Why pray to Mary when you can go right to Jesus?  Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?  Sadly for some, tradition has made the work of God of no effect.  Religious traditions have a way of mesmerizing their adherents.  For example, in the Catholic church Mary is elevated to a place that is nothing less than idolatry.    

Now, let me state here and now that I personally respect Mary, her faith, and her virtue.  I’m sure that Joseph found her to be a superb helpmeet and as close to the Proverbs woman as one could possibly get.  However, to respect Mary is much different from deifying her.  Consider the following:

There are  feast days in the Catholic church reserved for Mary.

In the Rosary, ten times Mary is “hailed” for every one “Our Father”.

Many today celebrate the Assumption of Mary, an event whereby she was allegedly taken up body and soul into heaven after her death.  (Question:  If she was sinless, how could she die?  And don’t dare try to connect Christ’s death to any personal sin on His part for He was our sinless sin-bearer.)  And by the way, this belief, which is not Scriptural, did not become a church dogma until Pope Pius XII decreed it.

Also, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception did not become a church belief until recently.  That doctrine states that Mary was conceived free from original sin in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. 

In the well known “Magnificat”, Mary magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God, her Savior.  Although official Papal prayers call upon Mary to “save the faithful”, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is “the Savior of the world”.  In fact, Scripture leaves no doubt that Jesus alone is to be exalted above all of His creation.  “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

In a specific sense, Jesus is the Savior of the Church, His body.  The Bible records that Mary also gathered with the disciples of Jesus on the days prior to Pentecost.  And do you know what were her last words recorded in Scripture?  “Whatever He says to you, do it.”  Although called “the Queen of Heaven” (not very original, and I take exception to calling her that, in light of Jeremiah, there is no record of her being worshiped in heaven, or even slightly being venerated!  In Catholic theology, Christ is the Mediator between God and man, but Mary is the “Mediatrix” of all graces in the secondary sense.  Is that so?  

Catholic theology (not Scripture) states that in heaven Mary cooperates in distributing the graces of redemption to men by her intercession for all mankind.  Every grace, they claim, is the result of her powerful intercession.  In contrast the Bible says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights”.  Who is really interceding for you in heaven? 

I do love Mary.  I admire her faith and strength.  When I get to glory, I’d like to chat with her a while.  For she knew, as well as anyone possibly could, the one simple truth: God has spoken to us through His Son.  Listen to Him.