Mary with you?

[markyg]

HI i'm not a roman catholic, but i have always wandered why the emphsis on mary?

Is there somewhere in God's word where it says that mary will walk with us, help us or something to that effect.

I dont know much about roman catholic teachings. So please excuse me.

 

[benedictine]

We ask Mary to help us by praying for us, just as I would ask you to pray for me. The only differences are that you are here on earth, wheras Mary is in heaven, and a lot of our requests to Mary are poetical; that may be why some people put more into it than there is.

If you have any more questions, please ask.

 

[Markh]

You also have to realise that the bible for Catholics is not the authority, the Church is the authority. If you look in your bible you will see that's exactly what Christ intended.

The Church existed before the NT, the Church in fact complied the new testemant too.

Because of this, the Church teaches also from sacred tradition, and if you look towards sacred tradition (and particularily the writings of the first Christians) you will find that these Catholics certainly had a devotion towards the Blessed Virgin.

There are many ways of being devoted towards the Blessed Virgin. I think the main 2 are imitation and supplication.

In terms of imitation, that was certainly a massive deal in the Early Church and is still now- We can see St Paul talking of being in labour until Christ is formed in us- an office properly performed by the Blessed Virgin since the Blessed Virgin alone has been given the grace to produce God from her womb.

supplication, asking Mary to pray for us, has been common since the early Church.

If you take a look at the writings of the Early Church Fathers and suppliament this with your bible, Christ's true teaching is more obvious- that is, the teaching of the Catholic Church.

 

[RedTulipMom]

yes..markh said it all!

 

[Davidnic]

Also, the focus on Mary is a focus on Christ. Everything about Mary is because of Christ. True devotion to Mary leads to Christ. She helps us know Him better. There are other ways to be close to Christ, and we do those too.

As far as Scripture, Markh explained above about scripture, but do not think that we downgrade scripture. Scripture for us is true and inspired but it is not the sole revelation. There is also the tradition handed down from the apostles.

Here is a link that gives Scripture and Tradition on Mary (link).

 

[Brother_Justin]

"Mother behold your son."
"Son behold your mother."
~Christ speaking to Mary and John~

Mary is our Mother according to Christ on the cross. Thanks to Jesus we have our Heavenly Mother!!


Brother Justin <M><

 

[anawim]

HI i'm not a roman catholic, but i have always wandered why the emphsis on mary?

Is there somewhere in God's word where it says that mary will walk with us, help us or something to that effect.

I dont know much about roman catholic teachings. So please excuse me.

Her role now is the same as at the wedding feast of Cana. She tells her son what our needs are, and in turn says to us, "Do whatever He tells you to do".

 

[redMountian]

You also have to realise that the bible for Catholics is not the authority, the Church is the authority. If you look in your bible you will see that's exactly what Christ intended.

I agree with most of your post, but this part sounds like you're saying that we don't consider the bible an authority. We value it greatly, we just also value Church teaching (tradition) greatly and consider them both equally authoritative. They compliment each other.


To the OP, don't forget that Mary prophesies her own great honor (because of Jesus) in the Magnificat:
[BIBLE]Luke 1:46-55[/BIBLE]

 

[Jabronie]

I agree with most of your post, but this part sounds like you're saying that we don't consider the bible an authority. We value it greatly, we just also value Church teaching (tradition) greatly and consider them both equally authoritative. They compliment each other.


To the OP, don't forget that Mary prophesies her own great honor (because of Jesus) in the Magnificat:
[BIBLE]Luke 1:46-55[/BIBLE]

A good way to put it is to say that Catholics don't view the Bible as a "how-to" manual for Christianity. We have the Church to use instead, teaching with both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

 

[AMDG]

HI i'm not a roman catholic, but i have always wandered why the emphsis on mary?

Is there somewhere in God's word where it says that mary will walk with us, help us or something to that effect.

Mary was foretold in the Old Testament's Genesis 3:15 and the role of Queen Mother in the House of David was also mentioned in 1 Kings 2:19 (a role that Mary fulfilled). The New Testament Luke 1: 26-56 shows that even the Archangel Gabriel shows Mary great honor and in verse 48, she, herself, prophesies that ALL ages will call her blessed. Jesus repeatedly refers to His mother as the respectful "woman" (it recalls Genesis 3:15), and Mary continues to tell all to do as Jesus says (John 2:6), also Jesus gives her (through John) to His Church as mother at the His crucifixion. In Revelations 11:19-12:1, she is shown as the ark of the new covenant and I particularly like Revelations 12:17 ("the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.") :::I sure wouldn't want to be so quick to claim that I don't keep God's commandments and that I don't have a testimony of Jesus::: Besides all that, we honor Mary because Jesus honored her and we are called to imitate Jesus.

