Dedication to Mary

[ZiSunka]

A friend on mine is having her baby baptized on saturday, and then having the baby dedicated to Mary.

What is that about? I've never heard of it before and I don't know what to expect.

 

[isshinwhat]

Here is a prayer that might be said, but at any rate pretty much sums up what dedication is all about.

Dedication to Mary, Mother of God

O Mary, Mother of God and our mother,

we offer ourselves to your loving care.

Today we choose you as our mother, guide and friend.

May we always be faithful to you,

and desire, say and do only what is pleasing to you.

O most tender and loving mother,

we beg you through the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, your divine Son,

to keep us especially dear to you

and to obtain for us the strength to lead a holy life,

a life of goodness, purity and love,

offered to God in thanksgiving and praise.

Be present with us at all times, O Blessed Virgin Mary,

and especially at the hour of our death.

Then Mary protect us from the Evil One, the enemy of our souls.

Guide us safely into the presence of Jesus, the Risen Lord,

so that we may, with you and all the saints,

share His life, happiness and love, for ever.

Amen.

 

[devoted]

This is what I have been posting to sOuljha about in the C/P/J section.

 

[Stormy]

This does seem to read as if Mary is being asked to do that of a supernatural nature. Are Saints made to have supernatural powers over the living as that of an angel?

I know that God made the angels to be supernatural, so now am I to understand, that certain humans can obtain to this level.

Others might see this as Mary worship but I do not. I however do see it as asking for a guardian angel. Is Mary now angelic?

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Stormy-

Mary is even higher than an angel! Gabriel saluted her as a superior, "Hail Mary! Full of Grace!"

She is above all angels and saints in her role as Queen of Heaven, but she is below the Trinity, of course.

There is a term for her level, but I can't recall it right now. I will look it up for you if you want.

 

[Stormy]

Are the saints above the angels too?

People can rise above the angels!!

We were created below the angels... That is correct right?

Do these people then have supernatural powers?

I am also confused that Mary was taken to heaven in the flesh. Is that right? It seems like a burden to have to stay within ones flesh. It does not make sense to me.

But I am messing up this thread with all my questions.
I need to get out and pick up some books to at least get a basic understanding instead of ruining all the threads on this forum.

Sorry :o

 

[pax]

Originally posted by Stormy
Are the saints above the angels too?

I am also confused that Mary was taken to heaven in the flesh. Is that right? It seems like a burden to have to stay within ones flesh. It does not make sense to me. 

After the Resurrection we will all be restored to our bodies.  I can't remember where this is in the Bible, but I think St. Paul tells us we will be remade according to the pattern or Christ's resurrected body...

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

You're not ruining anything Stormy. The best way I have found to learn is to talk to Catholics that actually know their beliefs.

Saints are not above angels, they are on the same level. Mary is above them all on a level of her own, but below God completely.

 

[devoted]

Originally posted by s0uljah
You're not ruining anything Stormy. The best way I have found to learn is to talk to Catholics that actually know their beliefs.

Saints are not above angels, they are on the same level. Mary is above them all on a level of her own, but below God completely.

 The angels are pure spirits and Mary is a human. They are not the same. Jesus is God and God created the angels, right? So the angels bow to the lord Jesus. And Mary is the Mother of Jesus, right? So she is also the Mother of God and the angels do not bow to her but honor her as such. Since angels are God's messengers the angels serve Mary in that way (don't go freaking out on me sOul.) they serve Mary as commanded by God to bring about his will. St Michael who is the highest angel we have is happy to do Mary's bidding.

When Mary was assumed up into heaven body and soul (she was perfectly created and with out sin so her body will not need a resurrection as ours will because she never did have a body subject to corruption) she was crowed by the trinity as Queen of heaven and earth so if she is queen then she would naturally be queen of the saints and angels since they reside in heaven. And she is our Queen here in exile in which we rely on her intercession to aid us on our journey home.

If you look at Luke, you will see Elizabeth (filled with the Holy Spirit) calling Mary "The mother of my lord" this was a term that was used in the OT. The king's mother was the queen not the wife. It makes sense because back then one really didn't have only one wife. So it was the kings mother that was the queen. Mary is the king’s mother, no? Yes she is so she is our Queen as well and also I might add that she says (at Fatima) that there will be a time when her immaculate heart will reign as such. Queen of all hearts.

