Struggling with devotion to Mary

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Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
 
I picked up 2 books from Sophia Press that may be helpful for you. One is titled Always Inspired:Why Bible-Believing Christians Need the Catholic Church, and the other is The Scriptural Roots of Catholic Teaching.
Catholics often point to the first miracle at Cana as to why we pray for Mary’s intercession. The Scriptural Roots… goes back even further to Mary’s visitation with Elizabeth and the response of the older woman,“How have I deserved to be visited by my the Mother of my Lord?” Luke devotes 2 full chapters to Mary at the beginning of his Gospel which shows her significance in salvation history. As the Mother of Our Lord, she is the Ark of the New Covenant, always pointing to Christ.
Pope John Paul II calls the Rosary a Christocentric prayer although it is Marian in character because of its contemplative dimension. Without that contemplative dimension it loses its meaning. As we pray the rosary, we reflect on the life of Christ, and in this way we stay centered on Our Lord. Through our contemplation of the mysteries “we are in communion with Jesus through the heart of His mother.”
As a catechist, I learned single words and simple phrases to add to the name of Jesus in the Hail Mary to keep myself even more centered on the mysteries of the rosary and on Christ.

Years ago, a Marian priest simply asked the question, “What man would not be happy if you brought flowers to his mother?” Scott Hahn uses the image of the moon reflecting the rays of the sun. The sun is certainly not jealous. Lately, I have been thinking about how young infants cuddle in the arms of their mother. Mary is the Mother of the Church. Christ gave His Mother to us at the foot of the cross.
 
If you’ve done the consecreation using Fr. Gaitley’s book I do recommend reading DeMonteforte’s “True Devotion to Mary”. It goes over all the reasons for honoring Mary.
 
All you can do by getting close to Our Lady is come closer to Christ. Seems paradoxical but it is very true!!

It’s an experiential thing.
 
Thank you all for your help so far. I was on fire for the Blessed Mother for the longest time. I guess I just became lukewarm. I suppose this is a temptation from the evil one to lure me astray.
 
You would be “overemphasizing Mary” if you were worshiping her like God. Or treating here like she was the “fourth member of the Trinity.”

I recommend listening to/reading recommend the following:

– Father Gaitley’s Consoling the Heart of Jesus (which is the next book after 33 Days) lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/consoling-the-heart-of-jesus-book?promoCode=104130

– Father Gaitley’s The Second Greatest Story Ever Told (book) which is currently free from Lighthouse (just pay for shipping) lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-second-greatest-story-ever-told-book?promoCode=104130

– Father Gaitley’s The One Thing is Three book which is the third book after 33 Days lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-one-thing-is-three-book?promoCode=104130

– Father Gaitley’s *The Second Greatest Story Ever Told *(CD) lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-second-greatest-story-ever-told?promoCode=104130

– Deacon Mark Miravalle, S.T.D Meet Your Mother: An Introduction to Mary (CD)
lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/meet-your-mother-an-introduction-to-mary?promoCode=104130

– Deacon Mark Miravalle, S.T.D Meet Your Mother (book)
lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/meet-your-mother-book?promoCode=104130

Plus so many more, like Tim Staples’ book, books from Dr. Scott Hahn, etc.

Actually, there are so many, that I think I’ll do a blog post about different Marian resources out there (later this week). Once I write it, I will post it here.

God Bless!
 
strings385 said:
Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
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At the risk of getting flamed (it’s happened before)…😃

No you are not wrong in your feeling. Yes it is possible to be too devoted to Mary precisely for the reason that you mention above.
If you find that it is taking your focus off of Jesus then there is something not right.

My suggestion is that you spend some time directly with Jesus. You have asked Mary to teach you and to lead you to her Son…So consider that she has. Consider that she now WANTS you to spend less time with her and more time with Jesus.
So don’t be afraid of adjusting your devotional practices to focus less on Mary and more on Jesus.

