Trying to understand Blessed Mary

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savedbyfaith1 said:
Has the Roman Catholic Church made the true, blessed, and humble Mary the Queen of Heaven?
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Please do not derail the OP’s thread by making it all about your apologetics issues. As humbleseeker suggested, you can look up one of the dozens of other threads on this issue, or make your own, but you arguing this point is off topic to the question the OP asked. This is also the second thread where you’ve come in and tried to derail or sow doubt about somebody else’s question regarding Catholic teaching. Please stop.
 
Marian devotion seems to have began very early in the Church. One of the earliest examples, near the end of the first century, might be the woman in Revelation 12, who is described as being in heaven, “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (v. 1), and being not only the mother of the male “who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron” (v. 5) but also the mother of all “who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.” (v. 17)

By the middle of the second century, Christians were certainly comparing Mary to Eve, in much the same way Paul had earlier compared Jesus to Adam. (See Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22) They wrote about how mankind, which fell through the disobedience of the man Adam and the virgin Eve, was saved in a manner similar to the way it fell, namely, through the obedience of the man Jesus and the Virgin Mary. (See Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter 100; Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 22, Paragraph 4; Book 5, Chapter 19, Paragraph 1) Irenaeus referred to the Virgin Mary as “the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race” (3:22:4) and said that the fallen human race “is rescued by” her. (5:19:1)
 
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You do not think the remaining Apostles who were around Mary after Jesus death were not devoted to her?
 
Catholics highly revere the Virgin Mary but they adore her son, Jesus Christ, understanding that they are sort of a “dynamic duo.” This deliberate pairing of Mary with Jesus seems to be found throughout Sacred Scripture:

Genesis 3:15 prophetically talks about both the woman and her offspring.
Psalms 86:16 and 116:16 prophetically talk about both the handmaid of the Lord and the servant of the Lord, her son.
Isaiah 7:14 prophetically talks about both the virgin and her son.
Revelation 12 prophetically talks about both the woman and her son.
Matthew 2:11 talks about both the mother and her son.
Luke 2:34 prophetically talks about both Mary and her son.
John 2:11 describes how both Mary and Jesus were involved in his first sign.
Mark 6:3 unconventionally identifies Jesus as the son of Mary.
John 19, at the cross, when our redemption was won, we find both Mary and Jesus.
 
Tshort said:
With all due respect, I don’t understand all of the Marian doctrine and prayers. I love this woman and what an amazing individual she had to be but I’m still trying to understand the Catholic side of this topic. Sometimes it looks like worship and I can’t get on board with that. Help me understand and I would live some book reccomendations?
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Well it is worship! but not adoration. Adoration is reserved for God.

Worship
Acknowledgment of another’s worth, dignity, or superior position. In religion, worship is given either to God, and then it is adoration, or to the angels and saints, and it is called veneration.
  • Divine worship actually includes three principal acts, namely adoration (or the recognition of God’s infinite perfection), prayer or the asking for divine help, and sacrifice or the offering of something precious to God.
  • Worship as veneration also has three principal forms, whereby the angels and saints are honored for their sanctity, asked to intercede before the divine Majesty, and imitated in their love and service of God.
(Etym. Old English weorthscipe, honor, dignity, reverence: weorth , worth +ship.)
Modern Catholic Dictionary - Bad Filename - Access Denied
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Thank you, words do matter.

I wish we could start a “take back language” movement…
 
Book recommendations:
  • True Devotion to Mary, St Louis Marie de Montfort
  • The Secret of Mary, St Louis Marie de Montfort
  • The Secret of the Rosary, St Louis Marie de Montfort
  • Immaculate Conception and the Holy Spirit - The Marian Teachings of Father Kolbe, Fr. H.M. Manteau-Bonamy, O.P.
  • Kolbe, Saint of the Immaculata, edited by Br. Francis M. Kalvelage
  • The Kolbe Reader - The Writings of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, Fr. Anselm W. Romb
  • All for the Immaculata - Conferences of St. Maximilian Kolbe 1919-1937, edited by Br. Robert Cook
  • One More Gift - Total Consecration to the Immaculata According to the Spirituality of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Fr. Luigi Faccenda
 
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I strongly recommend Brad Pitre’s new book on the Jewish roots of Mary. It is incredible.
 
Get the book: Brant Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary. Very uplifting book.
 
I can’t imagine what it must have been for her to watch the terrible murder of her son. Trying to understand Mary would make it necessary to understand her as she stood under the cross.
 
Admiration: overwhelming feeling of reverence/respect to a person, practice, place or thing that is holy, grand, sublime, extremely powerful.

Similar terms: awe, respect, revere, honor, venerate

Ie. admiration of Mary, the Saints, for a particular prayer or place etc…

Adoration: 1. A willing submission of self to God expressed by the interior as well as the exterior in one’s actions, ie, sign of the cross, genuflecting, prostrating oneself, prayers - vocal or in silence. 2. Refers to a devotional practice of Eucharistic Adoration, in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Host.

Catechism of the Catholic Church(CCC):

Adoration is the first act of the virtue of religion. To adore God is to acknowledge him as God, as the Creator and Savior, CCC #2096

Worship: Worship requires adoration and sacrifice. The central act of worship of the Catholic Church is in celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist in the holy mass; in Jesus Christ in his redeeming work, especially his sacrifice for the sake of all.

Worship is reserved to God alone; given to a creature becomes idolatry.

Your shall have no other God’s before me. (First Commandment)

Luke 4:8_
And Jesus answering said to him: It is written: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Douay Rheims)

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Kings James Version)

Veneration: 1. The act of honoring Mary, angels, the Saints or their relics, blessed items like the Rosary beads/scapular, Christian icons or statues. 2. Honoring a person who has been identified as having a high degree of sanctity or holiness. 3. Honoring the servants of God for their service/holiness & intercession. 4. Veneration is practiced with, for, in, by, to God as its main intention and end.

Similar Terms: honor, revere, admire/admiration

Mary as the Mother of God is deserving of being venerated above all creatures.

God created her, chose her, prepared her, and gave her a choice… yes or no… in order to bring Jesus Christ & salvation into a fallen world.

:rose:Her YES, her fiat, always leads to her son, Jesus Christ. That is her purpose, her mission, her work; leading all to Jesus. Jesus is a perfect son who loves his mother very much. And for those that love his mother too do benefit great blessings as well.
 
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