No, this takes nothing away from Jesus it only means that in the fullness of time all will stop denying her as Mother and Queen and they will stop attacking her virginity and all that the Church proclaims true about her and then she will be able to bring about God's will for the mankind.

 

[Wolseley]

The worship which is given only to God is called latria.

The respect paid to a saint is called dulia.

Mary, being as it were the "chief of saints", is paid a higher form of respect called hyperdulia.

Neither of the last two are actual worship; worship is given only to God.

Saints are indeed above angels, since saints are sons and daughters of God Himself, part of the family, while angels are merely messengers and servants.

Mary was taken to heaven, both body and soul, upon the instant of her death. The proper theological name for this called the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary.....but to put it in more modern terms, she was "raptured", if you like. Paul says that we will be changed in an instant, i.e., we will receive our glorified, incorruptable bodies (1 Cor 15:51-52), and this is what happened to Mary.

Incidentally, Mary is not the only one which this happened to; the Old Testament describes the same thing happening to Elijah (2 Kings 2:1, 11) and alludes to Enoch also (Genesis 5:24).

 

[devoted]

Originally posted by Wolseley
The worship which is given only to God is called latria.

The respect paid to a saint is called dulia.

Mary, being as it were the "chief of saints", is paid a higher form of respect called hyperdulia.

Neither of the last two are actual worship; worship is given only to God.

Saints are indeed above angels, since saints are sons and daughters of God Himself, part of the family, while angels are merely messengers and servants.

Mary was taken to heaven, both body and soul, upon the instant of her death. The proper theological name for this called the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary.....but to put it in more modern terms, she was "raptured", if you like. Paul says that we will be changed in an instant, i.e., we will receive our glorified, incorruptable bodies (1 Cor 15:51-52), and this is what happened to Mary.

Incidentally, Mary is not the only one which this happened to; the Old Testament describes the same thing happening to Elijah (2 Kings 2:1, 11) and alludes to Enoch also (Genesis 5:24).

 

Thank You! You explain this wonderfully. I am not so good at putting these kind of things into words.

 

[Wolseley]

You're welcome!

Must be all those theology classes.........

 

[ZiSunka]

Geez, ask a simple question and start a fight.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Well perhaps you can clear up something devoted said that has made me have a religious crisis. He says we are supposed to serve and submit to Mary, in order to more perfectly serve Christ.

I have problems with the word serve and submit. I serve only one Master.

 

[devoted]

Originally posted by Wolseley
You're welcome!

Must be all those theology classes.........

 So that's the secret theology class?

sOul.

You don't have to go to Jesus through Mary but if you want true and perfect devotion to Jesus then all the saints that have gone before us recommend that the best way to achieve this is through Mary. And I am really sorry if I put you in a crisis, really I am.

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by s0uljah
Well perhaps you can clear up something devoted said that has made me have a religious crisis. He says we are supposed to serve and submit to Mary, in order to more perfectly serve Christ.

I have problems with the word serve and submit. I serve only one Master.

Good question.

A little pamphlet I got from the church says a dedication ceremony is done when the parents wish to place their baby "in the service of Mary, for the purposes of Mary."

That sounds like more than a prayer asking Mary to look after the baby. It sounds like committing the baby to Mary.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by lambslove
Good question.

A little pamphlet I got from the church says a dedication ceremony is done when the parents wish to place their baby "in the service of Mary, for the purposes of Mary."

That sounds like more than a prayer asking Mary to look after the baby. It sounds like committing the baby to Mary.

Exactly. I draw the line at this language. Perhaps Wols can clarify what it really means, because I just can't see the Church permitting this type of thing.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

And I am really sorry if I put you in a crisis, really I am.

Dont worry about it, if the Church really teaches this language, then I need to know it.

 

[devoted]

Why are you hung up on the language?

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by devoted
Why are you hung up on the language?

Language means something. If I tell someone that I serve Mary, that is not going to come across correctly.