with no fear of committing the internal sin of idolatry—no more than Israelites failed to bow or prostrate themselves before their human king without ever once confusing it with worship.

 

[Pax1972]

As a former protestant myself, I can totally identity with the lingering cognitive dissonance you describe with respect to the Blessed Mother.

I avoided the matter, at least sub-consciously, for the first 9-10 years after my conversion out of a desire to avoid anything that I believed may threaten my devotion to the One True Church.

However, over the past few months I found myself being drawn to the Rosary and began praying it on a regular basis. As strange as it sounds, and despite the fact that the prayer is obviously closely associated with our Blessed Mother, I still had no conscious awareness of just how closely it is related to her. This is probably a major understatement since it is her prayer.

Anyway, in the course of praying the Rosary and meditating on the mysteries, and the Sorrowful Mysteries in particular, I was one day stunned to find myself face-to-face with Mary in a spiritual sense. I suddenly KNEW and had the beginning of a fuller understanding of who she is. It was deeply moving and has continued to be so. Strangely enough, this occurred the Friday before Mother’s Day. I tend not to believe in coincidences in matters such as this.

During this time, I had also developed a strong desire to increase my involvement in a lay ministry or ministries at our parish - and there are many very active ministries. One morning as I drove into work, I had just finished praying the Rosary and reached to turn on the radio. Something stopped me and I sensed that I was being urged to complete my commute in silence. Suddenly I heard a very soft, but distinct voice whisper to my soul. All this voice said was, “Legion of Mary.” I had no idea what Legion of Mary was, but looked into it as soon as I got to work. To avoid lengthening an already long story, I’ll just conclude by sharing that I will be making my promise as a regular member of the Legion within the next week or so.

If you seek her, even only half-knowingly, she will come. And she will lead you into a closer relationship with her and her beloved son and graciously give you an incredibly beautiful understanding of the graces she mediates on our behalf when we seek her.

Peace.

 

[Bl_Pope_Pius_IX]

I am a Catholic convert from protestantism. When I think of devotion to Mary, I still hear the little protestant voice inside my head say, “Jesus died for your sins, not Mary.” That is absolutely true.
I have an intellectual understanding of devotion to Mary, yet emotionally, I’m still afraid that Jesus will take a back seat.

Can someone please help me with this?

Just always remember, that anyone who does not have Mary for his mother does not have God for his father. No Heavenly gift is given to men which does not pass through her virginal hands. In time, those thoughts and your struggles will be lifted. Until then, pray on them, and offer your sufferings up along with the sufferings of Our Lady on Calvary.

Ave Maria.

~ Pius :knight1:

 

[SophiaLector]

I grew up in a fundamentalist church in which knowledge of Scripture was paramount. This is good; however, my upbringing was so sola-scripture-oriented that that’s where my mind goes first, like a knee-jerk reaction.

I’m not here to argue against devotion to Mary; I want all objections to devotion to Mary to be out of my mind and heart. That’s why I’m bringing up the protestant objections that linger in my mind, so that I can deconstruct them.

(((HUG))) I’m a convert from Fundie Protestantism, too. The first time I prayed the Rosary I BAWLED LIKE A BABY. I thought I was doing something wrong. I apologized to Jesus over and over and over if I was hurting Him. This makes me laugh through grateful tears now, all these years later.

Listen:
Mary, your Mother, loves Jesus Christ like no other human being has ever or will ever love Him. Her whole job is to show you how to love Him the way she does and to pray for you because – guess what? She. Loves. You. She gave you her greatest treasure – her Son! Trust Mama. She will only EVER lead you to Jesus. Nowhere else. And don’t worry!

I’m praying a Hail Mary for you right now.

 

[Della]

(((HUG))) I’m a convert from Fundie Protestantism, too. The first time I prayed the Rosary I BAWLED LIKE A BABY. I thought I was doing something wrong. I apologized to Jesus over and over and over if I was hurting Him. This makes me laugh through grateful tears now, all these years later.

I can so relate to this! I was in a Pentecostal sect for about 20 years and had the same hang-ups about Mary. One day I decided to pray the Rosary to try to understand Mary’s role as intercessor (this after a lot of struggling over many years). I started out with the fears that I was not only putting Mary in Jesus’ place but that I was committing a terrible act of idolatry–a double whammy! But, as I started praying I felt Mary take my hands like a mother guiding her daughter’s first baby steps, encouraging me and allaying all my fears.

Now, after being Catholic for more than 20 years, I have realized that by denying their people access to Mary and teaching them to ignore her what those who do so are really doing (although they are probably not aware of it) is denying the fullness of the Incarnation. They very much want Jesus as a divine person, able to do whatever they want him to, but they don’t want Jesus the man, suffering as we suffer and asking us to take up our cross daily. And worse, they keep thousands from the full benefits of the sacraments Christ established by keeping their people away from the Church Christ founded, based on their lack of understanding of Mary’s role in salvation–a role she is still fulfilling and will continue to fulfill until Christ comes again.

 

[chipeto]

Wow! What great info on this thread!

I have the same problem as OP, devotion to Mary just seems so…foreign. I do pray the rosary (almost) daily.

 

[Della]

Wow! What great info on this thread!

I have the same problem as OP, devotion to Mary just seems so…foreign. I do pray the rosary (almost) daily.

If you have no problems with the theological aspects then it’s really just a cultural barrier, don’t you think? I ran up against the same thing having come from both a Pentecostal and an Episcopalian background. We never mentioned Mary in my former denominations except at Christmas time, and then, in the Pentecostal sect, it was a grudging acknowledgement that she may have had something to do with our having Jesus. When you come out of such denial–a culture of denial–it can be hard to adjust how to think and feel about something we’ve never dealt with or about which we had no experience.

I decided to delve into the writings of the great saints, such as St. Alphonsus de Liguori, in order to begin to assimulate Catholic sensibility and understanding. Besides praying the Rosary, that is. Also, reciting the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary was helpful in absorbing the “atmosphere” of proper Marian devotion. The more we understand the Marian doctrines and dogmas support Church teaching about Christ more than they tell us about Mary, the more we love both Jesus and Mary for fulfilling their individual calling and God-given missions.