Was Mary Assumed Body and Soul into Heaven?

Introduction

The Assumption of Mary is a topic often proposed to Catholics, accompanied by the challenging question: where is it in the Bible? Addressing this, many struggle to find a straightforward answer, often relying on tradition. In this exploration, I will delve into the biblical roots of the Assumption, drawing from scripture and Church Tradition to shed light on this doctrine.

Biblical Precedence for the Assumption

Contrary to the belief that Mary ascended to heaven under her own power, Catholic doctrine holds that Jesus, in His divine nature, assumed Mary's body and soul into heaven. This concept finds resonance in biblical instances. Genesis 5:24 speaks of Enoch, "taken" by God, and Hebrews 11:5 narrates Enoch's ascension due to his faith. Similarly, 2 Kings 2:11 depicts Elijah's fiery chariot ascent. Moreover, after Christ's death, saints were resurrected, suggesting their bodies might have gone to heaven.

The Symbolism of the Ark

To understand the Assumption, considering Mary as the Ark of the Covenant is essential. In Revelation 11:19-12:1, the heavenly temple reveals the Ark, representing Mary. Just as the Ark carried the Word of God in imperishable form, Mary bore the incarnate Word. Just as the Ark was preserved, Mary, being sinless, wouldn't undergo corruption.

Theological Insight from Early Church Fathers

Early Church Fathers, like St. Gregory of Tours and St. John Damascene, provide valuable insights into the Assumption. St. Gregory's Eight Books of Miracles elucidates the event, while St. John Damascene's homilies affirm Mary's bodily assumption into heaven. These perspectives bolster the theological basis for this doctrine.

Conclusion

In essence, the Assumption of Mary finds biblical support through analogies, symbols, and early Church writings. Exploring these facets not only deepens our understanding of this doctrine but also strengthens the connection between biblical teachings and Catholic traditions. For further discussions or queries, feel free to engage, and I'll gladly provide more insights backed by research and Church teachings.

References

Catholic Answers. (2005). The Essential Catholic Survival Guide. San Diego, CA: Catholic Answers, Inc.

Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.

Universal Living Rosary Association

A special message from Father Daniel of Tanzania stationed in Australia

Dear Fellow Members of the Living Rosary Association,

I wanted to share with you some thoughts about our commitment as Christians to keeping Christ at the center of our lives. If Jesus is not the foundation of our lives, we have no foundation and we have no life worth living. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do we want Jesus? If we are determined to be like everyone else in our community then we will not sense any need for Christ. We live in a society that focuses heavily on self-interest. For example, when someone is asked to help another, the question that many respond with is, "What do I get in return?" This is not the way of the Christian. The only concern of a Christian is Jesus Christ and striving to be more like Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He must be the Cornerstone of our lives. It's all about You, Jesus.

There is a cost, however. Sure, when we preach the good news and stand up for Jesus, we are often joined by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who also wish to change the world for the better. But we are also often rejected by many who want nothing to do with Jesus, His Way, or His Life. Have others asked you to join them in something that is against the life of Jesus? Have you ever had to say, "No" -- no to drugs, no to alcohol, no to sex outside of marriage, no to gossip, no to destroying someone's reputation, no to excluding someone, no to cheating, no to stealing, etc. And when we do say "No," what happens? Quite often, we are rejected by others. We need to lift these individuals up in prayer for they are not just rejecting us. They are rejecting Our Lord. The stone that is being rejected is Jesus. We live for Jesus. We share His Life and His Love. We also share in His rejection and His crucifixion. We also share in His recreation of the world into the Kingdom of God.

This is reflected in the gospel of the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the good and most faithful shepherd. He offers Himself up completely for His people. He and He alone is our life and our salvation. In the name of Jesus Christ, the world is healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are healed.

With love,
Father Daniel




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United with Heaven's Plan for Peace
Dear Devoted Apostles of the Living Rosary Association,

Today we faithfully remember and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and Her important messages to the world regarding the need for prayer and penance. It was in Our Lady's messages more than 90 years ago that She warned God's children to amend their lives in order to prevent further suffering and wars.

In 1916, three shepherd children Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta (ages seven to nine), of the mountain village of Fatima, Portugal, were visited by the Angel of Portugal prior to Our Lady's appearances. The Angel told them to pray constantly to the Most High, and to accept and endure the sufferings sent to them by the Lord.

A beautiful gift of Our Lady's messages was the reminder to all, of the spiritual triumph that is achieved when the Rosary is prayed with great devotion. Our Lady said, "Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war…if they do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace…But if they do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI."

Before the child Jacinta died in 1920, she revealed one of the messages she had received from Our Lady: "Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary…and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to Her."

Our Lady of Fatima requested the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays.

She proclaimed to Lucia, the eldest of the three children to whom She appeared, "Jesus wishes to make use of you to have me acknowledged and loved. He wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God."

Pope Pius XII issued an Encyclical in 1948 to the whole world calling upon every family and every diocese to make the consecration. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, wrote that, although God was pleased with this act, it was incomplete.

