I guess based on your posts you just are lost entirely saying Mary is the Mother of God. That Mary is the mother of God is the fundamental statement of the theology of the Incarnate Word. it is no small thing. Problems with Mary are co-joined with problems with the Incarnate Word; they are impossible to separate without destroying the Incarnation.
The Incarnation is critical to Christianity. God became flesh, chose to be born, have a mother, and His mother was Mary. This is essential knowledge to the orthodox Christian view of Salvation History. Who Jesus is, that God became incarnate, had mother - just like us - who gave birth to Him, nursed Him, watched Him be tortured and killed, as He watched her watch Him. Like a mother and her son. Think on this.
If you cannot fully conceive of this, you cannot fully conceive of Our Saviour, not in the way of the true Christian Faith.
However, if you can conceive of it, and relate to it as a human being, tempted and tried as Our Saviour was, and conceive of your own mother and relate this, in the same manner, to Our Lord and His mother… then you can begin to more fully understand the true Christian faith, God’s plan for us, His Incarnation and His mother’s part in it.
And you will no longer, having left ignorance behind, denigrate or minimize His mother’s crucial part in His existence any more than you would your own mother in yours.
Then, perhaps, approach Mary with at least as much respect and honor as you would your own mother, while contemplating who Her Son was and what He, whom she bore in her womb, brought into this world.
Mary leads us to Christ.
You are dealing with people who think that Jesus rebuked His mother.
People who think that while dying a tortuous death upon the cross, Jesus was only concerned for who would care for her after He was gone, when He said to the beloved Apostle, John, “Son, behold your mother.”
Never mind the fact that if she had other children, they would have seen to her care.
Yeah, yeah, if it hadn’t been Mary it would have been some other naive, virginal Jewish girl used as a vessel and then discarded. Mary had nothing to commend her to God, nothing that made her light one that He could see even before He created the heavens and the earth.
She was not chaste and obedient and devout in her love of Him. And, she did not of her own free will say yes to bearing Emmanuel to the world.
Their hearts are hardened to her and no words from you and me or any other Catholic here will soften them.
It is their loss and I am with Judith Anne. Mary is my mother, I love her and I sing songs to her, and I pray for her intercession with Her Son. Alleluia.
Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
I learned long ago always read the last statement a poster makes to get an idea of what they are focusing on. Yours above revealed it all.
You really haven't a clue what that statement.."Mary leads us to Christ".... really is saying about Gods plan for the Salvation of men......dangerous ground you're walking..... But let me just say that the Holy Spirit knows exactly when His work of leading the saved and unsaved to Christ has been subverted and blasphemed by a/or false teachers. It does not go unseen or unnoticed.
Further People saved, and not, do not need lessons or instructions about Mary. They need to hear and be taught about their Savior Jesus Christ...and the gospel message He gave us.
This great work to reach both saved and unsaved is a co-operative effort between the Holy Spirit of God and believers in Christ.. who are sent to those He would have hear that message....and by hearing the Word of Christ, repent, accept His forgiveness He so freely offers... and be saved... and by doing so obtain Eternal Life with Christ.....Additionally ..... those who are sent to build up and instruct the body of believers in 'the truth' ...that those who hear what the spirit is saying...might learn to love Jesus more and more and follow Him.
There has never been, nor now, nor ever will be, any directive from God where Mary is or has been included or "Inserted" in that equation...only foolish men do so and that to their own harm. By doing so they have ...." missed the mark of the High Calling of God In Christ Jesus"...and mis-lead others from the rightful path of Salvation thru Jesus Christ... and Jesus Christ alone...and the truths He would have His followers to live by.
Wait... what?
The holy Spirit, Can't handle the job Himself? He needs Mary's help to do that?
Who knew that God wasn't up to the job?
John 16:7-15 7Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.