Why Not Mary?

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Oct22

Beyond the Rhetoric: Why Not Mary?

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

Most of us who are Catholics eventually get asked, “Why do you Catholics worship Mary?” More often than not the question is not a real question it is a rhetorical question. For a few of you who might not know what is meant by the expression “rhetorical question,” it refers to a “question” whose purpose is not to seek an answer, but, rather, to make a (usually hostile) point. For example the expression “Who do you think you are!?” is in the form of a question but it does not seek an answer. Instead it is meant as a rebuke. And so it usually is when we Catholics get asked the “question” Why do you worship Mary?” we’re usually aware that it is not a sincere question seeking a sincere answer. However, for those cases where an answer really is sought I might propose the following approach:

“Well, of course we don’t worship Mary since that would be a terrible sin. Worship belongs to God alone. We DO honor her though. Afterall, she is Jesus’ mother. But let me ask you a question. Why in your church, do you NOT honor Mary at all? Doesn’t scripture say Every generation will call [Mary] blessed because God who is mighty has done great things for [her]? (Luke 1:48-49) It seems to me that we Catholics are fulfilling scripture but that in your denomination you are not fulfilling or following it. So why don’t you honor her at all? Why don’t you call her blessed as the Bible says?”

Now stop there and wait for an answer. Don’t keep going. Just stop and wait. Have them answer for a change. We Catholics are always on the defensive, always in answer mode. But we ought to ask a few questions too. And try to avoid a merely rhetorical or hostile tone. Try to allow this question to be genuine, respectful, one meant to provoke thought. It is possible that many Protestants have never been asked this question or pondered an answer. Now it is also possible that your interlocutor will try to change the subject or evade an answer by piling on about Catholics but just repeat the question respectfully and ask for an answer. Remember your point is not to argue, be hostile or win an argument. Your point is to provoke thought and get a real answer. And even if the conversation ends badly or with no answer, you’ve planted a seed, a question that they will ponder even if they don’t admit it. Jesus often asked questions to proke thought and conversion. I will be doing a post on this next week.

A final thought on Mary. Another way to explain out devotion and love for Mary is that we are imitating Jesus. We love, honor, respect and entrust ourselves to her care because Jesus did all these things and we want to be just like Jesus. Consider that the very Son of God, dwelled in Mary’s womb, nursed at her breasts, was held in her arms, sat on her lap and entrusted himself to her care. Our Lord could have chosen to enter our world in other ways. Perhaps He could simply have entered the world as a full grown man. The fact is that He freely chose Mary to be his mother and he was truly her Son. As her son he loved and honored her as any good son must and as her son he entrusted himself to her care. All of this serves to highlight Mary’s dignity and to show us how devotion to her is in perfect imitation of Jesus himself.

What more need we say: Jesus our Lord and God honors and loves Mary, and his very scriptures sing her praises; so too His Angel Gabriel and countless saints. When we honor Mary we imitate the very Son of God and fulfill Holy Scripture. Certainly our Lord is pleased that we love and honor his mother.

Here’s a little viseo I recently put together. The Music is from the Daughters of St Paul, “I Am Thine” from the Handmaiden of the Lord Album:

STOP the Abortion Mandate!

I picked this up as I walked into the church before Mass and it has a very urgent message. And it doesn't have a copyright-only a message I feel I need to pass on to protect the unborn as well as our right and duty not to support such a violation of the baby's right to live.


URGENT:

STOP THE ABORTION MANDATE!

Prevent Washington, DC Bureaucrats And Abortion Industry Lobbyists from Forcing YOU to Pay for Abortions

What's at stake right now:

*The current health care reform proposals, if enacted, would result in the BIGGEST EXPANSION OF ABORTION since the Roe V. Wade Supreme Court decision imposed abortion in 1973.

*Washington, DC bureaucrats and abortion industry lobbyists are trying to force YOU to pay for abortions through your tax dollars as part of their proposed trillion-dollar healthcare takeover-even though recent polls show that 71% of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortion.

*This political power-grab is an effort to implement one of the cornerstones of the "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA), and could lead to a massive taxpayer-subsidized abortion industry bailout-something that American families do not support and cannot afford in these tough economic times.

*Under the proposed healthcare takeover, virtually every American would be forced into a health plan that mandates abortion coverage; if the healthcare reform law does not clearly state that abortion is excluded, abortion automatically becomes a minimum required benefit.

*Elected officials must include language to explicitly (italics mine) exclude abortion from any healthcare reform proposal or bill-keep abortion out of healthcare!

What YOU can do about it:

1. Pray

2. E-mail & write letters to your Representative and two Senators at:
http://www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com/email

3. Call the Washington office and the local office of your Representative and two Senators; instructions at: http://www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com/call

4. Spread the word! Distribute the flyer (which I copied this from) to everyone you know and use Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail samples at: http://www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com/share

5. Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper using samples at: http://www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com/editor

http://www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com/

Claims about the Brown Scapular

When Father gave his homily Sunday morning he told us about a Protestant minister who threw a Brown Scapular into the sea during a hurricane. The hurricane calmed down and the minister and his family became Catholic.

Someone who knew 7 men who were about to die were asked by them for cigarettes. He told them that they would have promise to wear the Brown Scapular in order to get their cigarettes.

There's the promise that whoever dies wearing the Brown Scapular will not suffer the eternal fires of Hell.

Six of them became believers and the other one continued not to believe. When they died the 6 believers had their scapulars on. But the wind blew the scapular off the other one just before he died.