Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe
As a practicing Catholic, I have a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. Since this is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I thought I'd post both an explanation of why Catholics honor and pray to saints as well as quotes from the Gospels showing how we can learn from the example of Saint Mary the Blessed Mother.
From http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/550256?utm_source=popup&utm_medium=2 :
...As Christians we are not to worship any other Gods but One. And we don't! When talking about Catholics and their Novena's there is a HUGE misconception that did not get explained, and that is that Catholics who pray to Saints or his mother Mary are worshiping them. I want to make it very clear that to pray to a Saint or to Mary is NOT worship nor is it putting them above God....
It is also like asking a family member to pray for you, by praying to a Saint you are only asking for them to pray for you or assist you...A Saint is a lot closer to GOD spiritually so it really helps. In a Novena to St Jude you are simply asking St Jude to hand deliver your prayer request to God and with God's good graces. St Jude is permitted to use his talent and assist you...trust me it works better than you going to God directly. St Jude and other Saints are a lot more worthy to ask favors sometimes than we are ha ha...that's all.
Some Catholics are just ignorant about their own faith and just aren't sure how to explain why they pray to Saints or to Mary. Many Protestants and other religions think it's worshiping them when you don't just ask God directly but of course you CAN, that is just as fine.
Saints are appointed by God to help us, they are gifts from God and so are their special talents. I'm glad to have such good connections when I haven't been the best person...If I need something I can always have a Saint ask on my behalf!
The Canticle of Mary, from Luke 1:46-55:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He
has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me
blessed: the Almighty has done great things
for me, and holy is His Name.
He has mercy on those who fear Him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their
thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of His servant Israel
for he has remembered His promise of mercy,
the promise He made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever."
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Luke 1: 38
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Luke 1: 45
"Do whatever He tells you." John 2: 5
"Here we see the authentic meaning of Mary's privileges and of her extraordinary relationship with the Trinity: their purpose is to enable her to co-operate in the salvation of the human race. The immeasurable greatness of the Lord's Mother therefore remains a gift of God's love for all men. By proclaiming her "blessed" (Lk 1:48), generations praise the "great things" (Lk 1:49) the Almighty has done in her for humanity, "in remembrance of his mercy" (Lk 1:54)." - Pope John Paul II
From the diary of St. Faustina:
"O Mary, my Mother and my Lady, I offer You my soul, my body, my life and my death, and all that will come after it. I place everything in Your hands. O my Mother, cover my soul with Your virginal mantle and grant me the grace of purity of heart, soul, and body. Defend me with Your power against all enemies, and especially against those who hide their malice behind the mask of virtue (79) ... Fortify my soul that pain may not break it. Mother of grace, teach me to live by God's power (315)...
O Mary ... a terrible sword has pierced Your holy soul. Except for God, no one knows of Your suffering. Your soul does not break; it is brave, because it is with Jesus. Sweet Mother, unite my soul to Jesus, because it is only then that I will be able to endure all trials and tribulations, and only in union with Jesus will my little sacrifices be pleasing to God. Sweetest Mother, continue to teach me about the interior life. May the sword of suffering never break me. O pure Virgin, pour courage into my heart and guard it (915)."
