discuss the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox devotion to MAry, Mother of Christ?

Question

This is part of my take home exam for world religions class.
it would be very much apperciated if you help me out.
thanks.

Answer 1

The Blessed Virgin Mary is important to Catholics because the Bible says she is important to God.

+ Mary is the handmaid of the Lord (Luke 1:38), a servant of God just like us.

+ Mary is the first Christian. All other Christians follow her on the road of faith. She is the model for all of us because she actively cooperated with the Will of God by saying "Yes" to God in the plan of salvation.

+ Mary is the model of faith. Mary's faith never wavered throughout Jesus' life, even while watching him die on the cross when most of the Apostles ran away.

+ Mary is full of grace. The angel Gabriel called her, "Full of grace" and said, "The Lord is with you." She is full of grace at that moment; the Lord is with her at that moment, before she says "yes" to the angel's question. Catholics believe the state of grace was with her since her Immaculate Conception. God prepared her for her later role as the mother of Jesus.

+ Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, of God the Son.

+ Mary is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, a tabernacle. The angel Gabriel says to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." (Luke 1:35)

+ God praised Mary through His messenger, the angel Gabriel, "Rejoice, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you." If God and his angels praise Mary, shouldn't we?

+ Jesus honored Mary. Jesus kept the Commandments and did not sin. Jesus fulfilled the Commandment to honor both his father and his mother. WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus would and did honor Mary, his mother.

+ The Holy Spirit inspired praises of Mary. 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 are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." (Luke 1:41-45)

+ The Scriptures tell of Mary's place with Jesus. Mary gives birth to Jesus, presents him to the shepherds, to the wise men, to God in the Temple. She lived with him for many years in Nazareth, intercedes with Jesus in Cana, suffers with him at the foot of the Cross, and prays to him with the apostles in the Upper Room.

+ Mary was a prophet. "Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me." (Luke 1:48-49) As Christians who believe the Bible, we must call Mary "blessed."

+ Mary is our Mother too. While he was on the Cross, Jesus said to his beloved disciple (who represents all Christians), "this is your mother." (John 19:27)

The Hail Mary prayer simply recites Bible passages (the Word of God) and asks Mary to pray for us:

Hail Mary Full of grace, the Lord is with you. (These are the words the angel Gabriel said to Mary, a Bible quote.)

Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. (This is Mary's cousin Elizabeth's greeting, another bible quote.)

Holy Mary, (The angel Gabriel said she was full of grace and Elizabeth said she was blessed.)

Mother of God, (the Bible says Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son)

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. (A simple request to pray for us.)

Amen.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 484 and following: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt2art3p2.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

We honor Mary like our own mother as Christ said to do.
She is considered to be the first amoung the saints, the Roman catholics use the term queen of heaven which and coremer neither are used in the Orthodox church. Both use the term Mother of God or theotokos as Christ is God. Ther term mother of christ is not liked as it seems to seprate and deney Christ's devinity you can look at this issue in regards to nestorius. She said yes so the fruit of her womb save our souls

Answer 3

Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Angel Gabriel for sure lied to Mary whilst telling her she had partiality; For "appreciate of persons" is neither good nor Godly, which we are instructed often, from 2Chronicles to 1Peter. subsequently we hit upon in Galatians a million:8,9 that regardless of if an "angel" brings you yet another gospel, enable him (not you) be accursed via it; And in Revelation we are instructed an angel is a celebrity, or a church chief; And in 1Corinthians 15:40-one we are instructed even stars variety in glory; And back in Revelation 12 Mary had a crown of twelve stars. yet the two the previous and new twelve have been as a hung jury that could not agree on something, and Judas "additionally" betrayed him. Peter denied him thrice, and did it two times. two times fallen? And if somewhat leaven leavens the entire? enable us to have a million star(Christ: the tip of regulation) and a million crown of righteousness(grace). to not point out Jesus referred to as his mom "woman", two times, and neither John 2:4 nor John 19:26 have been a compliment. JESUS grew to grow to be THE CHRIST grew to grow to be US. regulation vs Grace-->end of the regulation-->Grace us. The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.

Answer 4

Devotion to Mary is based in the belief that Mary is co-redemptrix with Christ. The idea is that since she is the Mother of Christ, she has some power or control over Him. Mary was just a vessel used to bring the Messiah into the world.
They claim they don't 'worship' her, but when you pray to, venerate and bow down to statues of something, what else can you call it but worship?

Answer 5

I am not doing your homework for you! Nice try!

Just a hint... We do not worship her and we love her as our own mother...