Is It A Sin While Praying To Mary, To Say

[Paladin D]

Title says all. Mainly because... would this go under [b]Adortion[/b]? I don't want to mistakenly adore Mary or any of the Saints.

[Laudate_Dominum]

She's your mama, I would hope you tell her that you love her.
Just think about how you would treat your earthly mom. Would it be the adoration that is due God alone to tell her you love her? Or to say thank you? It's perfectly fine to talk to Our Lady as the person she, your heavenly Mama.

[foundsheep]

There is nothing wrong with telling your mother you Love her.

[Paladin D]

What would [b]Adortion[/b] go under? Like an example?

[Laudate_Dominum]

The latria, or worship/adoration that is due to God alone is primarily a disposition of the heart which is idolatrous if directed toward creatures. There are different ways this can be done but there aren't many dead give aways externally. For example a Catholic kneeling before a statue might be percieved by a fundamentalist as worship, but as we know from experience there is something quite a bit different going on and that fundie was judging the heart and misunderstanding the nature of the act.
Anyway, not to get started rambling or anything.
So, in essence idolatry elevates a creature to a status which is proper only to God.
Old Testament idolatry meant people put their trust in idols or demonic spirits above the Living and True God.
I would say that since you know that Mary is a creature who is totally dependent upon God and is not in anyway your creator or God you would not fall into idolatry. I am convinced that it's pretty hard to do actually, you would have to make an effort and become a heretic. The union of the Body of Christ is God-centered, it doesn't take away from God. A relationship with Mary and the Saints is not in competition with God, it is a part of being God's child.
Your relationship with Mary should be based on Christ's love and is a gift from Christ. He has given us everything and has even given us His own mother to be our mother. This is a supernatural relationship so the fact of this living relationship is also a gift from Christ. He gives us the love with which we love Mary. Try to love like Jesus and with Jesus, and love Mary as Jesus does, with tenderness, joy, trust, confidence, etc.. This is how you will be drawn into the union of the Two-Hearts. You will be a child of Mary and she will enrich your heart and soul and lead you ever closer to Jesus. She will form Jesus in you and your heart will beat in union with their Hearts..
This relationship is about love, not idolatry. In Heaven our love for one another will be like this. This is what Christ prayed before He died, that we may be one even as He and the Father are one. So don't be afraid to be close to Our Lady, it can only bring you closer to Jesus.

Edited March 11, 2004 by Laudate_Dominum

[Paladin D]

Ah ok, now I understand. Thanks.

[crossingstandrewspass]

I say that all the time, but I attempt to catch myself when I begin. I've always wondered if it was a sin, but I learned sort of not to care, because Mary, the Blessed Mother, is my mother after all and has been interceeding in my life ever since I actually accepted the truths of Roman Catholicism.

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' date='Mar 10 2004, 06:52 PM'] The latria, or worship/adoration that is due to God alone is primarily a disposition of the heart which is idolatrous if directed toward creatures. There are different ways this can be done but there aren't many dead give aways externally. For example a Catholic kneeling before a statue might be percieved by a fundamentalist as worship, but as we know from experience there is something quite a bit different going on and that fundie was judging the heart and misunderstanding the nature of the act.
Anyway, not to get started rambling or anything.
So, in essence idolatry elevates a creature to a status which is proper only to God.
Old Testament idolatry meant people put their trust in idols or demonic spirits above the Living and True God.
I would say that since you know that Mary is a creature who is totally dependent upon God and is not in anyway your creator or God you would not fall into idolatry. I am convinced that it's pretty hard to do actually, you would have to make an effort and become a heretic. The union of the Body of Christ is God-centered, it doesn't take away from God. A relationship with Mary and the Saints is not in competition with God, it is a part of being God's child.
Your relationship with Mary should be based on Christ's love and is a gift from Christ. He has given us everything and has even given us His own mother to be our mother. This is a supernatural relationship so the fact of this living relationship is also a gift from Christ. He gives us the love with which we love Mary. Try to love like Jesus and with Jesus, and love Mary as Jesus does, with tenderness, joy, trust, confidence, etc.. This is how you will be drawn into the union of the Two-Hearts. You will be a child of Mary and she will enrich your heart and soul and lead you ever closer to Jesus. She will form Jesus in you and your heart will beat in union with their Hearts..
This relationship is about love, not idolatry. In Heaven our love for one another will be like this. This is what Christ prayed before He died, that we may be one even as He and the Father are one. So don't be afraid to be close to Our Lady, it can only bring you closer to Jesus. [/quote]
gold. I'm adding this to my ever growing folder of information on Catholicism.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I don't think so. For it to be adoration, you would have to say that you love her more than God and that you thank her before God.