We will know that the Immaculate Heart of Mary has triumphed, just as She promised, when the Holy Father united with all of the Bishops gather in Rome to define the fifth Marian dogma - that Our Blessed Mother is the Mediatrix of All Graces And Co-Redemptrix of the World. This will be the outward sign of the Triumph of her Immaculate Heart.

Through the Fatima revelations, Our Lord made it known that the sacrifice He requires of each person is the faithful accomplishment of their daily duty through prayer and sacrifice.

Our Lord said, "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." (Mark 12:24) The daily Rosary increases our faith, hope and charity. It enhances our belief, adoration, trust and our love for Jesus and Our Blessed Mother. It sanctifies us and helps us avoid sin.

Sister Lucia wrote, "Jesus wishes that it be made clear to souls that the true penance He wants and requires consists first of all in the sacrifice that each one must make to fulfill his own religious and temporal duties."

My love and prayers are with all of you and your families always.

Your fellow servant and sister in Christ, together we labor for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

Bon courage, dear Child of Mary,

Patti Melvin, ULRA Director

Please pray for me as I will pray for you all the days of my life!


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A Spiritual Communion with Mary
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every Grace! I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul.

O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One Who has already come and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.

Sister Lucia helped write the Fatima Morning Offering. As soon as we awaken, we should give our thoughts to God and consecrate the day to Him by praying the Morning Offering:

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss the Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, joining with it my every thought, word and action of this day.


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A Note of Gratitude
We want to offer our heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation to Thomas Nelson of TAN Publishingfor his most generous donation of more than 100,000 books to the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA). Nelson, who is a strong devotee of St. Philomena, gifted our missionary work with sacred books ranging from catechisms of the Catholic Church, to Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Philomena and many other saints, and more. Each one is such a treasure of our faith and is so needed in the remote areas of the world where Christ's most vulnerable people are starved for His sacred word.

We would also like to thank one of our members, who wishes to remain anonymous, for funding the entire cost to have the books loaded and delivered by truck to our Texas residence. As the old adage goes, give a person a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime. With the help of these books souls will learn their faith and be able to explain and defend it for the remainder of their lives.






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Our Mission
The Living Rosary's purpose is accomplished by helping bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the world. Our Blessed Mother is our direct way to Jesus Christ and her holy Rosary is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons to bring about the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is the fountain of grace which is poured out upon us through the Most Holy Rosary and the Scapular of Mt. Carmel.



We need your continued strong commitment. God knows what is necessary for the current spiritual battle and he will inspire souls to fulfill these needs. But it is our duty to make known to you these needs. Each month hundreds of 'mission parcels' loaded with spiritual treasures for our poor missionaries are carefully and lovingly packed. The Priority box from the post office is 12x12x6 and can be loaded with up to 20 pounds of materials. We include Rosaries, miraculous medals, Scapulars, leaflets, newsletters, two TAN books, large color prints, the blessed cords and holy oil of St. Philomena, decade cards and registration lists for the leaders and priests. Each box costs $53.95 to send. Our very mission is united to the plan for peace that Our Lady delivered at Fatima. Make it part of your "Daily Duty" to encourage the faithful to take up a decade in the Living Rosary and help reach the missions with the tools they need to know and live the message of Our Lady at Fatima. Through this work we have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith to as many souls as possible.



It is Our Lady who summons us to Her service in this sacred work of souls – souls for whom Our Lord shed His Blood on Cavalry. We must join the children of Fatima and consecrate our hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus. Everything else will fall into place according to Our Lord's plan.



In John 7:37, Jesus said, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink." Our united work and prayers of the most Holy Rosary will continue to help spread God's message of hope and peace and quench the spiritual thirst of His lost sheep.

O Blessed Mother, make us live in God, with God, and for God and "May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands!" (Psalm 90:17)


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Share Your Gift of Faith
For centuries, our cherished Catholic faith has been passed from person to person, parent to child, etc. Each of us carries in our heart a special memory of how God first graced us with the knowledge of the faith and how Our Blessed Mother, St. Philomena, Venerable Pauline Jaricot and other saints changed our lives and brought us closer to Christ.

In our work in the Universal Living Rosary Association, we see first hand how millions of souls are currently living without that knowledge of God and are living outside of His grace. We have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith and blessings to others who would otherwise never be introduced to Our Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Just as we pray for the souls in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them, we should also make it a part of our life's mission to pass on our faith to as many souls as possible who have no one else to pass it on to them, who don't know Our Lord and His promise of salvation.



The Living Rosary Association was founded by Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot at Lyon, France in 1826, at the age of 27. She first founded the Propagation of the Faith at the age of twenty. Pauline as a close friend of Saint Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars. It was approved and richly indulgenced by Pope Gregory XVI, and accorded official canonical status on January 27, 1832.

The Living Rosary Association began its revival on December 8, 1986, with 30 local members. Blessed 1000-fold by Our Lady and under the powerful patronage of St. Philomena, the membership is now 11,320,018 and has been planted in every continent of the world. Over 3/4 of the membership lies in foreign and Third World countries. Each member is asked to voluntarily give a small monthly donation. There is no other financial support other than from its members. The funds received are placed directly back into the work of our Missionary Centers around the world. For those who are unable to contribute a monetary donation, we ask for your fervent prayers that our material needs are met.

