Define "necessary". Honoring Mary is not necessary for salvation, which is a gift from God. Jesus honored his Mother. We are called to imitate Jesus. The Church has done that since the birth of the Church. This includes honoring Mary, who in turns points us to Jesus (just as she did at the wedding in Cana).
2007-11-14 11:34:41
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Catholics do NOT believe it is "necessary" to pray to Mary. We don't even believe that we "should" pray to Mary. Many Catholics don't speak to her at all, and that's perfectly okay.
The reason why some Catholics CHOOSE to speak with Mary is because she's a living member of the Body of Christ -- she has receive the gift of eternal life promised to us by Jesus, our Lord and Savior. (YES, Catholics do believe that Mary needed a Savior, same as the rest of us do, and that the only Savior is Jesus.) Don't you believe that anybody who knows Jesus as their Savior will go to heaven? And that people in heaven are ALIVE in Christ and not dead? Well, Mary is one of those people. She laid down her very life on the faith that Jesus is the Christ and fully detailed her confession of faith in Luke 1.
In the Bible, John 2, there is the story of a wedding. Mary goes to Jesus because the bridal party has run out of wine. Jesus clearly states to her that it's not His time yet. Mary tells the servants, "Do whatever He tells you to do." And Jesus decides to answer Mary's request and get started on His earthly ministry by changing water into wine.
Why is this story in the Bible? Why is the whole bit about Mary asking and Jesus saying "Not yet" but changing His mind in there if we aren't supposed to learn anything from it? John could have written, "There was a wedding, and when Jesus found out the couple had run out of wine, He had servants fill jars with water and dip it out and it was the best wine of the party." Quick and easy, right? So why did he waste paper on the whole issue with Mary?
Catholics know that this part is included in the story because (a) it's true and (b) John is trying to tell us that when Mary asks Jesus for something, He listens and often responds positively. Think about it -- Jesus COULD have told the servants "Go away." But He didn't.
So we know that Mary is a powerful intercessor for other people. We also know that Mary's words to us are probably going to be, "Do whatever Jesus tells you to do." She's never going to lead us AWAY from Christ. She's only going to help us trust in Him even more.
2007-11-14 12:10:13
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answer #2
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answered by sparki777 7
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Mary is our Mother and Queen of the New Davidic Kingdom
John 19:26 - Jesus makes Mary the Mother of us all as He dies on the Cross by saying "behold your mother." Jesus did not say "John, behold your mother" because he gave Mary to all of us, his beloved disciples. All the words that Jesus spoke on Cross had a divine purpose. Jesus was not just telling John to take care of his mother.
Rev. 12:17 - this verse proves the meaning of John 19:26. The "woman's" (Mary's) offspring are those who follow Jesus. She is our Mother and we are her offspring in Jesus Christ. The master plan of God's covenant love for us is family. But we cannot be a complete family with the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Christ without the Motherhood of Mary.
John 2:3 - this is a very signifcant verse in Scripture. As our mother, Mary tells all of us to do whatever Jesus tells us. Further, Mary's intercession at the marriage feast in Cana triggers Jesus' ministry and a foreshadowing of the Eucharistic celebration of the Lamb. This celebration unites all believers into one famiy through the marriage of divinity and humanity.
John 2:7 - Jesus allows His mother to intercede for the people on His behalf, and responds to His mother's request by ordering the servants to fill the jars with water.
Psalm 45:9 - the psalmist teaches that the Queen stands at the right hand of God. The role of the Queen is important in God's kingdom. Mary the Queen of heaven is at the right hand of the Son of God.
1 Kings 2:17, 20 - in the Old Testament Davidic kingdom, the King does not refuse his mother. Jesus is the new Davidic King, and He does not refuse the requests of his mother Mary, the Queen.
1 Kings 2:18 - in the Old Testament Davidic kingdom, the Queen intercedes on behalf of the King's followers. She is the Queen Mother (or "Gebirah"). Mary is our eternal Gebirah.
1 Kings 2:19 - in the Old Testament Davidic kingdom the King bows down to his mother and she sits at his right hand. We, as children of the New Covenant, should imitate our King and pay the same homage to Mary our Mother. By honoring Mary, we honor our King, Jesus Christ.
1 Kings 15:13 - the Queen Mother is a powerful position in Israel's royal monarchy. Here the Queen is removed from office. But now, the Davidic kingdom is perfected by Jesus, and our Mother Mary is forever at His right hand.
2 Chron. 22:10 - here Queen Mother Athalia destroys the royal family of Judah after she sees her son, King Ahaziah, dead. The Queen mother plays a significant role in the kingdom.
Neh. 2:6 - the Queen Mother sits beside the King. She is the primary intercessor before the King.
2007-11-16 03:26:53
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answer #3
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answered by Daver 7
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Firstly, a catholic doesn't 'have' to pray to Mary. But what sense would it make not to ask the one person to intercede for us that Jesus would listen to more than anyone else. 'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.' James 5:16
While for protestants all prayer is worship, for Catholic prayer has a far wider meaning. For Catholics prayer is "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks". 1 Tim 2:1
When Catholic pray to God they pray in worship. When Catholic pray to Mary they pray for her intercession. Just as others would ask us to pray for them, would we say to them don't ask me pray directly to God, we pray for the needs of others. So also when we pray to Mary, we ask her to pray to God for us.
Rev 8:4: "And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."
2007-11-14 12:28:31
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answer #4
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answered by Victor 2
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Hello,
It is not a prayer worshiping her but a request to intercede on their behalf like asking your minister, TV evangelist family or people of your church to pray for you to God when you need help. I suppose she is a little higher on the pecking order being the mother of Jesus than many of us so she's asked to pray for them in a more reverent complementary way. Your essentially asking for assistance in communicating with God.
Here is the prayer:
Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God "pray for us sinners" now and at the hour of our death.
Seems pretty clear to me that they are asking for her to pray for you; not saying she is a goddess.
Cheers,
Michael Kelly
2007-11-14 12:16:41
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answer #5
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answered by Michael Kelly 5
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No.
Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.
Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.
The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.
Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.
As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946
With love in Christ.
2007-11-14 17:48:33
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answer #6
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answered by imacatholic2 7
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I went to a 'Catholic church for awhile; although I am not Catholic. They 'pray' to Mary to intercede for them; not for her to 'solve' the problem. The scriptural example; a person wanted something so he asked the mother (Bathsheba) of the king (Solomon at that time there) since he (Adonijah?) believeed the king would not tell his mother no. Using today's analogy; Mary would be mother of King Jesus.
2007-11-14 12:08:43
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answer #7
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answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7
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They ask for the intersession of Mary. It's different then praying to her.
It is not Catholic doctrine. It's a cultural issue.
2007-11-14 11:32:41
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answer #8
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answered by ? 4
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Not exactly. What we Catholics do is that we actually pray FOR her (not to) to help intersit for our prayers.
2007-11-15 05:30:52
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answer #9
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answered by Kelvin T 2
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why do protestant TV preachers feel it necessary to pray to the U.S. mint
2007-11-14 11:36:43
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answer #10
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answered by Marty 2
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