My friend, you misunderstand the difference between a prayer and a petition. A prayer is a dialogue with God. It takes the form of praise, thanksgiving, and petition. We praise, God's glory, we thank him for the bounty which he has heaped upon us, and we petition him for our needs, from which we hope to receive an answer in the form of fulfillment of those needs. The Hail Mary reminds us of the greeting that Gabriel gave Mary, the first proclamation that a savior was at hand, and Mary was the first to hear it. Then it's a petition to Mary to add her prayers to ours, in the understanding that she alone has a special place with God, having been his mother. Indeed, Jesus' first miracle was done reluctantly at her behest, because Jesus was an obedient son. We expect no answer from Mary, we give her no thanks for any favors she has bestowed, because favors only come from God. This is not prayer. Have you never asked someone to pray for you? Have you never prayed for somebody? Why do you object to our friends in heaven praying for us? The Hail Mary is not a central prayer in the Catholic liturgy. In fact, I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've heard it said during a mass, yet the Our Father is said at every single mass. I grant you that some Catholics have misunderstood the teaching, and promoted mary to a cult like goddess figure, but this is not a teaching of the Catholic Canon.
2016-04-05 02:51:33
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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