It does not necessarily connote equality. Mary was indeed important in the Incarnation and in fact throughout Jesus's childhood, and that is her role in the Redemption.
this is tied to the generally admitted Catholic belief that Persons are necessary co-pilots to their own salvations.
Well put. We are co-pilots of our salvation indeed (Romans 2:6-10, James 2:15-26, 2 Peter 1:2-11). Mary is not distinct from us in that sense. She is, after all, our mother too (John 19:27).
Can you give an example of where Jesus rebukes someone for potentially venerating Mary improperly?
I just did in the post you are responding to.
27 ... a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11).
She is not my mother! LOL!
To take that passage and build a doctrine that states that John 'represents' the church.
And since John took Mary in as his 'mother' Mary is therefore the mother of the church, is insane!
It does not necessarily connote equality. Mary was indeed important in the Incarnation and in fact throughout Jesus's childhood, and that is her role in the Redemption.
What??? :) You're right that it does not necessarily mean "equal". A co-pilot is not equal to the pilot. But how does this translate into Mary having a role in the Redemption? Is your whole case that Mary has a role in the Redemption because she gave birth to Jesus and raised Him? That would not match the veneration and prayers I have seen and read from Catholics to her. Her role in the Catholic idea of Redemption appears to be much greater than that. For example:
Leo XIII, Encyclical, Adiutricem populi, Sept. 5, 1895. ASS 28. 130-31. For thereafter, by the divine plan, she so began to watch over the Church, so to be present to us and to favor us as Mother, that she who had been the minister of accomplishing the mystery of human redemption, would be likewise the minister of the dispensation of that grace, practically limitless power being given to her.
St. Pius X, Encyclical, Ad diem illum, Feb. 2, 1904, ASS 36. 453-55. Hence that never disassociated manner of life and labors.... But when the final hour of her Son came, His Mother stood by the cross of Jesus, not just occupied in seeing the dread spectacle, but actually rejoicing that her Only-Begotten was being offered for the salvation of the human race. ... from this common sharing of sufferings and will, she merited to become most worthily the reparatrix of the lost world, and so the dispensatrix of all the gifts which were gained for us by the death and blood of Jesus. ... She ... since she was ahead of all in holiness and union with Christ, and was taken up by Christ into the work of human salvation, she merited congruously, as they say, what Christ merited condignly, and is the chief minister of the dispensation of graces.
Benedict XV, Epistle, Admodum probatur, June 20, 1917. AAS 10. 182. With her suffering and dying Son she suffered and almost died, so did she surrender her mother's rights over her Son for the salvation of human beings, and to appease the justice of God, so far as pertained to her, she immolated her Son, so that it can be rightly said, that she together with Christ has redeemed the human race.
I mean, I could go on, but this stuff is unbelievable! Mary "immolated" her Son??? Mary gets credit for the Redemption because she sacrificed Jesus by not stopping the crucifixion??? I have no words. :)
She is, after all, our mother too (John 19:27).
So in this case when Jesus speaks to "the disciple", he means all humanity, but when He gives the Great Commission, He is only speaking to those specific disciples. I see. Sort of. Well, in any event, I'm sure the Church has a good and logical explanation for when Jesus is addressing specific people versus all believers generally.
FK: "Can you give an example of where Jesus rebukes someone for potentially venerating Mary improperly?"
I just did in the post you are responding to.
Am I to take it that you are saying that it is improper veneration to think that Mary's womb was blessed? :) These two verses actually seem to be pretty well self-contained. I would think that we would agree that Jesus is really illustrating a priority here, and not really telling the woman that she is "wrong" for saying what she said. I mean, even I think that Mary's womb was blessed. :) So, I'm not sure that this really counts as a rebuke (or even a real criticism) by Jesus.