[DungeonMaster]

This is your spin. It does not agree with the scripture, because Jesus did not stop the woman from venerating His mother, -- He taught us how to properly venerate her.

[Origin: 1615–25; < L venerātus, ptp. of venerārī to solicit the goodwill of (a god), worship, revere, v. deriv. of vener-, s. of venus, presumably in its original sense “desire”; see Venus)]

He did no such thing!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mad Dawg]

I look at your handle and I see "Master". In the normal meaning of this word that means you are the supreme authority over something. So that means you are claiming for yourself divine honors?

No, it doesn't because the meaning of the term is affected by the context in which it is used. When I speak of a venerable old man, I do not mean that I am paying him divine honors or intending to solicit his good will as though he were a God. I may never even speak to the old codger.

Similarly, when theologians use the word "venerate" the do so, generally to distinguish it from the word "worship", which in the shift in context of years of usage has come to mean to pay honors as though to the supreme God. Though it used to mean something like "of worth", so that a cemetery is described as havng graves of many "of honor and of worship" meaning, I am told, noble men and rich men.

In de Montfort's writings Mary is called "divine". But then again the Anglican clergy of The middle 17th century are called "divines" as well. The degree I hold is that of a "Master of Divinity", but nobody thinks I am God's master, and no one thinks Anglican clergy or our Lady are divine. (well, okay, I have over heard one Anglican saying, "Darling, you look diVINE in those vestments ....)(Or as Tallulah Bankhead is reputed to have said to an acolyte with an incense burner,"Darling your dress is lovely but your handbag is on fire!"

If you want to use our language to show that we pay Mary honors appropriate to God, no amount of reason will stop you, any more than I can stop you from seeing what you see in an inkblot.

But what you see may not be what you get.

[annalex]

I can read in Greek and can consult patristic sources who likewise read the Gospel in orginal. No one prior to the Reformation suggested that the episodes in Luke 8 and Luke 11 in any way discourages marian devotions. In fact, I was at an Orthodox service yesterday to celebrate the nativity of Mary, and we happily chanted that very passage in veneration of the Theotokos.