Do Catholics REALLY "Worship" Mary w/ Fr. Gregory Pine O.P. 

Based Fr. Pine

It took me over a year to piece together what Fr. Pine did here in less than five mins

Thank you for this one! My in-laws say I’m going to hell because I’m Catholic and this is always the excuse they give. Thank you for giving me the ability to counter their accusations with facts!

This was an excellent explanation Father Pine.

Here's a nerdy comparison, but when I re-read Fellowship of the Ring recently, I found Gimli's attitude towards Galadriel to be very relatable to a lot of converts' attitudes towards Mary; He starts out thinking she's some witch, an abominable thing that snares innocent victims into worshipping her, a distraction off the straight and narrow path. But then he meets her, and sees what she really is, and he finally "gets it". The stories were half-true -- he DID get bewitched, he fell in love with true beauty, and those who fall in love with beauty can only honor the one who created that beauty all the more as they praise her. And from there on, he becomes her unlikely champion, defending and loving her, because he knows how bad his misconceptions were before, and only wants others to understand the beauty he's been honored to witness. Or maybe I'm just pulling a self-insert here, that's definitely how it was for me, haha

Right at 6:10, I can't tell you how many times I have to discourage exactly that. I know so many Catholics that attribute so many things of their faith and salvation to Mary. When I hear them talk about Christianity, I barely even hear the word Jesus. I like Bishop Strickland's approach. Let's put Jesus more in everything including our language.

Thanks for talking about this, Fr. Pine. I have been thinking about this very topic lately. I think the confusion is that worship and pray can have different meanings in different contexts. I think it is like the word love. When I say I love pizza, I mean I find it to be a delicious treat. When I say I love my son, I mean much more than that. I love your point that because Protestants lack Eucharistic worship, the highest peak of worship available to Catholics is missing from their experience.

Everything about Mary is because of God, for God, and points to God ❤

Our Lady is the Speculus Iusticiae, the Mirror of Justice. The light of God is reflected on her so we can understand Him better. Paraphrasing Fr. Chad Ripperger

A necessary, relevant discussion of these matters. Thanks Matt Fradd & Fr Pine.

We pray to Mary and the saints asking them to pray for us. Not more or less than that. Just as we ask our family or friends to pray for us. And it works, sincere prayer always does.

This is the problem with the English language.

That's a good point about Protestants removing the Eucharist, thus making it harder for them to distinguish between sacrifice and adoration versus veneration. It's been baffling to to me to hear Protestants say Catholics need to spend more time with Jesus, because I see the crucifix front and center at every Catholic Church, the stations of the cross at every Catholic Church, and the entire Mass centered around Him and all of us receiving Him at every Mass. Plus, all of the time spent with Him in adoration and seeking his forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation and doing penance. A lot of Protestant churches don't have any imagery of Jesus and don't receive Him in the Eucharist, nor do they offer adoration or the sacrament of reconciliation, so it makes sense that they would have a hard time distinguishing between veneration of Mary and the Saints versus sacrifice and adoration for God. It's also worth pointing out that the rosary is a tool for meditating of the mysteries of Jesus. While we are saying the prayers, which include the Our Father, O Dear Jesus, and Glory Be, along with the Hail Marys, we are contemplating different mysteries of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. Even though there are a lot of Hail Mary prayers, the rosary is ultimately about Jesus.

She's my Mama too. Jesus Himself, gave her to us.

Fr. Pine explains very well in helping understand

They go on their knees from Puebla to Mexico City, carrying their images, sometimes hitting themselves, on her birthday, They pray to her, get tattoos from her, venerate her, and put images of her on their things to protect them. Idols have eyes, yet they don't see. And people who worship idols become like them, having eyes, they can't see.

God bless you all. Hoping the Prots keep it civil

The analogy of being 'saved by the cross' is a great example! Thanks for that.

I think this issue is more nuanced than most Catholics and most Protestants let on. Is it possible to honor Mary without idolizing her? Of course, that's possible. Is it also possible to idolize Mary? Of course, that's possible.

