Mary. What a wonderful woman of God. Her faith, her obedience and her whole hearted submission to the will of God never cease to amaze me. Down and throughout the ages few saints have been as sorely tried and tested as she was; and yet through it all, she remained faithful to the God of Israel and to the Son she so problematically bore.
No Bible loving person will fail to be moved by Mary’s God-centred love; but at the same time, no Bible reader could ever fall into the trap of turning Jesus’ mother into a quasi-Saviour like figure to whom we must pray and intercede earnestly (and through whom we have access to the Father). Such thinking is a blatant distortion of New Testament faith. So do I pray to Mary? No, I don’t. Why don’t I pray to her? Let me offer you a bouquet of reasons.
1.- One, I don’t pray to Mary because Mary isn’t God. The Bible makes it crystal clear that prayer is to be directed to God and God alone. The Bible strictly prohibits the deification of any creature in the stead of God. I can’t help thinking how horrified mild Mary would have been had she realized that so many billions of biblically ignorant ‘believers’ would use her name to usurp the authority of the Almighty.
Roman Chatholic prayer
2.- Two, I don’t pray to Mary because there is only one mediator between God and man. Who is that? Let Paul reply in apostolic tone: “The man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). The early church nowhere taught the doctrine of co-redemptrix. Of course we don’t deny that Mary played a vital part in God’s redemptive economy- after all, she birthed the very Son of God in Bethlehem!- but to say that she is a bridge between us and God is to do away with the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood is the only access a Christian has to the presence of the Father. And only means only!
3.- Three, I don’t pray to Mary because Mary was a sinner just like me. Mary’s joyful testimony gives witness to this awakening truth: “My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47). Mary called God her Saviour because she too needed liberation from sin. Mary was human, all too human. She had felt the cold bite of sin and stood in need of the saving grace of God. Mary was no sin-free saint. She shared our fallen human condition and thus disqualified herself from any potential calls to prayer-answering ministry.
4.- Four, I don’t pray to Mary because Mary doesn’t listen to me. Mary has spent the best part of the last two millennia caught up in the fullness of celestial bliss. Her gaze has been fixed on the triune Godhead and she has been praising His infinite beauty to ecstatic excess ever since she got to glory. The things of this present world matter very little to her now. She is with Jesus. She joins voices with the angelical host to sing anthems of praise unto her King. Mary doesn’t pay attention to our prayers. She doesn’t have a cell phone any more. And at any rate, if she did have one, I very much doubt she’d turn it on.
5.- Five, I don’t pray to Mary because Mary would want me to pray to God. If I truly want to honour a person I love, the best way is to honour someone they love. If you want to make me happy, speak well about my family, my friends and my loved ones. In the same manner, if sister Mary were still with us, she would take supreme delight in knowing that we love God with as much passion as she does. As a truly Spirit-led woman of God, she would tell us to pray to God, to look to God and to trust in God (never in anyone else).
I hope this short list of five observations (and the list is by no means exhaustive) should shun us from ever thinking of kneeling before the mother of God’s only Son. Mary is not be prayed to. Yes, we admire her faith. Yes, we thank God for her ministry. And yes, we marvel at her exemplary life. But Mary is not to be sought in prayer. God is to be sought in prayer. Any prayer that is Mary-directed is foully offensive both in the nostrils of the Almighty God and an affront to the legacy of a quite wonderful woman of God.
Oh yes! The Bible clearly states that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!!
Will Graham, This is for you.If praying to Mary really gives you sleepless nights to the extent of even posting on the net, i would only advise you to ‘ only be in pray , serious prayer fast and ask God to reveal to you the secret” if you real believe that God answers prayers, please pray to God, you will surely find an answer.
Mary is an extra-ordinary woman, a mother of God. She has a big role in heaven. She is the mother of the world.Read Genesis and revelation very carefully, you will come across her role.
Be reminded that God loves her so much and that’s why she was given that privilege of making her his mother.There were many holy women but Mary was most chosen.She will protect all those who love his son and mind you you are also under her protection.
May God answer your prayers.
Will Graham, You have to know the prayers that those so called billions of ignorant Christians recite! It ends in Mother of God PRAY FOR US!!!!Kneeling and bowing before the only One Woman Who was annouced to the UNIVERSE as full of grace is surely a pleasing sight to THE TRIUNE GOD.
And above all the only one Who has the power to subdue the serpent….satan…Genesis. Lastly crowned in Revelation.
