For one example, look at the “Immaculate Conception” of Mary. It went from being an open question, with the Catholic Church refusing to take a position on it, to a dogma over some centuries. And from reading the Bible and especially the Gospels, and then the New Testament, it’s clear the Mary was in no way any sort of object to be focused on. Jesu Himself addressed her as Woman, and when given the opportunity to hold her up publicly (when a woman referred to her in blessing who breastfed Him) He didn’t, not even partly, which would have been to agree then change the focus. Instead, he corrected the woman and changed the focus.
Please read up on St. Bernadette and Lourdes.
In the Religion forum, on a thread titled Islamic prayers to be held at the Vatican, Faith Presses On wrote:
For one example, look at the “Immaculate Conception” of Mary. It went from being an open question, with the Catholic Church refusing to take a position on it, to a dogma over some centuries. And from reading the Bible and especially the Gospels, and then the New Testament, it’s clear the Mary was in no way any sort of object to be focused on. Jesu Himself addressed her as Woman, and when given the opportunity to hold her up publicly (when a woman referred to her in blessing who breastfed Him) He didn’t, not even partly, which would have been to agree then change the focus. Instead, he corrected the woman and changed the focus.
/My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.
Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.
Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.
Amen.
She became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child . . . Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God . . . None can say of her nor announce to her greater things, even though he had as many tongues as the earth possesses flowers and blades of grass: the sky, stars; and the sea, grains of sand. It needs to be pondered in the heart what it means to be the Mother of God.
(Commentary on the Magnificat, 1521; in Luther’s Works, Pelikan et al, vol. 21, 326)