Click here to become a member
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The Holy Rosary according to the Method of St. Louis de Montfort


Patti Melvin, Director
Universal Living Rosary Association
P.O. Box 1303, Dickinson, Texas 77539, U.S.A.
Fax: (281) 337-3722 / (281) 309-9821
E-Mail: Filomena@Philomena.org
Web: www.Philomena.org
(Pakistan) www.ULRAPak.com
(UK) www.WaysideAudio.com
(Ukraine) www.LivingRosary.org.ua
web site by richard donley fox

What is the Immaculate Conception if it is not when Mary conceived Jesus and why did the Church wait until 1854 to proclaim it a doctrine or Dogma?

How can the Church change its teaching or add new teaching after 1800 years? This is a good question and again the fast answer is it didn’t. I do plan to address this from the view point of scripture and Tradition. This is a difficult question to answer so please bear with me I try to explain the Church’s view point and as always please feel free to ask any questions or add something you think I may have missed. If you do add something please state the references for the research that you used.

As a starting point I would like to address what the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of December 8th 1854 from Pope Leo IX states. This was what defined the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. It pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin" Holweck, F. (1910). This is about Mary been conceived with out the stain of original sin. Ok, so this did not start until the 19th centenary. How can a church change its doctrine or core its beliefs. The easy answer is that it can not. The full truth was given to the church at time of Christ’s death. There has been no new revelation given. So when did Catholics start to believe in the Immaculate Conception? We can look into this and also address where in scripture we can see references to the possibility of an Immaculate Conception.

I would like to point out just one reference that would show that Catholics did not make this doctrine in the 19th century. We can look back 400 years eairler to the year 1484 When St Beatrice de Silva Menesses founded the order of Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the requirements of this order was to wear the Scapular of the Immaculate Conception beneath there habits. Again in 1583 the Venerable Servant of God founded the Congregation of Oblates of the Immaculate Conception. This order then developed the Blue Scapular after Sister Ursula received a vision of the Blessed Mother (Marians of the Immaculate Conception. 2008). So we can find evidence of this teaching much earlier the 1854.

We can also look at the writings of the early Church Fathers. I will start with St Ephraim from his Nisibene Hymns These were written about 370 A.D. [27,8] “You alone and Your Mother are more beautiful then any others; For there is no blemish in you, nor any stains upon your Mother. Who of my children can compare in beauty to these (Jurgens Vol. 1, 1970)? By stating that there are no blemishes on Mary, St Ephraim is stating that she had no sin. Who else stated that Mary had no sin? We can look at St Ambrose of Milan’s Commentary on Psalm 118; 397-399A.D. Here we find St Ambrose saying “Come, then, and search out Your sheep, not through Your servant or hired men, but do it Yourself. Lift me up bodily and in the flesh, which is fallen in Adam. Lift me up not from Sara but from Mary, a virgin not only undefiled but a virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin (Jurgens Vol.2, 1970).


When we look into scripture we can find inferences to the fact that Mary was with out sin. To start we can look at the Gospel of Luke. Here we find the passages of the announcement to Mary. It states; ”And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-28 Douay-Rheims). The question to ask here is how someone is “full of grace”, if they are in a state of sin? We can not be in a state of grace if we have sin on our soul. The only way to achieve this is either through baptism or the sacrament of reconciliation or confession. Mary received neither of these prior to Jesus enacting these sacraments. The only way to be free of sin at that time was by a special grace from God. This grace was given to Mary at the time of her conception (which occurred in the normal fashion) so she could become the Ark of the Covenant carrying God’s Word.

This is just a start of this discussion it will need to be added to in the future. Again please ask any questions or make any additions to this. I will address them as they are posted.


Resources

Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm

Marians of the Immaculate Conception. (2008). The Blue Scapular and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA.

Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 1. MN: The Liturgical Press.

Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 2. MN: The Liturgical Press.

Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows
This rosary recalls the seven major sorrows that the Virgin Mary suffered through—albeit with love and compassion—during the life, trials, and agonizing death of her son, Jesus Christ. It's very special to the immaculate heart of the Blessed Mother, and she wants all of us to say it as often as possible.
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows dates back to the Middle Ages, but it gained new popularity following the Marian apparitions in Kibeho, which have been approved by the Catholic Church. During Mary's apparitions to Marie-Claire Mukangango, she assigned the young visionary a mission to reintroduce this special rosary to the world. Before her untimely death, Marie-Claire did just that, traveling widely to teach it to thousands of people, who then taught it to thousands of others.
During her visitations to Kibeho, the Holy Virgin revealed that this rosary possesses immense spiritual power for those who say it sincerely. She promised that when prayed with an open and repentant heart, the rosary would win us the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins and free our souls from guilt and remorse. She also promised that over time, the rosary would develop within us a deep understanding of why we sin, and that knowledge would give us the wisdom and strength to change or remove any internal flaws, weakness of character, or personality faults, causing unhappiness and keeping us from enjoying the joyous life God intended for us to live.
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows contains all the power you need to change your life for the better, obtain peace and happiness, realize your true potential, fulfill all your dreams, and grow closer to God’s light. During one of her many apparitions to Marie-Claire, the Holy Virgin suggested that it be prayed as often as possible, but especially on Tuesdays and Fridays: Tuesday being the day Mary first appeared to Mary-Claire, and Friday being the day Christ was crucified. The Blessed Mother also stressed that the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows is intended to complement—and in no way replace—the traditional rosary. Pray both rosaries regularly and you’ll be doubly blessed!
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The following is a description of this amazing rosary as the Virgin Mother herself taught it to Marie-Claire in Kibeho. It may be prayed aloud or contemplated silently, alone or with others; the key is for the prayers, reflections, and meditations to always come from the depths of your heart.
I speak from experience when I promise that you’ll never regret learning this wonderful rosary and that you’ll soon lose track of the countless blessings that praying it will bring into your life. It’s my hope that more people than ever before will learn just how amazing this rosary is.
Please note that you don’t necessarily need any special beads to say these prayers; just follow the diagram and instructions below. (It is, however, important that when you reach each sorrowful mystery, you take a moment to meditate on the magnitude of Mary’s suffering … and the strength of her love.)