Peace
James
 
+JMJ+
JRKH said:
At the risk of getting flamed (it’s happened before)…😃

No you are not wrong in your feeling. Yes it is possible to be too devoted to Mary precisely for the reason that you mention above.
If you find that it is taking your focus off of Jesus then there is something not right.

My suggestion is that you spend some time directly with Jesus. You have asked Mary to teach you and to lead you to her Son…So consider that she has. Consider that she now WANTS you to spend less time with her and more time with Jesus.
So don’t be afraid of adjusting your devotional practices to focus less on Mary and more on Jesus.

Peace
James
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This is a very good suggestion. To be honest, I am finding that Marian devotion is more of a kind of solid food that those new to the Catholic faith would find hard to eat (cf. 1 Cor 2:21). Let Jesus Himself introduce you to His mother.
 
JRKH said:
At the risk of getting flamed (it’s happened before)…😃

No you are not wrong in your feeling. Yes it is possible to be too devoted to Mary precisely for the reason that you mention above.
If you find that it is taking your focus off of Jesus then there is something not right.

My suggestion is that you spend some time directly with Jesus. You have asked Mary to teach you and to lead you to her Son…So consider that she has. Consider that she now WANTS you to spend less time with her and more time with Jesus.
So don’t be afraid of adjusting your devotional practices to focus less on Mary and more on Jesus.

Peace
James
Click to expand...
:okpeople::nunchuk::crutches::nunchuk: :stretcher:
 
strings385 said:
Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
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This Message was confided by Our Lord to Berthe Petit, a humble Franciscan Tertiary, born on January 23, 1870, at Enghien, Belgium:

“Teach souls to love the Heart of My Mother pierced by the very sorrows which pierced Mine.”

brizek.com/prayer/pieta.htm
 
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Keep calm and love the Immaculata.
 
strings385 said:
Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
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The Mystical City of God: Life of the Virgin Mother of God, manifested to Sister Mary of Jesus of Agreda:

Excerpt :

The dragon in agonizing efforts to escape,
said 😮 Woman, give me leave to hurl myself into hell,
for I cannot bear thy presence, nor will I ever venture to
come before Thee as long as Thou livest upon this world.
Thou hast conquered, O Woman, Thou hast conquered,
and I acknowledge thy power in Him who has made
Thee his Mother. Omnipotent God, chastise us Thyself,
since we cannot resist Thee

but do not send thy punishments
through a Woman of a nature so inferior to ours.
Her charity consumes us, her humility crushes us, and
She is in all things a living manifestation of thy mercy
for men. This is a torment surpassing many others.
Assist me, ye demons! But alas, what can our united
efforts avail against this Woman, since all our power
cannot ever deliver us from her presence until She her
self casts us forth? O foolish children of Adam, who
follow me, forsaking life for the sake of death, truth or
falsehood? What absurdity and insanity
is yours, (so
in despair I must confess), since you have in your midst
and belonging to your own nature the incarnate Word
and this Woman ? Greater is your ingratitude than mine
and this Woman forces me to confess the truths, which
I abhor with all my heart. Cursed be my resolve to
persecute this Daughter of Adam, who so torments and
crushes me!
themostholyrosary.com/mystical-city.htm
 
I am relieved to hear that someone else struggles with this. I have found it very hard to relate to Our Lady and this is mainly due to the fact that I have often felt pressurised to do this as a catholic. This has improved through prayer and through trying to understand that she was once a real mother like me. Also she carried out God’s will unquestionably.

I also have had problems relating to some of the saints. I had to put away St. Faustina’s diary because while I absolutely love the Divine Mercy I found it hard to relate to her diary.
 
To understand this.

Jesus loves Mary so much, that when you honour her, who is God’s greatest masterpiece, the praise falls back to God.
By praising the painting, you praise the Artist.

Read for free downloadable in the public domain as an ebook; or read online;

“Secret of the Rosary” and “True Devotion to Mary” by St Louis de Monfort. Best books on Our Lady I have ever read.

