Posted on 10/08/2015 8:02:23 AM PDT by Salvation
As a young child I was very close to God. I spoke to Him in a very natural way and He spoke plainly to me. Although I have very few memories of my early childhood, I vividly remember how close I was to God. When early puberty approached, though, I began to slip away, drifting into the rebellious and angry years of my teens. As the flesh came more alive, my spirit submerged.
The culture of the time didn’t help, either. It was the late 1960s and early 1970s and rebelliousness and the flesh were celebrated as “virtues.” Somehow we thought ourselves more mature than our pathetic forebears, who were hopelessly “repressed.” There was the attitude among the young that we had come of age somehow. We collectively deluded ourselves, aided by the messages of rock music and the haze of drug use, that we were somehow “better.”
So it was the winter of my soul. The vivid faith of my childhood gave way to a kind of indifferent agnosticism. Though I never formally left Church (my mother would never had permitted that as long as I lived in under my parents’ roof), I no longer heard God or spoke to Him. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that when I was in high school I joined the youth choir of my parish church. This was not precipitated by a religious passion, but rather by a passion of another kind: there were pretty girls in the choir and I “sought their company,” shall we say. But God has a way of using beauty to draw us to the truth. Week after week, year after year, as we sang those old religious classics a buried faith began to awaken within me.
But what to do? How to pray? I heard that I was supposed to pray. But how? As a child it had been natural to talk with God. But now He seemed distant, aloof, and likely angry with me. And I’ll admit it, prayer seemed a little “goofy” to me, a high school senior still struggling to be “cool” in his own eyes and in the eyes of his friends. Not only that, but prayer was “boring.” It seemed an unfocused, unstructured, and “goofy” thing.
But I knew someone who did pray. My paternal grandmother, “Nana,” was a real prayer warrior. Every day she took out her beads and sat by the window to pray. I had seen my mother pray now and again, but she was more private about it. But Nana, who lived with us off and on in her last years, knew how to pray and you could see it every day.
Rosary Redivivus – In my parish church of the 1970s, the rosary was non-existent. Devotions and adoration were on the outs during that sterile time. Even the Crucifix was gone. But Nana had that “old-time religion” and I learned to appreciate it through her.
Ad Jesum per Mariam – There are some, non-Catholics especially, who think that talking of Mary or focusing on her in any way takes away from Christ. It is as though they consider it a zero-sum game, in which our hearts cannot love both Mary and Jesus. But my own experience was that Mary led me to Christ. I had struggled to know and worship Christ, but somehow a mother’s love felt more natural, safer, and more accessible to me. So I began there, where I could. Simply pole-vaulting right into a mature faith from where I was did not seem possible. So I began, as a little child again, holding my Mother’s hand. And gently, Mother Mary led me to Christ, her son. Through the rosary, that “Gospel on a string,” I became reacquainted with the basic gospel story.
The thing about Marian devotion is that it opens up a whole world. For with this devotion comes an open door into so many of the other traditions and devotions of the Church: Eucharistic adoration, litanies, traditional Marian hymns, lighting candles, modesty, pious demeanor, and so forth. So as Mary led me, she also reconnected me to many things that I only vaguely remembered. The suburban Catholicism of the 1970s had all but cast these things aside, and I had lost them as well. Now in my late teens, I was going up into the Church “attic” and bringing things down. Thus, little by little, Mother Mary was helping me to put things back in place. I remember my own mother being pleased to discover that I had taken some old religious statues, stashed away in a drawer in my room, and placed them out on my dresser once again. I also took down the crazy rock-and-roll posters, one by one, and replaced them with traditional art, including a picture of Mary.
Over time, praying the Rosary and talking to Mary began to feel natural. And, sure enough, little by little, I began to speak with God. It was when I was in the middle of college that I began to sense the call to the priesthood. I had become the choir director by that time and took a new job in a city parish: you guessed it, “St. Mary’s.” There, the sterility of suburban Catholicism had never taken hold. The candles burned brightly at the side altars. The beautiful windows, marble altars, statues, and traditional novenas were all on display in Mother Mary’s parish. The rest is history. Mary cemented the deal between me and her Son, Jesus. I became His priest and now I can’t stop talking about Him! He is my hero, my savior and Lord. And praying again to God has become more natural and more deeply spiritual for me.
It all began one day when I took Mary’s hand and let her lead me to Christ. And hasn’t that always been her role? She, by God’s grace, brought Christ to us, showed Him to us at Bethlehem, presented Him in the Temple, and ushered in His first miracle (even despite His reluctance). She said to the stewards that day at Cana, and to us now, “Do whatever he tells you.” The Gospel of John says, Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him (John 2:11). And so Mary’s intercession strengthened the faith of others in her Son. That has always been her role: to take us by the hand and lead us to Christ. Her rosary has been called the “Gospel on a string” because she bids us to reflect on the central mysteries of the Scripture as we pray.
You fling a lot of stuff at the walls, but there is no Scriptural support for your specious claims. Mary was rebuked by Jesus. That is a Scriptural fact. (John 2: 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
One of three created without "original sin"? Another specious myth from the roman Catholic cult. Even Jesus was created as a mortal human. But, the "God" part of Him was free of sin and capable of overcoming sin. He is the ONLY One so created. He is the ONLY One sacrificed for OUR sins. He is the ONLY Mediator between God and man.
