🚀 go-pugleaf

the artist spidie wrote:

> The veneration of Mary is a tradition established by God. He sent an
> angel to the Virgin Mary with the following high words of praise:
> "Hail, highly favored one, the Lord is with you!" (Lk 1:28)

This establishes something that is supposed to evolve into worship?  The
word for highly favored is used also in Eph 1:6 in reference to those who
are born again.  That means I should be worshipped?

> Also, the
> Holy Spirit speaking through St. Elizabeth told her "Blessed are you
> among all women.." (Lk 1:42)

Yes she was blessed (eulogeo).  Eulogeo comes from eu=well and
logos=word.  It means Mary was well spoken of by God.  Why?  Because she
was the only woman who had believed God to the point of making the
committment of bearing Jesus no matter what people (including Joseph her
husband) thought.  Same word is used in Eph. 1:28 when the Bible says God
has blessed *us* .

> These are very high words of praise that
> God honors Mary with. No one else in the entire set of Scriptures is
> ever honored with the Greek word "kecharitomeni" (meaning "highly
> favored one"). It is reserved for Mary alone.
>

This is incorrect. Please refer to Eph 1:6.

> So given that God saw it fitting to honor Mary with such high praise,
> I believe that Church should continue doing this. Didn't Mary
> prophesie that "all generations will call me blessed"? (Lk 1:48)

Sure they call her blessed.  Because she believed God to the extent that
she saw the birth of Jesus through to the end.  Did you ever read where
Mary erred though?  Take a look at Matthew 12:46- 50.  In fact, read Mark
3:21 ff.  Jesus friends thought Jesus was beside himself (crazy) and
wanted to bring him out of the house he was in.  After that Mary and his
brothers come to get him out.  They all thought Jesus was crazy!!!! Did
Jesus obey the demand of his mother to speak with him?  Nope.  Did Jesus
ever sin?  Nope.  So disobeying his mother was not sin, so Mary does not
have authority over God nor over anyone, including Jesus, who is doing the
will of God.  So Mary, his brothers and his friends were wrong to try to
demand Jesus leave the teaching of the Word and go to them.

> That's what the RCC has been fulfilling all these centuries with the
> Holy Rosary. Are Protestants at all even remotely concerned with the
> prophecy of Luke 1:48? I doubt it. They are very anti-Mary.

Not anti-Mary.  Anti idolatry.  Anti vain repetition.

> The bible contains many references to Mary's pure and loving heart:
> "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:19 &
> 2:51). Since Mary put herself totally at God's disposal and was
> obedient to God's requests, she can also help others to give

She can help no one as she is dead awaiting Christ's return.  It is the
true born again Christians who help people find God.  It is to us that is
given the ministry of reconciliation.  Not to Mary.

> themselves solely to God. Consecration to Mary's Heart then is to
> allow Mary to use her full powers of intercession in and through a

There is only one mediator between man and God and that is Christ (1 Tim
2:5).  Mary has no part here.

> person's life to draw him or her to God. Mary is seen as a mother who
> is uniting her children.

I am not Mary's child.  Only Jesus and his earthly bretheren were her
children.

> Are you a beloved disciple of Christ? Then this verse applies to you:
> "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he
> said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the
> disciple, 'Behold, your mother.'  And from that hour the disciple took
> her into his home." -John 19:26

Yep,  It was Jesus duty as the eldest son to make sure his mother was
provided for.  From that time forward, Lazarus took care of Mary as Jesus
would have done had he not been crucified.  There is no hint that what
Jesus spoke was meant for every person.  It was specifically directed at
"the disciple whom he loved".

Now, I do not denounce Mary's believing and endurance and committment.
She is an example, truly, in that respect.   But so also is Abraham,
Esther, Mordechai, Paul, Peter, etc.  None of these are worshipped, nor
should they be.  They are recorded so we can see what God gives to those
that believe Him (among other reasons).  And all prayer is to God in Jesus
name, never Mary's name.

Presented in accordance with Col 1:28 and Eph. 4:14-15

Peace in Christ