SHE is the reason of my compassion, patience, and strength. 📿💖🙏
WHY DO CATHOLICS GIVE MARY SO HIGH AN HONOR?
Ave Maria 🙏🏽
While Mary receives the highest honor (hyperdulia) among the saints of God, she never at par with God to whom adoration (latria) solely belongs. Now, here are some reasons why Catholics give Mary so high an honor.
First, simply because God honored Mary first and we honor her imitation of Him. Right after the fall of our First Parents God promised that salvation should come through that Woman whose Seed shall crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). This Woman is no other than Blessed Virgin Mary. It is because of this singular privilege that such high honor is accorded to this Woman who is blessed among women (Lk. 1:42).
Second, the Angel Gabriel gave due honour to Mary saying, χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. (“Chaire, kecharitōmenē, ho kyrios meta sou...”). The technical name or expression κεχαριτωμένη (kecharitomene) is a very unique word. It is hapax legomenon. Hapax legomenon, which comes to us from Greek, and it means “expressed once.” In Greek κεχαριτωμένη (kecharitomene) is a perfect passive participle which denotes that Mary has always been filled with grace, that is, completely, perfectly, and enduringly (Lk. 1:28-30). In other words, what the Angel Gabriel wants to communicate to Mary and to us that Mary has unique, singular role in salvation history. It was a role that bestowed her with honour and dignity par excellence.
Third, Elizabeth, cousin of Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, called Mary “most blessed among women” (Lk. 1:42). Why such blessedness? Because Mary is the “Mother of my Lord,” as Elizabeth called her (Lk. 1:43). If we esteem the mother of a dignitary or a government official like the president, how much more should honor and esteem be accorded to the Mother of the Lord? The Lord deserves my adoration; His Mother my highest veneration.
And lastly, Jesus Himself did give Mary the greatest respect and honor. At the foot of the tree of the cross Jesus entrusted us to Mary’s maternal care, “Ecce filius tuus” (“Behold your son”; Jn. 19:26). In the same manner, He gave us Mary as a precious gift, “Ecce mater tua” (“Behold your mother”; Jn. 19:27). As children of Mary, we are duty-bound to give her that highest honor she truly deserves.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, magnifying the goodness of God, prophetically declared, “...from now on all generations will call me blessed...” (Lk. 1:48 NIV). The honor we give to Mary does not distract us from giving due adoration to God because it ultimately glorifies God Himself the giver of grace. As the moon reflects the light from the sun so does Mary reflect the grace from God. The gift shows generosity of the Divine Giver - God. Truly, Mary pointe us not to herself but to God.
So, we Catholics must continue to honor, love and call Mary blessed, which was intended for all generations to fulfil. Thus makes us think again and again why other Christian denominations find it so hard, if not totally impossible, to give Mary that highest honor due to the Mother of our Lord.
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8 сен 2022