1. On the large medal at the bottom of the rosary:
a. Make the sign of the cross.b. Say the Introductory Prayer. c. Say the Act of Contrition.
2. For each of the next three beads, say a Hail Mary.
3. On the first small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother, remind us always about the sorrows of your son, Jesus." b. Meditate upon the First Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
4. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
5. On the second small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Second Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
6. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
7. On the third small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Third Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
8. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
9. On the fourth small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
10. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
11. On the fifth small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
12. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
13. On the sixth small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Sixth Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
14. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
15. On the seventh small medal:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Meditate upon the Seventh Sorrowful Mystery. c. Say the Lord’s Prayer.
16. For each of the next seven beads, say a Hail Mary.
17. Upon reaching the large medal at the bottom of the rosary:
a. Say the prayer, "Most merciful mother" b. Say the Concluding Prayer. c. Say three times: "Mary, who was conceived without sin and who suffered for us, pray for us."
Make a sign of the cross – your prayers will be answered!

Introductory Prayer
My God, I offer You this rosary for Your glory, so I may honor Your Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin, so I can share and meditate upon her suffering. I humbly beg You to give me true repentance for all my sins. Give me wisdom and humility so that I may receive all the indulgences contained in this prayer.

Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend You, my God, You Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
Before Each Mystery, Pray
Most merciful mother, remind us always about the sorrows of your son, Jesus.

1. The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Prophecy of Simeon (Lk 2:22-35)
The Blessed Virgin Mary took Jesus to the temple, as tradition demanded that all newborns be blessed in the temple before God. There, the old priest Simeon held the baby Jesus in his hands, and the Holy Spirit filled his heart. Simeon recognized Jesus as the promised Savior and held the child high toward heaven, thanking God for granting his wish that he would live long enough to behold the Messiah.
"Now Your servant may depart this life in peace, my Lord," he said. Then he looked upon Mary and proclaimed, "And you, woman, a sword of sorrow will pierce your heart because of the suffering that shall befall your child."
The Blessed Virgin knew that she had given birth to the Savior of humankind, so she immediately understood and accepted Simeon’s prophecy. Although her heart was deeply touched by this favor of bearing the baby Jesus, her heart remained heavy and troubled, for she knew what had been written about the ordeals and subsequent death of the Savior. Whenever she saw her son, she was constantly reminded of the suffering he would be subject to, and his suffering became her own.

Prayer: Beloved Mother Mary, whose heart suffered beyond bearing because of us, teach us to suffer with you and with love, and to accept all the suffering God deems it necessary to send our way. Let us suffer, and may our suffering be known to God only, like yours and that of Jesus. Do not let us show our suffering to the world, so it will matter more and be used to atone for the sins of the world. You, Mother, who suffered with the Savior of the world, we offer you our suffering, and the suffering of the world, because we are your children. Join those sorrows to your own and to those of the Lord Jesus Christ, then offer them to God the Father so that He will know the one who created it. You are a mother greater than all.

2. The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-15)
Mary’s heart broke and her mind was greatly troubled when Joseph revealed to her the words of the angel: they were to wake up quickly and flee to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill Jesus. The Blessed Virgin hardly had time to decide what to take or leave behind; she took her child and left everything else, rushing outside before Joseph so that they could hurry as God wished. Then she said, "Even though God has power over everything, He wants us to flee with Jesus, His son. God will show us the way, and we shall arrive without being caught by the enemy."
Because the Blessed Virgin was the mother of Jesus, she loved him more than anyone else. Her heart was deeply troubled at the sight of her infant son’s discomfort, and she suffered greatly because he was cold and shivering. While she and her husband were tired, sleepy, and hungry during this long travel, Mary’s only thought was about the safety and comfort of her child. She feared coming face to face with the soldiers who had been ordered to kill Jesus because she was aware that the enemy was still in Bethlehem. Her heart remained constantly anguished during this flight. She also knew that where they were going, there would be no friendly faces to greet them.