Let's take a moment to appreciate how awesome Fr Pine's beard is. I wish mine could be as nice 😊

I don’t have a problem with the idea of prayers to saints as much as how it tends to work out in practice in the laity. Phrases like the “queen of heaven” among others aren’t helpful in distinguishing divinity from humanity. I wouldn’t have any issues with it except that it seems to elevate her to a similar status as Jesus if we say He is our king. I believe Mary is the most blessed of women and should be revered but she is a finite human. We are all infinitely less than Him. I wish that instead of defending confusing language Catholics would change it to reflect what their teachings are. I can sympathize with a lot of things being caricatured by critics, but I feel like a lot of it is self inflicted considering their own laity often embody the straw man arguments due to how confusing it is.

Well, at least he's honest about it. Most Catholics seem to dismiss this critique.

In the Hail Mary prayer, it ends with “…pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” If she’s a deity, then we would not ask her to pray for us. Additionally, who are we asking Mary to pray to on our behalf? Her son, Jesus Christ.

Interesting video, I’m a southern Baptist myself but I have both Roman and Anglican catholic friends.

As long as ALL credit is given to God.

What do we do with those verse that speak of “God alone as worthy of honor and praise” or “his name alone is exalted” or “you shall worship the lord your god and serve him only” etc etc. it’s hard to claim what you’re saying here is true if people serve Mary (and they do and claim to), right?

I greatly appreciate this clip. I’ve recently been having these thoughts about the Hail Holy Queen and the language that it uses. These explanations definitely help!

Jesus didn't seem to have a special veneration for Mary...for instance here in Mark: "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

A lot of ex-Catholic Protestants I know had bad experiences with their particular parish. Going to some Latin American or South East Asian countries I can totally see how. Some parishes have mixed the veneration of Saints and Mary with native religion to the extent that I'd almost say those parishes are preaching a different religion from Catholicism altogether. My moms family left food out for the deceased to "eat", prayed to the deceased for eternal salvation, and attributed many of the things we think of as belonging to a pagan "mother nature" to Mary. Sure, the parish still did mass, but it was perfunctory and the views that the priests expressed in conversation were mostly pagan with only a hint of Catholicism. I think it's worth holding onto the possibility that prots have interacted with that kind of Catholicism when addressing concerns.

Paul states that “there is ONE Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” So the whole ideas of the New Testament is that there has been only one who is without sin, the Bible does not state that Mary is without sin. When Paul states “only one” how does this allow for any other mediators?

I’m asking this question with a humble heart. On the Rosary, why are there more Hail Mary’s, than our Fathers? God is a jealous God, so the whole concept of praying the Rosary seems unbiblical. Could you explain how it’s beneficial? I honestly can’t make peace with it in my Spirit.

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” Luke.8.19,Luke.8.21,Luke.8.20 version ESV wor·ship noun the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. "the worship of God" We can change language to mean anything. In action, it’s still just worship. I appreciate this channel and not shying away from the tough questions. I thinks it’s an honest approach but don’t see how it can justify the worship of Mary.

I mean this with all charity. Sometimes I listen to Fradd and co and wonder why I'm not Catholic, and then sometimes I listen and go "oh yeah, that's why" 😅

No, we just ask her to pray for us. Like I will pray for you.

@4:13 James 5:20 uses this soteriological language. This doesn't mean we don't need Christ as Savior but Christ by His grace enables us to become participants in others spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy City.

My thing is as follows: I think I understand the technical distinction between latria and dulia. But practically, what are the distinctions? Is it that anything short of sacrifice cannot be latria? Is it possible to unintentionally render latria when inappropriate?

4:00 There would be no Mary to say Yes to our salvation without her parents, going back and back to Abraham and all the rest. This logic amounts to saying: were it not for anything that happened remotely related to my present knowledge of Christ, I'd be damned. The most telling comment in the video comes right at the end though, when the host says: 6:30 _We shouldn't be afraid to say things we don't actually mean._ Yup: if it sounds "lovely," that's enough for the Caths.

Mary is sovereign, not a figurehead.

Thursday you are hilarious

Venerate is to give reference also and isn't that done silently? Also what about the scripture "thou shalt have no other God before me" (or something like that). Over venerating Mary (or other figures) wouldn't that create a behavior/culture in the sect that borderlines worshipping Mary? Seems like the explanation and the actions of the general mass is different from each other.

I don't know how many times we Catholics have to explain ourselves to Protestants regarding "worship" of Mary. They'll just insist we're spinning the facts.

So then can you breakdown the sotry of the Israelites and the golden calf. Was that worship? I hear different thinns about it from catholics.

