The Catholic Church is often viewed as a patriarchal establishment by those outside the Faith. With an all male clergy and an equally male Trinity, who can blame them for thinking so. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! What other proof do you need of male domination?
It may then come as a surprise to many that among Christians, the Catholic Church is often criticised for its matriarchal nature or more specifically for its Marian worship. Why do Catholics adore, love and respect the Holy Virgin so much? After all she is just a woman. It is written no where in the scriptures that she is a goddess or that she is divine. Then why recite rosaries in the name of a mere mortal?
First of all, let us not confuse Marian devotion with Marian worship. No where in the Scriptures is Saint Mary depicted as a goddess and no where in Catholic doctrine is she considered one. Well, that is pretty clear isn't it? After all does a god have to be declared a saint? That would be a clear demotion and an insult.
So what's the root reason for all this Marian devotion? Why is she considered Holy? What is her importance in Christianity? Let us analyse this one by one.
1.What is Mary's importance in Christianity?
Well, without Mary there is no Christianity. She is its centre. We believe in the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and it was through Mary that the Trinity was first revealed to the world. She was the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son and the Body unto which the Holy Spirit came. In fact, she is the reference point through which we define the Undefinable.
The angel said to her,'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;therefore the child to be born will be holy;he will be called the Son of God.
(Luke 1.35)
2.But why should she be considered divine or holy?
Jesus gives us the answer. "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;for each tree is known by its own fruit.Figs are not gathered from thorns,nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush."(Luke 6.43:44)
If the fruit was divine, could the tree be less divine? Can a holy fruit come from an unholy tree?
3.But why ask Mary to offer our prayers to her Son?
Mary is "the favoured one". The one who has found favour with God. The Lord is with her. The events of Cana is an eye opener. When help was first asked, Jesus declined, saying the time had not come. Yet the Lord saw his mother's special interest and so put aside his reservations and performed a miracle.
Jesus gave his mother to his beloved disciple. Are we not his beloved disciples? Then is it wrong to share our sorrows with our mother? Is it wrong to love, admire and respect our mother? Is it wrong to ask her to join in our prayers?
It may then come as a surprise to many that among Christians, the Catholic Church is often criticised for its matriarchal nature or more specifically for its Marian worship. Why do Catholics adore, love and respect the Holy Virgin so much? After all she is just a woman. It is written no where in the scriptures that she is a goddess or that she is divine. Then why recite rosaries in the name of a mere mortal?
So what's the root reason for all this Marian devotion? Why is she considered Holy? What is her importance in Christianity? Let us analyse this one by one.
1.What is Mary's importance in Christianity?
Well, without Mary there is no Christianity. She is its centre. We believe in the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and it was through Mary that the Trinity was first revealed to the world. She was the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son and the Body unto which the Holy Spirit came. In fact, she is the reference point through which we define the Undefinable.
The angel said to her,'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;therefore the child to be born will be holy;he will be called the Son of God.
(Luke 1.35)
2.But why should she be considered divine or holy?
Jesus gives us the answer. "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;for each tree is known by its own fruit.Figs are not gathered from thorns,nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush."(Luke 6.43:44)
If the fruit was divine, could the tree be less divine? Can a holy fruit come from an unholy tree?
3.But why ask Mary to offer our prayers to her Son?
Mary is "the favoured one". The one who has found favour with God. The Lord is with her. The events of Cana is an eye opener. When help was first asked, Jesus declined, saying the time had not come. Yet the Lord saw his mother's special interest and so put aside his reservations and performed a miracle.
Jesus gave his mother to his beloved disciple. Are we not his beloved disciples? Then is it wrong to share our sorrows with our mother? Is it wrong to love, admire and respect our mother? Is it wrong to ask her to join in our prayers?