Prayer: Beloved Mother, who has suffered so much, give to us your courageous heart. Give us strength so that we can be brave like you and accept with love the suffering God sends our way. Help us to also accept all the suffering we inflict upon ourselves and the suffering inflicted upon us by others. Heavenly Mother, you alone purify our suffering so that we may give glory to God and save our souls.

3. The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Loss of Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52)
Jesus was the only begotten son of God, but he was also Mary’s child. The Blessed Virgin loved Jesus more than herself because he was her God. Compared to other children, he was most unique because he was already living as God. When Mary lost Jesus on their way back from Jerusalem, the world became so big and lonely that she believed she couldn’t go on living without him, so great was her sorrow. (She felt the same pain her son felt when he was later abandoned by his apostles during the Passion.)
As the Holy Mother looked anxiously for her beloved boy, deep pain welled in her heart. She blamed herself, asking why she didn’t take greater care of him. But it was not her fault; Jesus no longer needed her protection as before. What really hurt Mary was that her son had decided to stay behind without her consent. Jesus had pleased her in everything so far: he never annoyed her in any way, nor would he ever displease his parents. She knew that he always did what was necessary, however, so she never suspected him of being disobedient.

Prayer: Beloved Mother, teach us to accept all our sufferings because of our sins and to atone for the sins of the whole world.

4. The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Lk 23:27-31)
Mary witnessed Jesus carrying the heavy cross alone—the cross on which he was to be crucified. This didn’t surprise the Blessed Virgin because she already knew about the approaching death of Our Lord. Noting how her son was already weakened by the numerous hard blows given by the soldiers’ clubs, she was filled with anguish at his pain. The soldiers kept hurrying and pushing him, though he had no strength left. He fell, exhausted, unable to raise himself. At that moment, Mary’s eyes, so full of tender love and compassion, met her son’s eyes, which were pained and covered in blood. Their hearts seemed to be sharing the load; every pain he felt, she felt as well. They knew that nothing could be done except to believe and trust in God and dedicate their suffering to Him. All they could do was put everything in God’s hands.

Prayer: Beloved Mother, so stricken with grief, help us to bear our own suffering with courage and love so that we may relieve your sorrowful heart and that of Jesus. In doing so, may we give glory to God Who gave you and Jesus to humanity. As you suffered, teach us to suffer silently and patiently. Grant unto us the grace of loving God in everything. O Mother of Sorrows, most afflicted of all mothers, have mercy on the sinners of the whole world.

5. The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross (Jn 19:25-27)
The Blessed Virgin Mary continued to climb the mount to Calvary, following behind Jesus painfully and sorrowfully, yet suffering silently. She could see him staggering and falling with the cross some more, and she witnessed her son being beaten by soldiers who pulled his hair to force him to stand up. Despite his innocence, when Jesus reached the top of Calvary, he was ordered to confess in front of the crowd so they could laugh at him. Mary deeply felt her son’s pain and humiliation, particularly when his tormentors forced him to strip off what was left of his clothing. The Blessed Virgin felt sick at heart seeing these tyrants crucifying her son naked, shaming him terribly merely to amuse the jeering crowd. (Jesus and Mary felt more disgrace than normal people did because they were without sin and holy.) The Blessed Virgin Mary felt pain beyond bearing when Jesus was stretched out on the cross. His murderers sang merrily as they approached him with hammers and nails. They sat on him heavily so that he could not move when they spiked him to the wood. As they hammered the nails through his hands and feet, Mary felt the blows in her heart; the nails pierced her flesh as they tore into her son’s body. She felt her life fading away. As the soldiers lifted the cross to drop it into the hole they’d dug, they deliberately jerked it, causing the force of Jesus’ bodily weight to tear through the flesh on his hands and expose his bone. The pain shot through his body like liquid fire. He endured three excruciating hours skewered on the cross, yet the physical pain was nothing compared to the agonizing heartache he was forced to bear seeing his mother suffering below him. Mercifully, he finally died.

Prayer: Beloved Mother, Queen of the Martyrs, give us the courage you had in all your sufferings so that we may unite our sufferings with yours and give glory to God. Help us follow all His commandments and those of the Church so that Our Lord’s sacrifice will not be in vain, and all sinners in the world will be saved.

6. The Sixth Sorrowful Mystery: Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus in Her Arms (Jn 19:38-40)
The friends of Jesus, Joseph and Nicodemus, took down his body from the cross and placed it in the outstretched arms of the Blessed Virgin. Then Mary washed it with deep respect and love because she was his mother. She knew better than anyone else that he was God incarnate who’d taken a human body to become the Savior of all people.
Mary could see the terrifying wounds from the flogging Jesus had received while at Pilate’s. His flesh had been shredded and large strips had been torn from his back. His entire body had been so lacerated that gaping wounds crisscrossed him from head to toe. Mary found that the wounds from the nails were less severe than those caused by the flogging and by carrying the cross. She was horrified at the thought that her son had managed to carry the heavy, splintered cross all the way to Calvary. She saw the circle of blood the crown of thorns had made on his forehead and, to her horror, realized that many of the barbed thorns had dug so deeply into his skull they had penetrated his brain. Looking at her broken boy, the Holy Mother knew that his agonizing death was far worse than the torture reserved for the wickedest of criminals. As she cleaned his damaged body she envisioned him during each stage of his short life, remembering her first look at his beautiful newborn face as they lay in the manger, and every day in between, until this heartrending moment as she gently bathed his lifeless body. Her anguish was relentless as she prepared her son and Lord for burial, but she remained brave and strong, becoming the true Queen of Martyrs. As she washed her son she prayed that everybody would know the riches of paradise and enter the gates of heaven. She prayed for every soul in the world to embrace God’s love, so her son’s torturous death would benefit all humankind and not have been in vain. Mary prayed for the world; she prayed for all of us.

