Catholic Beliefs About Mary
Mary hardly speaks in scripture, but when she does she points strait to Jesus and says:
“Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)
He of course is Jesus! Mary’s will is simply the will of God.
November 21st, is the Catholic feast day, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast celebrates the child Mary (3 years old) being offered to God at the temple by her parents.
In a nutshell, Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through Jesus. (John 14:6) However, there is more than one way to Jesus and Mary is the safest way to the Son.
Catholic Beliefs About the Blessed Virgin Mary
1. Mary was always a part of God’s plan.
It is a little known fact by many Catholics and Christians alike, that Mary is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible:
I will put enmity between you and the woman [emphasis added], and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel. (Genesis 3:15, New American Bible, Revised Edition)
2. Mary crushed the serpent.
For good reason, the greatest artists throughout history have depicted Mary as crushing the serpent with her feet. This symbolizes a big part of who she is: Mother of Jesus and the humble enemy of Satan.
“Men do not fear a powerful, hostile army as much as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.”
-St. Bonaventure
Remember, whatever grace and power Mary has was given to her by God. Mary is a powerful helper against spiritual warfare and wants to help us overcome temptation and sin. A popular Catholic practice is saying three Hail Marys every morning to help strengthen us against temptation. God gave us a team of angels (Psalm 91:11), saints and Mary!
We need help because those of us alive right now are part of the church militant. The church triumphant is in heaven, the church suffering is in purgatory and militant is here on earth. Scripture tells us that we have a real enemy:
- Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
- For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. (Ephesians 6:12)
- If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hatesyou. (John 15:19)
The image of La Virgen de Guadalupe is world renowned. In this image, Mary humbly bows her head indicating her humanity and humbleness before God. More amazingly, in the apparition, Mary identified herself as “Tlecuatlecupe” (sounds like Guadalupe), which in Nahuatl, the Aztec language, means “she will crush the serpent of stone.” Her presence in what is now Mexico led to one of the greatest mass conversions in history, helping her son gain more souls. The Aztecs had it pretty bad, God is so merciful He did not forget them.
3. Mary converts or brings people to her son Jesus.
Mary is one of many ways to Jesus. Jesus is key because He is the only way to the Father. Mary is a guide to Jesus for those who are lost and have never known Him. Mary is a gateway because that is the role God gave her from the very beginning.
Mary is a very powerful ally when it comes to our prayers for conversion. Scripture tells us the prayers of the righteous take precedence (John 9:31). It takes humility to admit we are sinners. We all need intercessors like Mary (James 5:16). Mary in particular, brings non-believers to her son Jesus. God in His infinite mercy gave us Mary as Jesus hung on the cross his lasts words included:
“Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” (John 19:26-27)
This was meant for all humanity not just the apostle John.
“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did." - St. Maximilian Kolbe (Militia of The Immaculata)
Mary is a mother to people who don’t know Jesus and don’t want to know Jesus and even Christian’s who love God but don’t know Jesus! Yes, some Christians don’t get Jesus.
Catholics believe, when you are praying for the conversion of an impossible convert pray your Rosary in which you ask Mary to pray for you a sinner 50 times! Why? Because she was there at Calvary. Mary was at the foot of the cross, she saw her son Jesus nailed to the cross, shed his blood and die for us. Like any good mother she does not want her son Jesus to have suffered in vain, so she helps Him convert sinners.
Another little known fact: Mary is already present and accepted in some non-Christian religions, such as Islam: Muhammad had great respect for Mary as the mother of Jesus and admitted Mary is the most blessed woman in heaven. Why does this matter? Because Mary is Jesus’ foot in the door.
4. Mary is the “Second Eve”
Mary is the most humble and beautiful woman that ever lived. God filled Mary with grace (the gifts of the Holy Spirit).
We all heard about Eve in Genesis, and how her disobedience brought the fall. But after the fall, Mary undid Eve’s folly and crushed the serpent. Therefore, Mary is also called the New Eve.
Some Christian leaders, focus on the fall, the mistakes Eve made in her disobedience to God, as an excuse to put women down. But Catholics believe Mary’s complete obedience to God’s will undid the damage done by Eve.
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38, NABRE)
As women we are to strive to be humble like Mary which is the opposite of the evil one (proud, jealous, disobedient…).
We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor his mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor Him all the more perfectly"
-St. Louis Marie de Montfort, the “Apostle of Mary”
Peace,
Laura
Further Reading On Mary
Mary Queen of Heaven: Mary’s Battle for Souls
Note: Despite what many radical Christians purport, CATHOLICS DO NOT WORSHIP MARY. In fact the Catholic Church advocated against a radical priest in the Philippines calling for the worship of Mary.
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