Hail Mary Hail Mary full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death.
Amen. (Luke 1:28; 2:42)Is asking for Mary to pray for us biblical? For those who argue that praying to Mary is unscriptural, they need to consider just what makes something scriptural and what does not. If it clearly says in the bible, do not pray to saints or angels or anyone in Heaven, then there would be a problem. However, nowhere in the bible does it forbide us to ask a saint or the Mother of God to pray for us. Most of the quotes people will pull out of the bible to say it is unscriptural have to do with necromancy. This is a practice whereby someone tries to communicate with the dead for the purpose of gaining information, or telling the future. But Catholics are not trying to tell their futures or gain information. They are not even trying to converse with Mary or the saints. They are just trying to ask them to pray for them.
"You victorious martyrs who endured torments gladfuly for the sake of God and Savior, you who have boldness of speech toward the Lord himself, you saints, intercede for us who are timid and sinful men, full of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us, and enlighten the hearts of all of us that so we may love him." (Commentary on Mark, AD 370) To me the key is "intercede for us". This tells me that you are asking for help in relaying your message to the Lord.
One cannot believe in Jesus Christ without sharing in his Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to men who Jesus is. For "no one can say "Jesus is Lord", except by the Holy Spirit",[22] who "searches everything, even the depths of God. . No one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God."[23] Only God knows God completely: we believe in the Holy Spirit because he is God.
The Church never ceases to proclaim her faith in one only God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
"By the command of your only begotten Son we communicate with the memory of your saints...by whose prayers and supplications have mercy on us all, and deliver us for the sake of your holy name." (Liturgy of Saint Basil, AD 373) "But not the high priest (Christ) alone prays for those who pray sincerely, but also the angels...as also the souls of the saints who have all ready fallen asleep." (Origen, Prayer 11, AD 233) Some Approved Mary Apparitions The Church does not require belief in any apparition or other private revelation. However, she does exercise her maternal judgment for the protection of the faithful in declaring some apparitions to be inauthentic, others to be "worthy of belief." Investigations into alleged apparitions are rigorous. The three which follow have been judged worthy of belief, and devotions related to them have been encouraged by the truth. Each has miracles associated with it which are unexplainable by the best scientists in the world, as testimony to its authenticity. Site Map