Prayer: We thank you, Beloved Mother, for your courage as you stood beneath your dying child to comfort him on the cross. As our Savior drew his last breath, you became a wonderful mother to all of us; you became the Blessed Mother of the world. We know that you love us more than our own earthly parents do. We implore you to be our advocate before the throne of mercy and grace so that we can truly become your children. We thank you for Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, and we thank Jesus for giving you to us. Please pray for us, Mother.

7. The Seventh Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb (Jn 19:41-42)
The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary was so closely linked to that of Jesus she thought there was no reason for her to go on living any longer. Her only comfort was that his death had ended his unspeakable suffering. Our sorrowful mother, with the help of John and the holy women, devoutly placed Jesus’ body in the sepulcher, and she left him there as any other dead person. She went home with great pain and tremendous sorrow; for the first time she was without him, and her loneliness was a new and bitter source of pain. Her heart had been dying since her son’s heart had stopped beating, but she was certain that our Savior would soon be resurrected.
Prayer: Most Beloved Mother, whose beauty surpasses that of all mothers, mother of mercy, mother of Jesus, and mother to us all, we are your children and we place all our trust in you. Teach us to see God in all things and all situations, even our sufferings. Help us to understand the importance of suffering, and also to know the purpose of our suffering as God had intended it. You yourself were conceived and born without sin, were preserved from sin, yet you suffered more than anybody else has. You accepted suffering and pain with love and with unsurpassed courage. You stood by your son from the time he was arrested until he died. You suffered along with him, felt every pain and torment he did. You accomplished the will of God the Father; and according to His will, you have become our savior with Jesus. We beg you, dear Mother, to teach us to do as Jesus did. Teach us to accept our cross courageously. We trust you, most merciful mother, so teach us to sacrifice for all the sinners in the world. Help us to follow in your son’s footsteps, and even to be willing to lay down our lives for others.

Concluding Prayer: Queen of Martyrs, your heart suffered so much. I beg you, by the merits of the tears you shed in these terrible and sorrowful times, to obtain for me and all the sinners of the world the grace of complete sincerity and repentance. Amen.

Three times, say: Mary, who was conceived without sin and who suffered for us, pray for us

Retrived From Mother of All Peoples Web site: http://www.motherofallpeoples.com/articles/marian-devotion/the-rosary-of-the-seven-sorrows.html

Universal Living Rosary

The 15 Promises Made by the Blessed Virgin to St. Dominic and Blessed Alanus

1. To all those who shall recite my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and very great graces.

2. Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some signal grace.

3. The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against Hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.

4. The Rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant Divine mercies; it will substitute in hearts love of God for love of the world and elevate them to desire heavenly and eternal goods. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!

5. Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.

6. Those who shall recite my Rosary piously, considering its mysteries, will not be overwhelmed by misfortune, nor die a bad death.

7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the consolations of the Church or without grace.

8. Those who shall recite my Rosary will find during their life and at their death, the light of God, the fullness of His grace and will share in the merits of the blessed.

9. I will deliver very promptly from purgatory the souls devoted to my Rosary.

10. The true children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in Heaven.

11. What you shall ask through my Rosary, you shall obtain.

12. Those who propagate my Rosary will obtain through me aid in all their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have for their intercessors in life and death the Saints of Heaven.

14. Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.

Imprimatur: Most Rev. Clarence G. Issenmann, STD,Bishop of Cleveland

For more information on the living rosary devotion please click on the title of this post.

What about the Catholic teaching on Devine Scripture and Scared Tradition? My church teaches only from the bible or Sola Scriptura. Which is correct?

This is a key part of what I have been discussing in this blog and it should have been addressed first. This concept of sola scriptura or faith by bible alone is a fairly new concept. It came about during the Protestant Reformation. There are many ways to address this question and I plan to use as many as I can. I would like to start with is that this teaching in and of itself is not biblical. This will also be addressed during this discussion. Again I would like to invite you as you read this and reflect on it ask any questions you may have or add to the discussion. If you do add to the discussion please let us know where you are finding any information that you are using so we can look at it also. Remember to be kind and enjoy what you are doing. We are here to learn for each other.

If you are going to use the idea that the bible alone is the only way to develop your faith doctrine I would like to ask how to you know which books for the bible you should use. Where in the bible does it tell you which books are supposed to be there? There is no canon of the Bible in the bible itself to tell you what is inspired and what is not. The canon of our current bible was developed during the Counsel of Rome 382 AD and looked at and affirmed in later counsels of the Church. Thank you to the Catholic Church for the bible, as we know it today. Now to what it tells us in scripture about where we should get our teaching.