BTW, it isn't just the Catholic Rite in Rome (Roman Catholics) that honor Our Lord's mother. All Catholic Rites--Western and Eastern--do.

 

[King of the Nations]

HI i'm not a roman catholic, but i have always wandered why the emphsis on mary?

Is there somewhere in God's word where it says that mary will walk with us, help us or something to that effect.

I dont know much about roman catholic teachings. So please excuse me.

First of all, welcome to OBOB!

Second of all, thank you for the respectful enquiry.

Third, some good answers so far, but let me point out that we Catholics actually emphasize Mary less than Protestants do it seems sometimes. That is to say that we Catholics are often just "over here living our faith" which involves Mary - let's just throw out a number and say - 5% of the time, and along comes Protestant after Protestant asking, "What's with Mary? Why the devotion to Mary? Why do Catholics focus so much on Mary? Why pray to Mary? Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary...", making it seem like 90% of Catholic focus is on Mary when, in fact, it's the Protestants who are focusing on Mary far more than we are.

Know what I mean?



Fourth, yes, Heb 12:1-2 mentions how all the Saints are constant witnesses of the lives of those still on earth and Rev. 5:8 illustrates the mingling of the Saints prayers with ours. Additionally, the Church has always seen in Jesus' giving of Mary to John as John's mother (John 19:26-27) a symbol of Mary being mother to all the Church. (Were any of the other apostles at the cross, he would have included them as well, but John was alone (at least as far as the apostles go). John 19:26-27 begins the thought and Rev. 12 (esp. verse 17) completes it.

Fifth, peace be with you.

Greg

 

[markyg]

Thankyou all for your replies and comments,
Most people i know don't talk about Catholisism unless it's criticizing, including myself, from reading this forum's entries and posts, I can see it does not greatly matter what "faith" someone is, as long as they live to serve The Lord Jesus Christ according to his will, live by faith and not religion, (which is a common perception of Catholosism where i am) then we are all still ' one body ' and the bride of Christ

Mark

 

[Markh]

Thankyou all for your replies and comments,
Most people i know don't talk about Catholisism unless it's criticizing, including myself, from reading this forum's entries and posts, I can see it does not greatly matter what "faith" someone is, as long as they live to serve The Lord Jesus Christ according to his will, live by faith and not religion, (which is a common perception of Catholosism where i am) then we are all still ' one body ' and the bride of Christ

Mark

thanks for replying and I hope you stick around the foum and ask more questions, it is great to have sincere seakers around.

, on this occassion your assumption about the Faith is, although somewhat true, mostly false....

The Catholic Church teaches that She alone teaches the fullness of truth about Christ.

The Catholic Church teaches that all those who, in full knowledge, reject the Catholic Church, commit mortal sin and are condemned to hell.

The Catholic Church is not just "one among many" but THE WAY, as much as Christ is THE WAY. The Catholic Church (and schismatics ) alone has the Holy Eucharist- and Christ Himself said that partaking in the Holy Eucharist "whoever Eat my flesh and drink my blood" was necessary for Eternal Life "has eternal life".

That is why I implore you, for the good of your soul, to become a Catholic.

Catholics may tell you "it does not matter whether you are Catholic or not all ways are valid", but these, often well meaning Catholics, are actually going against the teaching of the Church there and sadly telling you an error.

 

[NewMan99]

markyg,

I just want to be clear here...markh is not saying that you will be condemned to hell unless you become a formal Catholic in full communion with the Holy See. What he is talking about are those who willfully and knowingly reject the Church and the Immutable Truths taught within her. Since you don't know much about what our teachings really are, it can hardly be said that you would personally fall in this category.

That being said, since we truly believe that the "Fullness of Truth" resides within the Catholic Church, we invite you to ask more questions so you can make up your mind for yourself in an informed way. I spent 42 years of my life as a Methodist and didn't have a clue what Catholicism really teaches. All I knew was what other Protestants told me what Catholics supposedly believe. I found out that I was ill-informed.