I say "thank you" and "I love you" to my biological mother...why not my spiritual one?

[Theoketos]

[quote]I say that all the time, but I attempt to catch myself when I begin. I've always wondered if it was a sin, but I learned sort of not to care, because Mary, the Blessed Mother, is my mother after all and has been interceeding in my life ever since I actually accepted the truths of Roman Catholicism. [/quote]

There is a name for this...

There is kind of honor that we give God, see above in the franciscan who praises God.

Then there is honor we give sacred things, that is things God has set aside as holy.
This we call Dulia. I think that we might also owe dulia to our superiors.

Still there is a type honor reserved to the Mother Virgin most holy. This we call Hyper Dulia. She is the only one who gets this honor, as she is immaculate conception. Still it is a kind of Dulia. I think that the star wars paladin is doing this when he says, "I love you."

Does any one else miss Hyper?

[Theoketos]

[quote]I say that all the time, but I attempt to catch myself when I begin. I've always wondered if it was a sin, but I learned sort of not to care, because Mary, the Blessed Mother, is my mother after all and has been interceeding in my life ever since I actually accepted the truths of Roman Catholicism. [/quote]

There is a name for this...

There is kind of honor that we give God, see above in the franciscan who praises God.

Then there is honor we give sacred things, that is things God has set aside as holy.
This we call Dulia. I think that we might also owe dulia to our superiors.

Still there is a type honor reserved to the Mother Virgin most holy. This we call Hyper Dulia. She is the only one who gets this honor, as she is immaculate conception. Still it is a kind of Dulia. I think that the star wars paladin is doing this when he says, "I love you."

Does any one else miss Hyper?

[IcePrincessKRS]

I think we all do Theoketos.

[willguy]

I don't see anything wrong with it. Let's face it, if someone prays for you, you say "thank you." So, Mary prays for you, you say thank you. As for "I love you," I'd hope you love your mother!!1

[Dave]

I thank Mary and tell her I love her all the time!

[Paladin D]

[quote name='Theoketos' date='Mar 10 2004, 09:40 PM'] I think that the star wars paladin is doing this when he says, "I love you." [/quote]
[b]Star Wars Paladin?[/b]

[Theologian in Training]

I never understood why it was so hard for people to thank and love Mary. I would imagine that if you ever had a friend, you, one time or another, met his mother. I would also imagine it would be pretty rude of that person if he chose not to introduce his mother, especially if she was right there. Therefore, if we know the Son why wouldn't He also want us to know His mother?

Sometimes it works differently too. We might meet Mary first, and not know Her Son, or if not know Him, at least not really know what He is about. In that case, She proudly and joyfully introduces us to Her Son. Of course, sometimes that may be preceded by a certain amount of catechetics, of preparing us to meet Her Son. She wants us to be presentable and make us ready to meet Her Son. We cannot learn these things on our own, sometimes we need help, and who better than Mary to help us? She is His Mother, She, as a human being, knows probably more than all human beings put together about Her Son...She knows Her child.

At the same time, She is also our Mother, and we are Her children. When we fall She too runs for us to pick us up. When we are lost, she too will help us be found. When we haven't the courage to go to Her Son, She will console us and give us that courage, because She wants us to be close to Her Son.

Mary is our Mother, She holds us, loves us, cares for us, and knows us as our own Mother, how can we not want to express our deepest love and thanksgiving for Her? Granted, She will never be stronger, greater, or even equal to God, but, at the same time, God has made her integral in the plan of salvation, otherwise He would have just appeared out of nowhere, and not been born in Her womb.

If it is a sin to love the Mother of God as our own Mother, then why would Christ have given us His Mother before He died?

Mary, Mother of us all. Pray for us.

God Bless

[Paladin D]

Thank you all for your responses, I see nothing wrong in loving Mary. I just wasn't sure at the time if it was on the borderline of [b]Adortion[/b].