I think I would like to start by looking at what Saint Paul has said in some of his letters. I will tell you that there are many examples I can use to defend the Catholic’s Church viewpoint. I think a good passage to look first at is 1 Cor 11:2. Paul tells the church at Corinth to hold fast to the “traditions” handed to them. So is it scripture alone, tradition alone or both together? Let’s look at another passage by Saint Paul. 2 Thess 2:15 states that we are to hold on the traditions, weather oral or written. So here we have traditions that were not written down? To answer this we can look at Jn 21:25. Here we see that not everything that Jesus had said has been written down in scripture. Again we are seeing that the Apostles felt that both scripture and tradition is to be used to teach the faith. Now that we know that both scripture and tradition is to be used where can we find the tradition to help teach? Jesus and the Apostles also revealed this to us.

Again we can use Holy Scripture to show that there is to be a teaching authority and who that authority should be. We can start with fact that Jesus started one church and it was to be headed by Peter. For more on this please look at the primacy of Peter. Pay close attention to the section covering Matt 16:18. We can also look into Matt 18:15-17. We are told be Jesus himself if we are having problems with others we should take it to the church. If this is the case, which church do we take our problems to? With over 2000 different denominations of Christens which church do we look to for guidance? I say the Church Jesus founded. I can trace the Catholic Church to Jesus Christ himself. Who started the church you go to? I can also trace the Catholic Mass to scripture but that is for another time. Then we have the question of how scripture is to be interpreted. Peter states in his second letter 2 Peter 1:20 “Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation”. We can also look at 2 Peter 3:15-16 “And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.” Who do we look to for proper interpretation? I say the Catholic Church. The One, Holy, catholic and Apostolic Church.

What about Mary’s other children, Jesus’ brothers and sisters? Was Mary a perpetual virgin?

When you are reading the bible you find Jesus and others mention brothers and sisters of Christ. How can this be if Mary remained an ever virgin? The two are a simple impossibility, yet the Catholic Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin. To find out the truth you need to look at Holy Hcripture and at Tradition. First we will look at Holy Scripture (will be using The Douay-Rheims version in quoting through out this posting. You can find it at http://www.newadvent.org/bible/index.html), and then we can look into Church Tradition. So now let’s find out what it says in scripture.

We will start by looking at Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him.” In this passage we find the names of Christ’s brothers and we have sisters mentioned. So we now know for sure that Jesus had brethren. Or do we? Lets look closer to how these men are. We can go the Matt 27:56 “Among whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.” Why would the writer not mention that this Mary is also the mother of Jesus? The simple reason is that it is because she is not. So who is this other Mary? Lets look at John 19:25 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen.” Here see the writer is speaking of Mary of Cleophas. This Mary is the mother of James and Joseph. This Mary is the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. This means that James and Joseph are Jesus’ cousins. This makes sense seeing that in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic there is no word for cousin, uncle, aunt, sister and a close friend. These are all referred to as brothers and sisters. A great example of this is from Genesis 14:14 “Which when Abram had heard, to wit, that his brother Lot was taken, he numbered of the servants born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, well appointed: and pursued them to Dan.” So lot is Abram’s brother how can this be if Lot is the son of Abram’s brother has mentioned in Genesis 14:12. So by this example we see that in the language of the time brother and sister were used much different then they are today. We can also look at what Jesus said when he was on the cross.

This is very telling of how he felt about his followers. For this example we will look at John 19:26-27 “When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. Jesus cared about who would care for his mother and he did not just pick anyone. He chose John the disciple whom he loved. In the Hebrew culture this task would have fallen to the next son in line. Jesus would have never disgraced a family member by having someone from outside the family care of Mary his mother. By doing this he would have been contradicting what he said in Matthew 15:3-9, “But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said: Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death. But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee. That is, the offering that I shall make to God, shall be instead of that which should be expended for thy profit. And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition. Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying: This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.” With these two examples I feel that this is enough to show that Mary did not have other children and therefore she remained a virgin.

You may also ask; what has the Church taught in the past? There are many examples to look at. I will give a few so as not to make this to long-winded. I would like you to look at St Jerome’s “The Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary against Helvidius”. In this discourse you will find that from A.D. 383 the church taught that Mary remained a virgin. I would to also look at one of St Augustine’s sermons in which he said, “It was not the visible sun, but its invisible Creator who consecrated this day for us, when the Virgin Mother fertile of womb and integral in her virginity, brought him forth (21), made visible for us, by whom, when He was invisible, she too was created. A Virgin perpetual, a Virgin bearing, a Virgin pregnant, a Virgin bringing forth, a Virgin perpetual. Why do you wonder at this o man? It was fitting for God to be born thus, when he deigned to become man… The same One who is God is Man, not by a confusion of nature but by a unity of person. Finally,-that same One begins to be Son of Man from the Virgin (Jurgens 1979 p. 30 1518 [186,1]). Then we can look at the heresy of antidicomarites. This particular heresy was from those who contradict the perpetual virginity of Mary (Jurgens 1979 p.166 1974d [56]). The antidicomarites were “an Eastern sect that was popular about A. D. 200 to 400, and which was so designated as being the "opponents of Mary". The Ebionites were the first who maintained that Our Lord was merely the son of Joseph and Mary. This doctrine became repugnant even to their own adherents, and it was afterwards modified so as to teach that, although Our Lord was born of Mary through the Holy Ghost, afterwards Joseph and Mary lived in wedlock and had many other children. The sect denied the formula "ever-Virgin Mary" used in the Greek and Roman Liturgies” (Shipman 1907).