Who can be in all places at once? Who can understand every language? Who can hear all thoughts always? Who has the power to do all of these all the time? A Protestant will say, “God alone.” A Catholic must presume Mary also has these powers because they believe she hears and intercedes for anyone who prays the rosary. So when a prot says “cathys worship Mary,” what they usually mean is that the papist assumes Mary is in such a position that she has God-like powers or that she has the Godly role of “intercession” (which is Christ’s alone). It has nothing to do with admiration or the wrong classification of dulia.

I dunno. I'm protestant. That first statement set off some alarms

Q... If we can go straight to Christ through his Holy spirit, why do we need Mary? Or any other Saint? Especially if he says he is a jealous God, and Jesus is The way, truth and life... Mary surely is a role model for divine living, but there is alot of time spent being her to get us to Christ when we should be able to go directly to Him in all things? Not?

Protestants regularly ask their pastor to pray for them, yet have trouble appealing to Mary who held The Lord in her arms after he was taken down from the cross.

I'm on board with 99% of what Catholics believe, especially on social issues, but the veneration of Mary has always been a stumbling block for me. Why use the title Queen of Heaven when that's a title given to a pagan goddess in Jeremiah 7:18?

Like St Francis said: "Everything we have belongs to God except for our sin." So the saints don't have special powers; they're not lower gods. Their holiness is only God's. We ask them, as a friend, to join us in prayer: "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Psalms‬ ‭45:9-17 “Kings' daughters were among thy HONORABLE women: upon thy right hand did stand the QUEEN (Rev. 12) in gold of Ophir. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the KING GREATLY DESIRE THY BEAUTY: for HE IS THY LORD; and worship thou him (only). And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift (Lk. 1:28); even the rich among the people shall ENTREAT THY FAVOUR (intercession). The king's daughter is all GLORIOUS WITHIN (immaculate): her clothing is of wrought gold. SHE shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins (religious women) her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace (heaven). Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children (mother of the christians) whom thou mayest make princes (bishops) in all the earth. I WILL make THY NAME to be REMEMBERED IN ALL GENERATIONS (Lk. 1:48) therefore shall the people PRAISE THEE FOR EVER AND EVER.”

I read mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope as mother of mercy, mother of our life, mother of our sweetness, and mother of our hope as you can do this in English and then simply say Jesus is these things and she is His mother.

Hail Mary, my dear Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail my joy, my glory, my heart, and my soul!❤

"Hail Mary" is a greeting in hello Mary.

Yes

When discussing the veneration of Mary, the word “worship“ needs to be completely removed in our explanations. It is misleading. We have respect for and venerate Mary, we pray to her only to ask her intercession, not for any form of worship. This needs to be very clear in our language in order to explain our relationship with Mary (and the Saints) to our protestant brothers. And not to confuse Catholics themselves, who sometimes have overly inappropriate devotions to Mary, which actually border on worship. If you find you have more Marian decorations than crosses or Crucifixes in your home, you need to rethink your Christian priorities. The hail, holy queen prayer should be well understood by Catholics if they are going to use it, because the language can be interpreted incorrectly. This short episode did not do a good enough job explaining the language, it is worth its own video to explain it in a way that does not attribute divinity to Mary. To protestant ears, the entire prayer makes it sound like Mary is our savior, which she is not. She has a great role in the drama of salvation, but is not its cause.

Vatican-2 has most likely suppressed this, but we were taught in school that God gave the Blessed Virgin Mary more grace than He gave to all of His other creatures COMBINED! That includes every creature angelic or human, who ever lived, is living now, and who ever will live, all the way to the end of the world! She is the Mother of Almighty God the Son Incarnate, so it is a logical teaching.

Finally somebody said it.

0:28 I disagree with that definition worship means to treat them number one and to give one an honour that belongs to God only

I'm confused, why do you say that sacrifice is part of what distinguishes worship that is meant only for God? Aren't we supposed to sacrifice for everybody, like imitating Jesus? like loving others sacrificially? I want to understand what you mean because maybe it will help me understand the Mass better.

