I'll never back off from a Scriptural challenge - I believe that Scripture and tradition are intimately connected.
The Catholic doctrines concerning Mary are based on two Scriptural interpretations that inform Catholic doctrine: (1) that God allows us a participatory and not just an instrumental role in His work of salvation and (2) the communion of the saints in the Church.
In the case of Mary in particular, her participatory role in the work of salvation finds its doctrinal seat in Luke 1 and in Revelation 12. The teaching concerning the communion of saints in the Church pervades the entire Bible but is most succinctly expressed in 1 Corinthians 12.
The essential teaching concerning Mary - found in the official teaching of the Church in the two great catechisms, the ecumenical councils and the papal encyclicals - is rather straightforward.
Mary was humble, faithful and obedient to God because she was filled with grace. She assented to cooperate with God by affirming His plan to bring His Son into the world through her as a vessel.
When she went to her reward of eternal life her special graces gave her a special place of honor in Heaven.
Because we Catholics affirm the communion of saints we believe that we can address the saints regardless of whether they are physically dead - because they are actually more alive than we are.
Therefore Mary, being the greatest saint because God favored her with the most precious gift, is a model of Christian living and a saint whom we Catholics most like to address - asking her to pray for us in much the same way we would ask our friends or pastor to pray for us.
I don't know quite how to describe it, but imagine if St. Paul were alive today - how much respect would we show him? How happy would we be if someone like him found our petitions worth adding to his own prayers to the Lord?
For a Catholic, we feel that Mary and Paul and Peter and the other saints are present to us, are members of our Church like we are.
This attitude comes precisely from the way we read the Bible.
I would certainly agree with that, though not happily. More later.
I know you think that. I know it is tradition for you to think that. The bible certainly states that the dead are not dead but the idea that they can hear our requests is not there. The idea that they can intercede for us is not there.