Not only do we have writings from the early Church Fathers but we also have a heresy brought forth and argued against by the fathers of the church. So we have both scripture and Church Tradition showing us that Mary conceived Jesus as a Virgin and remained an ever virgin. I would also like to invite you to respond and ask any questions you may have concerning this posting.

References

Jurgens, W.A. (1979, January) The Faith of Our fathers. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press

Shipman, A. J. (1907) The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. New York, NY: Robert Appleton Company.

Rev. Chacon, F., Burnham J. (2003) Beginning apologetics 6; How to Explain and Defend Mary Farmington, NM: San Juan Catholic Seminars.

Questions About Mary

1. Why do you worship Mary?
2. What about Mary’s other children, Jesus’ brothers and sisters?
3. Was Mary a perpetual virgin?
4. Was Mary assumed body and soul into Heaven?
5. What is the Immaculate Conception if it is not when Mary conceived Jesus and why did the Church wait until 1854 to proclaim it a doctrine or Dogma?

Are your beliefs found in the bible?

The fast answer to this is a resounding yes! But we are not looking for the fast answer are we. We want to see where in the bible our beliefs are. This is a difficult topic to cover because there are so many beliefs that need to be covered. I will be adding to this post as time goes on. Please look over it from time to time to see and additions you may have missed. Also, if you have any questions please post them so I way address them for you. For this we can turn to scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church for all the answers we need. You are going to say I don’t believe that a book written by the Catholic Church has the authority to or ability to change my understanding of what the Church believes. I want to use the Catechism as a reference point show the Church actually teaches. The Catechism is simply a book of reference for Catholics or anyone that matter to see in writing what the Church actually teaches of any given subject.

I feel the best place to start with the beliefs of The Catholic Church is to start with the creed. We use two different creeds the first being the Apostles’ Creed and the second being the Nicene Creed.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, The Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Profits. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

Why Do You Worship Mary?

The first thing I want to get across is that I have never personally worshiped Mary, nor has any true Catholic that I know of. I think that the best place to start to address this by asking a quick question. Have you ever tried to emulate a person in your work or personal life? When you did this, did you worship that person? As a Catholic I see Mary as a person I would like to be like. She is truly the very first Christian. She had a very deep love for Christ and Christ would have done anything for his mother. Although I do not worship Mary, I do pray to Her and I will cover this also.

I am going to start with praying to Mary. To begin I will ask what was Jesus’ first miracle and why did he perform it? Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. The reason he did this was because his mother asked him. Jesus can not sin because of his divine nature therefore he must honor his father and mother. What better way to receive something in prayer then to have Mary ask Jesus for it, if she asks Jesus he can not refuse.

Why do we pray to Mary, because she is dead and can not help us? This is the next question you will ask. To answer this we need to turn to the bible and see if praying to the dead will help us on earth. I will begin by looking at Romans 15:30 “I urge you, (brothers,) by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf,” Paul is clearly asking for the prayers of the faithful here. Now take a look at Luke 16:19-30 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent'”. How can Abraham intercede for this man if he is dead? Jesus himself stated that this could be done. I want to add Joshua 5:13-15, “While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of us or of our enemies?" He replied, "Neither. I am the captain of the host of the LORD and I have just arrived." Then Joshua fell prostrate to the ground in worship, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the host of the LORD replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy." And Joshua obeyed”. Joshua fell down and worshiped the angle of the Lord. Did anyone else do this? What about Daniel? Look at Daniel 8:17 “and on the Ulai I heard a human voice that cried out, ‘Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.’ When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. But he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the end time.’” We can also see that Tobiah and Tobit fell to the ground to worship Raphael in Tobit 12:16.

This shows that others have venerated someone else other then God and as a Catholic we do not worship Mary we Venerate her. If you look in the bible does Mary not state that “All the nations will call me blessed” Luke 1:48? When Catholics venerate Mary we are fulfilling this prophesy. When you look at The Hail Mary you will see that it is also biblical.
Hail Mary Full of grace the lord is with you
Blessed are you among woman
and blessed if the fruit of your womb Jesus
Holy Mary Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen

“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.” Luke 1:39-48. This is the discourse between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. You will see that all of the prayer is contained with in this discourse. You will also note that Elizabeth made the statement of, “how is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me”. I the time of this when a Jew used the statement Lord it meant God because Jews would not say the name of God. Mary did not correct her and she went on to say how all ages or generations would call her blessed.

With Mary being the Mother of our Lord (God) and that it was and is ok to venerate someone why not choose Mary. If I can imitate her in the smallest regard why would I not try? I also think that for the reason I stated above about how Jesus will respond to Mary, we should pray to her and ask for her intersession when ever possible. I also know there are many other questions about Mary that non-Catholics will ask. I do plan to answer them also. Each should receive their own posting.