Roman Catholic indoctrination makes it difficult to see the forest for the trees. It offers myths and subtle sorcery to obfuscate the reality of God's plan. It claims the necessity of mystical rites and ordinances that substitute for relationship with God.
But, I will continue to pray for those scales to fall! The Holy Spirit gives me ALL the help I need.
There are writings too numerous to count on how Catholics cling to her, rely upon her, go to her for answered prayers when Jesus says no.
Catholics have twisted scripture to make it say things about Mary it doesn't.
I can go on but you get the point.
I guess this not equal devotion Catholics claim explains the call for a Fifth Marian Dogma as if the othe four aren't bad enough.
In the final analysis it is clear catholic "devotion" to Mary rises to the level of worship.
One of three created without sin???? How do Catholics claim the other two are?
Anti-woman if we point out the false teachings of catholicism on Mary???? That is one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve heard on this board. Thought I was reading the huffington post or the onion for a second.
So far you and friends have made no points or converts so I look for other motivation. Do you hate your mother?
Oh?
The Protestant version of Mary is amazingly PRO-bible and lacking any visiting visions.
ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD.
--somewhere in the Bible.
If a person has NOT sinned; then they evidently SHARE in the Glory of GOD.
--the bible says something about that; too...
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
1 John 3:21-24
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
No...
My LACK of 'respect' for weird Catholic teachings will cause a lot of Roman heads too explode!
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God bless you.
Well there you go...Mary didn't do anything...Everything you speak of is in the scriptures...God's scriptures...Your religion has convinced you guys to give Mary credit where no credit is due...
We as non Catholics have learned every thing that you claim Mary teaches you plus so much more...
Your rosary contains a handful of verses from the bible that you recite and repeat day after day, month after month, year after year...God surely condemns that...
I wonder if heads would explode if people knew what I was doing? 😂😇😆 Bereans anyone?
How do you get full devotion to Jesus thru Mary...What's that mean??? We get full devotion to Jesus without Mary...
You have no idea how many people read these posts but never comment. We post the false teachings of Rome to illustrate the error.
I'll ignore the question regarding my mom who is deceased.
So where exactly to you think Mary is? Jesus Himself told the thief that he would be with Him ‘this day’ in heaven. Do you think nobody else is there? Mary obviously accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, so why would she not be in heaven?
Also, no title given Mary is higher than the title of GOD. You are the one who calls her a goddess, not us. You have admitted that you may be devoted to others besides God as long as God is first. You then claim that our attention to Mary is wrong because it is not devotion, but worship.
You have no right to judge what is in my heart. That is the exact thing proscribed by ‘do not judge’. You also bear false witness by continuing to accuse Catholics of worshiping Mary by claiming to know what their intentions are.
In the final analysis it is clear that your comments about how Catholics are devoted to Mary rise to the level of hateful insult.
Love,
O2
Scott Hahn.
So Jesus reveals the true greatness of Mary???? Shouldn't that be the other way around? More false teaching from Rome.
However, the Word records this.
47Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." 48But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" Matthew 12:47-48
We also have this from John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Perhaps if catholics studied the Word they would have a clearer picture of the proper relationship we're to have with Christ.....and not Mary.
Jesus gave Mary to John...Jesus told us that in the scriptures...Who told you that Jesus gave his mother to you to be your mother???
Mary gives us the prayers for our world!
Mary doesn't give anyone anything...The prayers that are recited in the rosary are scripture verses from the bible...And they were given us by Jesus, not Mary...
The saints, that is the believers in Christ, are in Heaven.
That said, the saints in Heaven do not/cannot hear our prayers. We have no injunction to pray to them in the New Testament.
Also, no title given Mary is higher than the title of GOD. You are the one who calls her a goddess, not us. You have admitted that you may be devoted to others besides God as long as God is first. You then claim that our attention to Mary is wrong because it is not devotion, but worship.
I realize catholics cannot see they worship Mary but their actions indicate otherwise. Do catholics have or do the following?:
Idol/statue of Mary? check
Kneel before statue of Mary? check
Pray to Mary? check
Rely upon Mary for her to answer prayers? check
Rely upon Mary to intercede for them? check
Sometimes ask Mary to answer prayers when Christ will not? check
Sure sounds like/looks like worship to a lot of us.
If you looked at other religions around the world and saw these activities the objective observer would come to the conclusion worship is occurring.
The devotion I have with my friends does not entail any of the above activities as practiced by catholics. Hence no worship involved unlike the catholic.
You have no right to judge what is in my heart. That is the exact thing proscribed by ‘do not judge’.
I have no idea what's in your heart and your implication borders on mind reading. However, as believers we are to call out false doctrine. That is not judging for if it were Paul would stand guilty of what you attempt to charge me with.
You also bear false witness by continuing to accuse Catholics of worshiping Mary by claiming to know what their intentions are.
Actually it is the catholic who is bearing false witness by continuing to "pretend" they are not worshipping Mary. See prior comments above.
In the final analysis it is clear that your comments about how Catholics are devoted to Mary rise to the level of hateful insult.
In the final analysis the catholic worship of Mary is the hateful insult to the Son who died on the cross for all of us....Mary included.
Superstition...
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