“We honor Mary and the saints because we are struck with delight and awe at the wonderful things God has done for them. As the moon reflects the sun, so the Virgin and saints reflect the light of Christ. Without him they are nothing. With him they have become divinized–sons and daughters of the Almighty Father.”
The title link gives a beautiful explanation on the old, worn-out accusation “WHY DO CATHOLICS WORSHIP MARY?!?!?” And believe me, it is OLD.
A. I’m a Catholic. I do not worship Mary. Someone who worships Mary is not Catholic. In fact, a person who worships Mary is not even a Christian.
B. Catholics worship God alone. For someone to say that we worship any one other than God the Almighty Father can only imply that they know nothing about Catholicism.
The author is exactly correct in stating, without Him (GOD), Mary and the saints are nothing. Nothing.
Having read the article, I also wish to state that it is NOT necessary to have a full understanding of the Blessed Mother or the saints in order to be Catholic. Praying the Rosary is not some law that Catholics MUST do or else they’re excommunicated. (the Rosary, by the way is a prayer straight from the Gospel.)
One can be Catholic and not give thought to any of the saints.
But that Catholic would be missing out on the depth of God himself! God has given us these people to look to as human examples of our faith. Jesus IS enough. But, Jesus, after all, is God. God is perfect. As a human, striving for perfection, I fall. I stumble. A ton. It is easy to be discouraged, knowing that I am only human. But I look to the saints as my family of strong Christians, who, in the face of sin, as a faulty human being, always came to Jesus. They are my support team, my brothers and sisters in arms for Christ. There are thousands of holy men and women who’ve lived a beautiful life in Christ; who’ve turned away from sin, who’ve changed their lives, who suffered pain and sorrow all for Christ.
Those people, those saints help encourage me to stay the course to Christ.
No, they’re not some idol to be worshipped. They only exist because of Christ!
They bring me to Christ. I was in a whirlpool of depression, growing further and further away from God, when I started reading about Blessed John Paul the Great. Reading about his life, his struggles, his strength in Christ, brought me running back to Jesus.
These men and women help me to realize I’m not the “ONLY ONE” suffering or struggling; and that many, many, many have experienced very similar, if not the same struggles I have. I only have to read about those people and how their faith carried them always to Jesus. If one is curious enough to read about the lives of the saints, or to actually read their writings (ummm… Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke or John anyone???) they write about God, FOR GOD.
Such a wonderful family in Christ we have! Such a wealth of wisdom we have, in combination with tradition and the Holy Word. There is so much more to know!
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