Mary indeed as pointed noted and ellaborated by brother graham is indeed a woman of no negligible renown and God him self said to say to her she is blessed among women yes, yes, and yes mary was an important vessel used in the salvation of mankind.
But, but and but, Gods word can never be equivocal exodus 20:4 says one must not make for himself an image of anything under heaver or in heaven.
Mary is long gone to glory and here we are having millions of people carving for themselves an image of mary bowing before it an reciting prayers to it.
This obviously is a conspicous contradiction of Gods word.
I herefore urge us to seek the guidance of the holy spirit of truth.
I grow so tired of this ill-informed perspective by poorly educated “Christians”
“no Bible reader could ever fall into the trap of turning Jesus’ mother into a quasi-Saviour like figure to whom we must pray and intercede earnestly”
Here’s the problem with much of your statements.
1. You seem to be implying anyone who prays to Mary hasn’t read the bible? 1.2 billion people on this planet have just proven you wrong. Catholics not only read the bible , they also put the bible you refer to together! Think about that.
2. Catholics do not view Mary as a deity. There is no doctrine of “co-redemptrix” , it doesn’t actually exist. God forbids worship of anyone but Him, not praying to anyone but Him. You said the bible makes it clear not to pray to anyone but God, you’re actually wrong. The bible makes it clear we’re not to worship anyone but God. There IS a difference. Saying it’s a sin to ask Mary to pray for you, or talking to her is worship is like saying talking to a neighbour or friend, or asking them to pray for you is worship… That’s plain silly.
3. Nowhere does the Catholic Church teach that you MUST pray to Mary. It is encouraged, but not required.
4. Acquaint yourself with the fact that Jews traditionally can and do pray to angels, saints and ancestors who have passed on…hence why the practice continued into the new faith following the crucifixion and was and still is a part of the church that Jesus started ( Yes, praying to others in addition to God is and always has been a part of the Jewish faith… I suggest you look it up)
5. Mary has little interest in what goes on down here? REALLY!? you don’t think she cares if we turn to God, turn to her son.? She cares very much. Those who have passed do care about what happens down here… Moses and Elijah cared enough to actually make an appearance and ensure the apostles understood who Jesus was.
I ask all those wish to practice TRUE Christianity…….PLEASE educate yourselves before forming these half baked opinions. Read the bible and it’s entirety and understand what it teaches as a whole. Not just bits and pieces taken out of context. There is knowledge, and then there is understanding.
PS. Mary NEVER had a cell phone.
Peter, why would you waste money on photographs of your wedding day and your kids, your parents, your wife, don’t you just admire them?.Why not admire the mother of God? If someone entered your sitting room what decorations have you hanged up on the walls.People spend dollars buying images of lions , snakes, birds.e.t.c just because they love to look at them.What about gazing at a beautiful picture of the most beautiful woman pure and holy, a mother of God.
Peter ,The greatest gift of the holy spirit to mankind is Wisdom, please seek God and you will find and he will reveal to you everything you want to know
God still speaks to people.Never doubt the mother of God and her powerful intercession.
Worship is different from intercession.
Catholics pray to her for intercession and she joins her prayers with ours.
I see many christians going to pastors for prayers which is ok but remember this is a pastor living on this sinful world full of temptations and he still manages to pray for Christians.
Now here comes a woman who lives in heaven. If i may ask, is there room for sin in heaven? If God can answer sinners prayers, what about a prayer of the blessed woman and mother of God, queen of heaven, mother of our saviour.
The mother of God and Elijah are the only two people that have entered heaven with their human bodies. If you would like to know about the mother of God, do not hesitate to ask please.
Iam the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me. John 14 v 6,
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14 v 13, 14
And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3 V31,35
From the scripts above we can conclude that the only way we can have access to God is through the name of Jesus.
Secondly , Jesus did not give any special preference to his mother as we want to. He regarded her as any other sheep under his pastor ship.
Can somebody please give me scriptures that supports the idea of praying through the name of Mary the Mother of Jesus?
Luke 11 V 27, V 28
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Mr. Graham,
Thank you for you notes. Cant you see Mother Mary troubles you so much! Jesus instructed to his disciple just before he died “She is your mother!” John Chapter 19; When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own [home].
Please read Luke 1: 46-55. Read about Cana of Galilee. She interceded for in the Bridal party. For the sake of his sorrowful passion Jesus Christ have mercy on Graham and all the people who do not under stand how powerful Mother Mary is; and on the whole world! Mother Mary pray for the whole world. God bless you all.
