Dear Friends,
In response to your question on "why Catholics implore the powerful intercession of Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM)" which became a necessity that I respond to clear your doubts and for proper understanding on what the Catholic Church believes and teaches. Permit me to do some Biblical exegesis with you. I hope you read with an OPEN MIND.
Let's open our Bible to the famous story at the wedding at Cana which is recorded in the book of John 2:1-12. In this event, we see the role of our Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) as an intercessor and facilitator of the first miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 3 clearly stated "And when the wine was failing, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine." (Catholic Bible). KJV puts it this way "John2:3, And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine". This particular verse draws our mind to the fact that Mary, the Mother of Jesus played a vital role of reminding her son that the wedding wine has exhausted. Reading further, we see an important virtue of Mary in Her quest to act as an intercessor. She never stopped at reminding our Lord on the need to provide new wine (since She knows that Her son is capable of doing such). She went ahead and instructed His apostles to do whatever He tells them to do. (John 2:5). By this, She demonstrated Her love for humanity. She felt pity for the wedding guest and She did all within Her power to put smiles on their face. Furthermore, when Jesus turned water into wine, that wine became special, in fact, it almost caused problem for the wedding guest (read verse 9 and 10 of John Chapter 2). This miracle became the first miracle of Jesus. It is worthy to note that our Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) was never forced by the guest to intercede for them. She did it out of pity and Her willingness to help mankind. Just imagine if she was begged or rather if she was 'asked' 'implored' to act on their behalf as Catholics do. Don't you think that the miracle will be doubled? (Lols). If Jesus could listen to the plea of His Mother on the need to provide the wedding guest with new wine, why can't He also listen to His Mother when we will implore Her powerful intercession? Think about it.
When we read the gospel of Luke 1:26-38, we see another drama between the Angel Gabriel (who was sent by God) and Mary. God deemed it fit to HONOUR HER, not only that, She was ascribed to be FULL OF GRACE and was given the singular HONOUR of being the Mother of our Saviour. Mary was so obedient and humble that She never doubted the message from God unlike Zechariah did in the same Luke 1:18. Reading further again, when Mary visited Elizabeth, the Bible clearly stated that "THE CHILD IN HER (ELIZABETH) WOMB LEAPT FOR JOY AND ELIZABETH WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. (cf. Luke 1:41). The mere presence of Mary to Elizabeth made Elizabeth to cry out in a loud voice saying "BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN". (Luke 1:42). This is not ordinary. Elizabeth must have received a revelation to make her say such. By this act, Elizabeth acknowledged the powerful role of our Blessed Virgin Mary. She acknowledged the fact that Mary is FULL OF GRACE. So if God and Elizabeth could honour Mary, who then are we not to Honour her? The Holy Scripture clearly stated that henceforth, "ALL GENERATIONS SHALL CALL ME BLESSED" (cf. Luke 1:48). This is in accordance to what the Catholic Church teaches and believes. As far as I am concerned, Mary is an eschatological icon in the role of our salvation!
Let's look at it from the human point of view. Now, in a family setting, Mother's are special intercessors. When a child needs a favour from his father or maybe his uncles, if he goes through his mother, the favour is usually granted faster than when he goes straight (That does not imply that the Father must grant the request simply because the Mother pleaded on behalf of the son). Mother's or rather ladies in general have this special attribute of getting favour from Men rather than for a man to get favour from his fellow man. It's a NATURAL principle. Looking at it from another perspective, most times when you meet your pastor or maybe a man of God or even your fellow human being, you often implore them to pray or intercede on your behalf. You firmly believe that God can answer their prayers on your behalf. If you can believe that a Human can intercede to God on your behalf, why then do you have issues with asking our Blessed Mother Mary (the Mother of God, the Spiritual spouse of the Church) to intercede for you?
In conclusion, NO CATHOLIC WORSHIP MARY as you may think. The problem with us is that we don't really like to know more about what the Catholic Church practices. When you see Catholics doing the usual Rosary procession with the statue of our Lady, that does not imply that we are worshipping her. We are simply paying our due honour and respect to her. We are simply doing what the Bible mandated us to do in Luke 1:48. The inherent merits and favours from the Rosary cannot be overemphasized. The Rosary is a Spiritual and Powerful weapon of warfare. The Rosary reflects the life, events, missions, ministry, sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. It sums up the ministries of Jesus while He was on earth.
Again, it is worthy to note that "Despite the appeal to Mary, it is not automatic. It is left for God to grant the request made".
We Catholics believe and affirm that through the powerful intercession of our Blessed Virgin Mary, God will answer our prayers hence the use of the sentence, "Holy Mary, Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death".
Note this: "MARY IS NOT NECESSARY, BUT SHE IS INDISPENSABLE".
All to Jesus, through Mary.
Thanks.
© Anthony Aniebo.
09/09/2017
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