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sharon
Member
| Joined: | Thu Sep 20th, 2007 |
| Location: | Brandon, Manitoba Canada |
| Posts: | 2 |
| First Name: | sharon | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | methodist, nazarene, alliance, vineyard, Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 11:32 pm |
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It has been a long while since I have been here - hello again
I have a nagging question, from my evangelical roots, how do you get over the hurdle of 'is it ok to pray to Mary?' (Came into the Church Easter of 2006.)
I have been learning the Rosary, using a couple of cd's to help me along, nightly, for about a year, but, I have that nagging tho't come up once in awhile that getting nearer to Mary somehow is denying Christ supreme place in my heart.
I am totally ok with the communion of the Saints, it makes complete sense to me. So, I am ok with asking Mary for intercession etc. I think I am most uncomfortable when there is talk of her as co-redemtrix.
Read the Catechism during my time in RCIA, loved it, but, it didn't seem to answer my questions about Marian Devotion and what it all means.
So, I'm going to throw my nagging doubt out to you and see what wisdom you all have for me.
Thanks
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DrDave
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Mildura, Australia |
| Posts: | 217 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Cradle - Lapsed - Renewed Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 11:48 pm |
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Hi Sharon. When looking at questions like yours, sometimes I find it helpful to try and identify the principle involved and see if you can apply it in other situations. Is praying to/getting nearer to Mary denying Christ's supreme place in your heart?
Some people seem to think that anything that is not Christ is drawing our attention away from Christ. The logical conclusion of that principle is that, if true, a good Christian would rather pray 24/7 than feed their kids ..... ever!
Time spent preparing breakfast is time that could be spent on one's knees.
So should we feed our kids? I tend to think that feeding my kids IS ONE WAY that I in fact exercise my devotion to Christ. Similarly when I express my devotion to Mary, rather than detracting from my devotion to Christ, I am again expressing my devotion to Christ.
As someone once said (I think it was Scott Hahn )
Christ obeyed the commandments.
One of those commandments is to Honour thy Mother
As christians, we imitate Christ
I hope this helps
Regards Doc
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 957 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 12:32 am |
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Hello, Sharon,
I'm going to make a couple of past threads handy for you here. Then I'll make a comment or two.
Click here for Mary 1.
Click here for Mary 2.
I had an extremely close relationship with my father. However, when I was sixteen and wanted to visit my aunt in another city so that my boyfriend (who lived there) and I could have time together, I learned the odds of my getting to go were improved a hundredfold if I let my mother approach my father about the request.
Mary is a creature, but she gave God a human body and nurtured Him through normal human development. From the beginning she was a participant in the plan for our redemption. Imagine the love for her as she approaches the throne of God, how He longs to please and honor her. In her great concern for our spiritual welfare, she is a most effective advocate.
I experienced the same misgivings you have. Now when I enter the local Marian shrine, I stand before a statue of Mary and ask her to help me approach Christ, help me please Him, help me respond to God the Father with the kind of courage, faith, humility, and obedience that characterized her life. I tell her how much I need and appreciate her loving intercession for me.
With some study and some time, I think you'll become much more comfortable. It will come for you, Sharon. Last edited on Fri Feb 15th, 2008 12:40 am by Intercessor
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 1414 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Evangelical "Jesus Freak" (Arminian) / "Lewisian Schaefferite" / Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 01:49 am |
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| Here is an introductory paper I wrote about Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix. It's not what many people think it is!
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 1900+ papers & web pages (absolutely free) & 16 apologetic books (for sale):
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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raising3saints
Member
| Joined: | Thu Feb 14th, 2008 |
| Location: | West Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 17 |
| First Name: | Sieglinde | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Moravian, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 12:04 pm |
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Hi Sharon,
Everyone else has given great answers; I just thought I would interject a bit from my own experience. I, too, had difficulties with developing a devotion to Mary......until I experienced the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Churches. In the East, honoring her is so interwoven into all aspects of the spirituality that it is very difficult to come out not having a greater devotion to her. And also it is hard to miss the understanding that a greater devotion to Mary leads to greater devotion to Christ.
I'll keep you in my prayers!
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