I can’t help but see the short link from worshiping Mary to worshiping a goddess. And please don’t tell me Mary isn’t worshiped. She’s prayed to, sung to, feasted, adored, festooned with flowers, etc. What is that if not worship?
Not trying to give you a hard time, just stating the obvious.
= = = =
Ahhhhhh, yes, but . . .
when it is raining . . . as Proties, we don’t know ANYthing about RC rain . . .
when it is obviously snowing . . . as Proties, we don’t know ANYthing about RC snow . . .
when it is a hurricane, . . . . as Proties, we don’t and CAN’T know ANYthing about RC hurricanes.
. . .
The minute we think we observe something on the part of RC’s we have to remind ourselves that by magicsterical law, we cannot possibly know anything from observation. We have to wait for the encyclicals from Rome to tell us what the real truth is.
At least, that’s my understanding from all the RC pronouncements hereon about such.
. . . . maybe with slight editorializing here and there.
Quix, my friend, it is only because you have, through the Reformers, inherited a terribly stunted, aliturgical form of Christianity that you cannot see any difference in the modes of worship between God and Mary.
THE highest form of Catholic worship...not beads, not feasts, not flowers, not personal prayers...is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The sacrifice of the Mass is NEVER EVER EVER offered to Mary. It is always offered to God and God alone.
That is an *immense* gulf of distinction.
Here is how I have always seen it: I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe in life beyond this world because of God's redemptive plan of salvation. Therefore heaven is a communion of people who are alive. That includes the Blessed Virgin.
Now, God taught us to pray and it is considered a moral good to pray for each other. I pray for you and you pray for me. Why not ask prayer from the people who have made it? Those who have fought the fight and finished the race? Mary was at the foot of the Cross. Why would I not want her to pray for me and intercede for me? Who is closer to Jesus than her?
If you look at any authentic Roman Catholic prayer you will see that it is one of intercession and not worship. There is an abundance of evidence of this from the CCC to a simple prayer books. Check it out.