Where in scripture does it ever mention that Mary or the other saints are omniscient? Because to hear the prayers for those of us on earth this would be a necessary faculty. They are now worshipping Jesus into eternity. The priest who defines two forms of worship is using artificial, carnal reasoning to create a false definition of "worship' to justify a practice that is not of God. Were the saints in heaven were to come down to Earth they would confront these two and say, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” Revelation 22:9. It is heartbreaking but surely true that too many Roman Catholics know neither the Word of God (the scriptures) nor the power of God (God Himself). -- former Romanist.

Yo Matt you should have @the other Paul on

We are saved by Christ.....the padre seems a bit vague on this reflection ....outside Him there is no salvation. This clip runs the strong risk of giving rise to a sort of humanitarian pantheism.

The Davidic king argument is strange. Why would the heavenly heriarchy of the infinite God be based on this earthly structure ? To me it essentialy said David did it in the old testament so......

I have 3 questions for my people in the comments or the dude himself: 1. If you can say: “thank you Mary for my salvation”, because she is His mother, then I can say: “Thank you boas for my salvation, oh all hail boas for my salvation? 2. Can I them make a rosary prayer for boas? If the “church of Rome” conclude that he is in heaven? 3. Jesus said: Who is my mother? And who are my brothers? Whoever does the will of my father”, so I can say: oh hail my brethren for my salvation? Thank you for answering these questions.

What a glorious beard.

No Mary, no Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus.

Where in the Bible does it say to pray to saints who have passed? 🤷

Did any NT writer call Mary "my life"? Or "the life"?

And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19 :) :)

Roman Catholicism reminds me of Judaism in the first century. It has padded itself with so many stones! Take away Mary and all the thousand and one "saints" and fanciful things. Why can't you just believe in Jesus alone as He specifically, clearly, unambiguously said, "I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me!"? John 14.

Intersetion .... when somebody is dead ?

For anyone in heaven or in God’s presence having passed from this life to have the capacity to hear and respond to the prayers of many on earth is ascribing attributes to them that are only rightly God’s. How does a finite person, if they can presumably hear prayers from hundreds of thousands if not millions possibly handle it? No finite person could. Moreover, there is no scriptural basis for it. While we are on earth we can seek prayers and intercessory prayer from fellow believers because they are still present with us. And there is a clear scriptural basis for this. Not for prayers to Mary and the ‘Saints’. Prayer is only rightfully given or made towards the triune God alone. Nowhere in scripture are prayers rightfully made toward any finite person or Angel in heaven. Whenever the NT church prays, they pray to God alone. Whenever individuals in the NT pray, they pray to God alone.

Why does the Catholic Bible change the 10 commandments and omits the graven image commandment?

People often mistake the giving of an answer to a question as having provided an adequate answer. This was like that. You say you are saved by Mary, or would be damned if it weren’t for Mary. Neither are true, and both are blasphemous. God didn’t need Mary to fulfill His plan of salvation, bit He did choose her to give birth to Jesus. He also chose the Israelites as the lineage which would end up bringing forth Jesus the Christ, but we wouldn’t say the Israelites saved us.

"If it was not for Judah's fornication I would be damned" How does this make any sense? Could God not have picked a different virgin? This seems like a bad excuse for worshiping created humans.

this is kind o muddying the waters..to pray to for intercession can only be a “type of worship” to say that there is a difference is like the catholic concept of “mortal and venial sins”. If sin is sin, than worship is just that.(12 yrs parochial eduction)

This is largely an American Protestant problem. Consider a monarch. Bowed to - in old English, "worshipped"- but not like God. Not just the British monarchy (which in a slightly alternate timeline could have remained Catholic) but an actual Catholic monarch like today's King of Spain. For that matter, consider your own grandmother, if you have a great one. Why wouldn't you be effusive in praise, adoration etc? It's a weird non-issue. Honestly: Americans just need better education (notwithstanding the host is Australian). Just treat Mary like a monarch or your very special chosen-by-God grandmother. Simple.

Heretical prayer: O Mother of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of all the gifts which God grants to us miserable sinners; and for this end He has made thee so powerful, so rich, and so bountiful, in order that thou mayest help us in our misery. Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners who have recourse to thee: come to my aid, for I recommend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee I entrust my soul. Count me among thy most devoted servants; take me under thy protection, and it is enough for me. For, if thou protect me, I fear nothing; not from my sins, because thou wilt obtain for me the pardon of them; nor from the devils, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; nor even from Jesus, my judge, because by one prayer from thee He will be appeased. But one thing I fear: that in the hour of temptation I may through negligence fail to have recourse to thee and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me, therefore, the pardon of my sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace ever to have recourse to thee, O Mother of Perpetual Help. This is a legit Catholic prayer, look up "O Mother of Perpetual Help" if you want to know if it’s legit. This is super heretical. This doctrine of invoking departed saints doesn’t seem just like "hey it’s like praying to a friend.". : ) :)

Ok but why is Fr Pine looking like Gigachad?