Welcome to OBOB.

God's Peace,

NewMan

 

[Debi1967]

Catholics may tell you "it does not matter whether you are Catholic or not all ways are valid", but these, often well meaning Catholics, are actually going against the teaching of the Church there and sadly telling you an error.

1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church." "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."

Mark,
Sometimes our well meaning ways are in the Catechism and are done on purpose so as not to scare people away from the Church.

Telling someone in the first thread that they have up and in which they are asking questions in that they must become Catholic is not sometimes the most effective way to talk to people that are seekers in this forum. As, what you are doing is telling them is that they have NO CHOICE, and that is not what the Lord wanted.

Therefore although we encourage all to come home to the Mother Church, it must be their decision to do so. It also must be an informed choice made on their part.

Quite truthfully Mark if you were part of the team of people that helped me to come home, and said that to me this early on I would not have returned to the thread nor asked any further questions. The biggest thing that I saw in them back then was that they were accepting of me no matter if I was a Catholic or not. All that mattered to them was that I was willing to explore the Teachings of the Church with an open heart and they still thought of me as their Sister in Christ.

This catechism quote was one of the first I was taught and it made me feel accepted here no matter what.

To the OP of this thread,

When we tell you that God acceptes all who come to Him in this fashion as stated in the above quote and as Newman has said as long as someone does not outright deny our Teachings as false, then it is up to God to pass judgement on you and not us. According to the Church and according to God the first thing that ties you to Him is your Baptism in Faith.

Lovingly In Christ
Debi

Please excuse some here that in their exuberance sometimes can tell others that they need to do something right here and now. I encourage you my Brother to continue on your quest of asking questions here. We will be more than happy to help you in answering them.

 

[Epiphanygirl]

1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church." "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."

Mark,
Sometimes our well meaning ways are in the Catechism and are done on purpose so as not to scare people away from the Church.

Telling someone in the first thread that they have up and in which they are asking questions in that they must become Catholic is not sometimes the most effective way to talk to people that are seekers in this forum. As, what you are doing is telling them is that they have NO CHOICE, and that is not what the Lord wanted.

Therefore although we encourage all to come home to the Mother Church, it must be their decision to do so. It also must be an informed choice made on their part.

Quite truthfully Mark if you were part of the team of people that helped me to come home, and said that to me this early on I would not have returned to the thread nor asked any further questions. The biggest thing that I saw in them back then was that they were accepting of me no matter if I was a Catholic or not. All that mattered to them was that I was willing to explore the Teachings of the Church with an open heart and they still thought of me as their Sister in Christ.

This catechism quote was one of the first I was taught and it made me feel accepted here no matter what.

To the OP of this thread,

When we tell you that God acceptes all who come to Him in this fashion as stated in the above quote and as Newman has said as long as someone does not outright deny our Teachings as false, then it is up to God to pass judgement on you and not us. According to the Church and according to God the first thing that ties you to Him is your Baptism in Faith.

Lovingly In Christ
Debi

Please excuse some here that in their exuberance sometimes can tell others that they need to do something right here and now. I encourage you my Brother to continue on your quest of asking questions here. We will be more than happy to help you in answering them.

Amen amen!!!
How can chastising anyone to the point of emotional beating, want to make them learn more of our faith? If they see no love or compassion in you, then they will NOT se Christ in you either!
I know markh means well though.....

 

[Michelina]

Great Post, Debi.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Welcome to OBOB.

I was always devoted to Mary.
And although I had not really been much more than lukewarm in my faith...I always had a special place in my heart.

And She gave me a spanking...and sent me to Her Son.

Now I am fully in love with Him.

 

[aigiqinf]

The church believes that Mary wouldn't have been choosen by God unless she was almost divine. That's how I think of it

 

[Carrye]

The church believes that Mary wouldn't have been choosen by God unless she was almost divine. That's how I think of it

Well, not exactly. God made Mary in such a way that she would be chosen. It's not as if he searched the earth for the best thing he could find. It isn't as if Mary merited being the mother of the Redeemer. Where did I read (or hear) recently, that Mary was exalted because of her humility? She didn't go to college and get the credentials needed to be God's mother. God Himself created Mary with "the right credentials."