I don't see any problem with identifying with Mary or seeing her as a role model. The problem comes when you start praying to her: apart from the fact that she's dead, she isn't a goddess that could do anything for you.
Ok,. look, it scares the heck out of me to try and explain this, but I'm going to try. But first,
I want to say thanks to FL (Lazarus) for the Ecc 9 quote. Dude, you are such a pkrhd
for making me work so hard on a Saturday morning... was unaware of this in the OT and am completely taken aback by it... actually can't believe I read what I read ... what you posted (Ecc-9) has me totally confused... I am going to have to look in to his and get back... but here's why...
PreReformation there was agreement that the Apostle's Creed pretty much summed up he Christian's faith postulate. This is what we believe to be called and considered a Christian. One segment of this is as follows...
"I believe in the communion of Saints" .. which is to say I believe it is good to commune with those who have departed and are accessible in heave, through prayer .. You have to die
to get there
so just exactly how the heck does that jive with Ecc-9 ? Again, thanks Lazarus... you're the best ...
As far as Mary is concerned ... well here it is to the best of my ability ...
She isn't a goddess .. she's more ... she's the Mother of God, she's the spouse of God, she's the daughter of God. There is no one else who can lay claim to that kind of heritage, that kind of closeness, that kind of interpersonal,intertwined relationship with the God of the Universe. God.... come now, God, you know the One we claim to be omniscient, all everything, in such perfection that His ways and thoughts are unknown to us, His ways, so radically superior to our ways and thinking that the complete comprehension of Him will not be validated until our deaths and hopefully
eventual joining in His kingdom... you know, that God ...
He chose Mary because He did .. that's all we need to know. He did. She is the Mother of God which allows her to be liable for a whole slew of benefits we will never know.
When we pray to Mary, it's not a prayer
to her, it's a prayer
through her. Perhaps think of an amplifier, but more... it's not just the amplification of sound it's also the amplification of the thought, heart, love, care, concern, absolute inviolate prayer for another (bippy got one last night) that is happening through her. She will take that prayer to the throne of God in her mystical way, approved and loved by her God, Spouse and Son... all at once and together to relay our best foot forward in the same sincerity by which she answered "yes" to the Angel at the Annunciation.
Now, all this being said, she in know way... in
any way is anything more than the most perfect conduit of prayer to our God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. She, more than any soul ever alive, ever created, knows this. Why do you think there is so little known of her ? She is always and has always been in the background as reverenced and complete a woman's love for her Son and Father and Spouse will ever be. She is, IMO, the most perfect soul and representative of man's best offering as a human and as FL has said a role model, IMO unparalleled .
As far as some Catholics take this too far is concerned, well on the one hand, if someone actually prays to her in lieu of Jesus...they have gone overboard. Honestly, I know of no true Catholic who does. She and her faith are placed in perspective to who she is to God, not who she is to us, or how any one person perceives her. Our perceptions are of no value. It is all about how she is perceived by God that makes her wonderful, and I, for my part will love her unendingly if, for no other reason, for her "yes" to God. Without it, there is no Jesus and without Jesus IMO, there never even would have been a world with out end ...
I hope you'll still let me stay after this.. but it is how i feel and am unashamed to love her and say her creation and perfection is a great sign of God's love for us.