So, now it's ok to worship Mary, ok.

Christum, secúndum Lucam, dixit: "Scriptum est: Dóminum Deum tuum adorábis, et *illi soli* servies." Dicas autem nobis ut Maríam adoráre líceat? Nec Scriptúram præbuísti, immo hóminum verba implóras dogma neque præcepta tuéndi causa. Significatiónem perplánam verbórum Dómini commutáre mavis desinéndo Dei glóriam Maríæ trádere. Putásne tibi líceat imperánda neglegáre dúmmodo Maríam deam non esse ajas? Locútibus enim negas, acta autem fatéris cordéque eam deam finxísti... Utri, dícite, exaudiétis? Christúmne an creatióni isti Ejus? Equidem Deum tantum neque ullum alium præter Jesum Christum hóminem adorábo, sicut imperávit verbis Ipse suis ut fáciam.

Mary is who she is because of God's love for mankind. Knowing we are deeply flawed, Jesus Christ--Son Of God--was sent into the world through--The Perfect Vessel, The Arc of The New Covenant--Mary... No other "New" Covenant will ever be. The next coming of Christ will be Judgment Day.

6:20 Matt rejects the idea that "God is this sort of 'attention hog' who is unwilling that others should participate in reflecting his beauty.." The problem isn't in Mary, or any believer reflecting the glory of Christ (2Cor.3:18). The problem is when believers lift up their souls to Mary in prayer and give her relationally what is meant for God alone. God is, in fact, an 'attention hog' and righteously so. "My glory I will not give to another", and "for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God". His jealousy is part of his holiness and therefore we must be very careful. I pray for more awe at who God Alone is.

Jesus said "I am the life"... stop "worshiping" Holy Mary and maybe also stop calling her your life - that's blasphemy. "I'm saved by Mary" because she gave birth to Christ? By that logic I could say I'm saved by King David, or I'm saved by Abraham, or I'm saved by Adam? Or even further I'm saved by Earth - because that preceded Adam. Catholics are odd, the very fact that they want to say they worship Mary or they are saved by Mary is very telling...

Mary did not save us. Oh goodness

I grew up Catholic and I'm Wesleyan now. I found your arguments around Mary weak. Love your show and love you too.

Where is the Christological value or centerness of calling her savior and mother of grace or queen of heaven? Rather it feels you use the position of mary as his mother to steal titles that are only attributed to GOD CHRIST.Stop worshiping idols . Dulia or high dulia are just semantics to support worship of idols.

Saying "if it were not for Mary I would be damned" is heretical. By that logic we should give the same adoration you give to Mary to literally every single person who lived during and prior to the earthly life of Christ. Just because God chooses a specific person to work through does not mean that she is a cause of salvation.

I got the 600 like, can I get a free mug?

"Co-redemptrix"... Nahhhh.

God is not the author of confusion…yet there seems to be much confusion in the world of Christianity.

Is Mary's father the Grandfather of God?

I’m Lutheran, and a lot of low church Christian’s’ objections to Romanism are strawman. But one example of Marian devotion which I think genuinely goes much too far is the cult belief surrounding the Brown Scapular. “Whosoever dies wearing this scapular will not suffer eternal fire.”

I understand that you dont technically "worship" Mary, but you do bow down to images of her. Bowing down to images is strictly forbidden. It is an abomination to the Lord. As it is written: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them."

Save your pitiful excuses, here is what a catholic wrote...enjoy.... @LelaAukes 2 weeks ago Beautiful Mother Maria thank you to be with us. I love worship glorify you and your son Jesus our God almighty

Overall, it's like the saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it Drink." Every catholic can use any resource to back up Mary's Status but many non-Catholics will always decide to not follow along or just won't listen, what's worse is that you would think to at least show some respect to the blessed mother. but instead, you have many people Make fun of her, curse her, destroy any images or statues of her, and just completely say that she is a nobody. It's sad to have people think like that and especially many Christians who have "read" the bible and not even acknowledge Marys role in Reversing Eve's "No" in the Book of Luke. Overall if anyone is very interested in learning more about the blessed mother, please learn with an open mind and strive to at least learn something new.