Did not Our Lady say at Fatima; “The Heavenly Father wishes to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart.”

Also;
If you knew a King, and learned that the quickest.way to get the King’s help.was to ask the King’s mother to ask the King for you, would you not do that?

You can ask me to pray for you, or ask a saint in Heaven, but why not ask Jesus’ Mother to pray for you? She does have the most powerful intercession than all the saints praying for you.combined together.
strings385 said:
Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
Click to expand...
 
Look how many christian faiths were led to disregard parts of Mary’s role.

Our Lady crushes satan’s head. That’s biblical. The closer you are to Our Lady, the closer you are to God.

Also;
Our aim is to love Mary to glorify God.
Our Lady was the greatest saint who walked the earth. Never sinned once. She was closest to our Lord. She was his mother. She can help us imitate Jesus much more than on our own.

Its also humility, “Lord I am not worthy to approach you with my own prayers, so I will pray to you with Our Lady, and ask her to give you my prayers. Because anything Our Lady gives you is pleasing to you and you will refuse her nothing.”

Jesus answers her requests. His first miracle at Cana was because she asked Him to help the married couple.
strings385 said:
Hello. Lately, I’ve been struggling with devotion to Mary. I am a new convert to the Catholic faith (Easter Vigil 2014) and I come from a Protestant background. I understand and believe all of the Marian doctrines and I have had a great love and devotion to Mary. I enjoy praying the Rosary and I even have made the consecration to Jesus through Mary using Fr. Gaitley’s book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. Lately though, I have been struggling with my devotion to Mary. I’m thinking it has something to do with my Protestant upbringing, but I feel like sometimes that devotion to Mary takes the focus off of Jesus. Am I wrong in feeling this or is it possible to overemphasize Mary? If so, how do we know when we start to over emphasize Mary?
Click to expand...
 
backtocatholic said:
I am relieved to hear that someone else struggles with this. I have found it very hard to relate to Our Lady and this is mainly due to the fact that** I have often felt pressurized to do this as a catholic**. This has improved through prayer and through trying to understand that she was once a real mother like me. Also she carried out God’s will unquestionably.

I also have had problems relating to some of the saints. I had to put away St. Faustina’s diary because while I absolutely love the Divine Mercy I found it hard to relate to her diary.
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To the bolded…This troubles me also. While the intent might be good, pushing someone is simply not the way AND I cannot see Mary being happy with those who apply such pressure.

Peace
James
 
Just to clarify - the pressure wasn’t from anyone in particular but rather as a result of my view of catholics formed as a child. As an adult I have come back to the faith and it is taking me some time to truly understand the faith. I am trying to ensure that there is sincerity about my beliefs. I do place a value on Mary and I am actively trying to pray the rosary but all of this has been a very gradual process.
 
backtocatholic said:
Just to clarify - the pressure wasn’t from anyone in particular but rather as a result of my view of catholics formed as a child. As an adult I have come back to the faith and it is taking me some time to truly understand the faith. I am trying to ensure that there is sincerity about my beliefs. I do place a value on Mary and I am actively trying to pray the rosary but all of this has been a very gradual process.
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LOL. Sorry but I don’t see any problem with you. I can relate with your experiences. I am sure many of us, one way or the other must have gone through that phase. Dryness, doubt, even some “rebellious behaviour”.

All I can say is keep on praying. If not to Mary then to Jesus. Tell Him to about all your doubt.

Sooner or later then I am sure you’ll be drawn back to Her. Why? Because Her way is the easiest way to Jesus. LOL.😃

Even the greatest saints have also their moment of doubt and dryness. And also it’s not a one time occurence either. It can happen again and again. Like you said it could be the devil. But isn’t it in this time of weakness that Jesus’ mercy and Mary’s loving care will be made even apparent? As long as we keep our faith and hope in Him through Her.

Cheers and Have Peace.
 
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