Mygoodness, where do people like mwaka that dont appreciate the mother of God of live.
–Mwaka can you identity any prayer that concludes like ”we pray this through Mary. AMEN”.
– Do you know the meaning of the word intercession?
– Have you encountered Jesus Christ in your life?
– Do you believe that Jesus still speaks to people today?
– Do you want Jesus to speak to you?.
– Do you have spiritual ears so that you can listen and understand when Jesus speaks to you?
-Are you ready for Christ when comes to speak to you or your heart is hardened?
-There’s a saying that goes its better for man to either ask or keep quite when he does not know the answer to avoid sinning.
– Do you believe heaven exists?
– Did you know that sinners do not go heaven?
-Did you know that there people living in heaven?
-Mary mother of God is the Queen of all things , in heaven and earth.
– Mary is your mother and she is constantly praying for you because your prayers alone cannot appease God . We are ”sinner” and ”Mary” is not and never has she ever been. she was ”conceived without sin”
– May God bless you Mwaka
People of God, I want to say to all of you, read the bible with Revelation, there is a difference in just reading the bible and reading the bible with revelation, where you ask and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal secrets according to Duet 29V 29. Remember there are so many things that were not revealed or written in the bible because we were not going even to carry the bible because of its size
So what I am saying to you more especially those who judge Mary otherwise, Mary the chosen and the mother of Jesus- Jesus that we go to God through Him, what stops one Not to honour this woman, holy woman, I am not saying we have to pray to her, but we can ask her to pray for us as she knows far better than us ALL the ways of staying Holy and to know God, NOT KNOWING ABOUT GOD but and BUT knowing God have a relationship with HIM even feel HIS heart when its beating. This woman is not like any other woman But we can be like her though we cannot bore Jesus as there will be no other. Stop arguing and read your bibles with revelation, and ask straight from the Holy Spirit to reveal what you want to know about Mary.
The root of the ignorance and gross deception that has badly eaten up millions of people who profess to be Christians is their susceptible tendency to take @ face value certain doctrines, without taking the time to evaluate the authenticity & croSs examine them with the word of God.
As for me, the bible has NEVER said I should worship mary or pray through her, but to our LORD JESUS. For that reason I can never worship mary, who was a mere human that found grace in the sight of God, by being used as a vessel of honour to materialize God’s plan for humanity.
Christians go read your bible and stop labouring under this idolatrous illusion by your sentiments.
The truth indeed is never palatable to the hardened.
We give honour to Jesus our hope of glory , mary was an enveloped carring a message
The only to Almighty is Jesus christ
Graham Graham!! why does it bother you that the catholic church is the largest church on earth with billions praying Through Mary. Don’t you think there is supernatural hand guiding it? churches rise and loose fame but this church has being the No.1 from the beginning. She is the mother of God how can a mother of God be called a sinner that means you acknowledge that Jesus had sin too. common sense what a mother is she passes to the foetus. is Because of the mother heart she has she came down to warn us. her children are dying and going to hell.(google our lady of Fatima and tell the Portuguese de did not see the virgins miracle). don’t be blinded by the devil Mary defeated him when she said yes to God. he is angry and want to cut her from leading me and you back to the Almighty.
Thanks Tonia.May God Bless YOU.
To you Godfraimus,
Have you mastered the bible.Can you tell all Christians what happened in Jesus life between the age 12 and 30 when he started his ministry. What was he doing during that period. can you find it in the bible? Please am asking you to stop arguing much because you know less. Don’t expect to find everything in the bible. Use your common sense because God gave you the wisdom and intelligence unless you are a dump and dense person.
I’m proud to be a Catholic, the one instituted by God himself,not man. I think the Catholics who know and acknowledge the scripture has said it all. We do not worship Mary, we honour the great woman, who bore the saviour of the world. Why is it that people always raise this particular issue instead of admitting the truth. All you who hate Mother Mary or say all sorts of things about her and the Catholic faith,why not concentrate on your own faith and believe in it rather than contradicting the true facts. Ok, never regard your mother even as she is late,never snap picture to mark as remembrance of any kind,never put your pastors picture,flyer,banner,since Mother Mary’s picture we use as remembrance,you people see it as worship. Mother Mary we are proud to be your children. May God help us all in Jesus mighty name. Amen! .
oh God in heaven, i cant wait to get to you as all these truths will be revealed then.