The Greatest Sign that we are nearing the end of the Gentile Age and the Rapture of the Church is COUNTERFEIT DECEIVING RELIGIOUS DECEPTION. JUDE 1 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. These people from above in verse 4 of the book of Jude are from what the world calls Christians, but what God according to his word, has said through the apostle Paul, they are being deceived and are believing another gospel, which is a counterfeit one that can not save them from their sins. What happens if we Preach or accept a different Gospel than Paul preached. Paul preached the Gospel through the revelation of Jesus Christ. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel: Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so I say now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you then that ye have received, let him be accursed. But I certify you, brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught. it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:1-12) If any religion or church, or person teaches or adds anything to the gospel of our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be saved, they and all who believe in them and trust in them according to the apostle Paul they are accursed. (damned). There is no church or religion on the planet that can save your soul, it can only be found in a person a name above every name the lord Jesus Christ only he can save your soul and give you eternal life, and belong to the one and only church that matters God's church. The gospel of salvation is not sacraments is not liturgy, is not the worship of the eucharist, is not water baptism, not by infant baptism, is not doing good works, not by speaking in tongues, to prove you have the holy spirit. nor being water baptized to receive the holy spirit which is false and wrong and will not save you. is not penance, is not the mass, is not by worshiping Mary, and is not a rosary and is not by a priest saying the last rites prayer, or by purgatory, not by keeping the law(10 commandments) not by keeping the sabbath not by church membership, not by fasting, and your not saved by tithing giving 10% to the church) or confession of your sins to a priest. If any religion or church or person teaches or adds anything to the gospel of our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be saved, they and all who believe in them and trust in them according to the apostle Paul they are accursed. (damned). Here are some religions that add to the gospel for salvation. seventh day Adventist, episcopal church, Judaism, Lutherans, Anglicans, some Pentecostal churches that require speaking in tongues to verify you have the spirit of Christ, catholic church. Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). It is not based on human traditions, rituals, or works, but on the finished work of Christ on the cross. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The gospel reveals God's love for us and his justice. He loves us so much that he sent his only Son to die in our place, to pay the penalty for our sins and to satisfy his wrath against us (John 3:16). He is also holy and righteous, and he cannot overlook our rebellion and disobedience. He must judge sin and punish the guilty (Romans 2:5-6). The true gospel is not a message of human wisdom, tradition, or religion. It is not based on rituals, ceremonies, or works. It is not a matter of opinion, preference, or feeling. It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). The true gospel is the message of what God has done for us in Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It is the declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (Revelation 1:5). Testifying Both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, Repentance Toward God, and faith Toward our Lord Jesus Christ. acts 20:21). (1 Corinthians 15:3-9). THE GOSPEL THAT SAVES, PAUL SPEAKING Moreover, brethren, I declared unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand, by which also you are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (suitable) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. According to the Bible, salvation or JUSTIFICATION, is by GRACE through FAITH in the BLOOD of Jesus Christ, like it says about in Romans 3:25! In other words, when your faith is solely in the Blood, you are SAVED! To be saved, a person must TRUST THE BLOOD of Jesus Christ, which He shed at the cross, as sufficient to SAVE his SOUL. God will not accept our works. He will only accept those who receive his gift of love by faith. Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ROMANS 3 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; We receive the holy spirit of Christ when we believe the gospel Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV) 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Im a catholic, and I gotta say I disagree. Worship is definied as venerating a deity. If we worship Mary, thats making her equal to God, which is heresy. God is to be worshipped, Mary venerated as the Mother of our Lord and intercessor of our prayers, not God.

Worship. Prayer. Veneration. It’s all creepy. We should only hold God on that level. Putting someone else on that level is idol worship. You can try and justify it all you want but it’s not a godly mindset.

If not for Solomon, I would be damned. I've been saved by Obed. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? We are not saved by Solomon, Obed or Mary in the same way that we are "saved by the cross".

'Turn then most gracious advocate thine eyes of mercy towards us': Mary knows; she reaches out and pulls us off the wayward path and points us in the direction which she knows that safety lies; the Truth. As any good mother would.