And, yeah, we have a moral burden NOT to obfuscate, but we didn't make up Marian Doctrine for fun, y'know. We really believe them and we see them, as I have tried to present, as coming our of Christology and out of what is common knowledge about the parent-child relationship.
In other words, simplicity is good, but not so good that one should be inaccurate to preserve it. We actually do believe this stuff.
I think in fact when somebody receives a great gift, we praise the giver AND the recipient. "Congratulation" is such a nice word, suggesting joining in "little thanks".
I think part of the confusion is the sort of spectacular nature of the private prayers of Marian devotion. It is played up by the media and by protestants who find it exotic and repellent. But in my daily prayers I spend maybe 20 minutes max on the Rosary and probably 90 minutes on Mass and office. And the bulk of my study is NOT Marian.
I am "all over" the "miraculous medal", so I suppose I am part of the problem of seeming to presenting Mary as equal to Christ. But I took care that the medal I usually wear is imposed on a cross, as if to say, "What Mary offers through her intercession is founded entirely on the Cross of Christ and has and can have no other basis."
We aare beginning another round of RCIA (as it were "enquirer's) classes. They will go weekly (with vacations) until the end of April. Maybe 24 classes. Part of one will be given to Marian doctrine and practice, and those who stick with the class all the way to the end will learn how to pray the Rosary, and on our class quiet day we'll actually pray one together. But it's not proportional to our practice and teaching to react as if Mary dominated it. Mary helps bring me to Jesus, as do all the Saints.
Hey MD,
I’m afraid we’ll just have to accept that we disagree on Marianism. The question is never what the intent of Marianism was (I’m sure it was with the best of intentions), but rather whether it is scripturally justified and glorifies God.
Please give it some thought, and may the Spirit guide us both in our thinking.