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I would feel pretty blessed, too, if I had been chosen to carry the son of God. "Blessed" does not mean "holiest" or "worthy of praise." Blessings are a free gift from God; we cannot earn them. I am blessed with good health, a loving relationship, a wonderful family and talent that secures for me a good income. I am blessed.

Mary was blessed. Though she was a sinner (the book of Romans states that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God), she found favor with God and He trusted her to birth and raise His Son. That is an enormous blessing.

But I don't think the fact that God blessed Mary with such an awesome responsibility necessarily means that she rules with him in Heaven, or that she can even hear us when we pray. She was just a humble Jewish girl. That's the beauty of the Bible story -- God uses humble, everyday sinners to accomplish His great work on Earth.

AMEN. This is exactly what I have said numerous times, but alot of Catholics fail to understand. Because we don't "venerate" her they feel that must mean we don't consider her blessed, special, highly favored. I believe all of this. That does not mean that she is anything other then a sinful person who was in need of a Savior, as she her self stated (Luke 1;47). The Catholics take our attitude towards Mary as scorn, which is a big li...uhh...mischaracterazation:)

Becky