MARY (part 2)
THE WORSHIP OF MARY
That Mary is worshipped by Roman Catholics is undeniable. The 20th century has been described by one Church historian as "The most active age of devotion to the Virgin."25 Though the Roman Catholic Church’s ‘official’ teaching is that Mary be honored and venerated, Rome knows only too well that she both encourages and promotes the literal worship of a human being: Mary! "Both Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians agree that Mary is a created person and, as such, should not receive worship that is due to God alone."26
The Roman Catechism states that though it is lawful to honor Mary, she is not to be given "...divine or supreme honor, which is due to God alone."27 This, of course, is in contradiction to the many supreme titles noted earlier that Romanism has given to Mary. Roman Catholics are encouraged to pray to Mary and offer praise to her. Such devoted worship and trust in Mary far outweighs the Roman Catholic’s worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pope Paul VI, in his writings dated February 2, 1974 to the bishops and priests of Rome, said: "From the time that we were called to the chair of St. Peter we have constantly worked to increase the worship of Mary." A telling statement to say the least.
Mary is worshipped in countries throughout the world, including Africa and Asia. Even Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs worship her. On one occasion, a Muslim chief from an African tribe "...placed a golden necklace about the statue’s neck, saying, ‘thank you, our Lady of Fatima for the work of love you are accomplishing in Africa. We praise you, together with the almighty Allah.’"28
Such obvious worship of Mary is also evident in Pope John Paul II’s act in 1982, when he reconsecrated the entire world to the ‘immaculate heart of Mary’! One Roman Catholic publication clearly teaches that Mary is to be worshipped: "...let the children of the Catholic Church most dear to us hear these words and with a more ardent zeal of piety, religion and love proceed to worship, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary."29 All this time and devotion given to Mary allows for far less time and devotion to the Lord Jesus. Jesus said that there is no other way to the Father except by HIM! Christ did not add that there was to be any mediator between Himself and man.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the Roman Catholic Church is more zealous in the promotion of MARIAnity than ‘CHRISTianity!’ Many in Rome would even have Mary as part of the Blessed Trinity!! The ultimate outcome of all this non-biblical worship of Mary may be seen in a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Quito, Ecuador, where there is a statue of Mary HANGING ON A CROSS!! (see the video ‘Roman Catholicism’).
The attention and devotion that Mary receives from Roman Catholics has not always been. In fact, for the first few centuries of the Roman Catholic Church, there was no emphasis AT ALL placed upon Mary. It was not until the early part of the 4th century that Mary began to receive inordinate attention, and even then the practice was frowned upon.
Epiphanius, an early Church father, taught that Mary should be held in honor, "...but let no one adore Mary."30 From the 5th century onwards, the worship of Mary became more common place, with portraits of her increasing, the naming of churches after her, and greater numbers praying to Mary as intercessor.
No one has been more enthusiastic in the promotion of the worship of Mary than Alphonse Liguori. His book, ‘The Glories of Mary’, "...has been the most celebrated Marian devotional work in the (Roman) Catholic Church—over 800 editions in many languages." 31 Liguori was one of the Roman Catholic Church’s greatest devotional writers and was made a saint in 1831. "...It was announced at his Beatification that he had performed more than a hundred miracles during his life and twenty eight after his death! The late Cardinal Wiseman declared that he could be in two places at one and the same time..."32
The following are some excerpts from Liguori’s book: "...Mary is our life... The Holy Church commands a worship peculiar to Mary... Our salvation is in the hands of Mary..." Mary is referred to as: "The only hope of sinners... All power is given unto thee in Heaven and on earth... at the command of MARY all obey—even God... God has placed the whole Church...under the domination of Mary." Mary is also described as "the advocate of the whole human race...for she can do what she wills with God. She...is our salvation, our life, our hope... The whole Trinity, O MARY, gave thee a name...above every other name, that at thy name, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, on earth and under the earth." In answer to these utterly blasphemous statements, the Roman Catholic Bible records God as saying: "Turn to ME and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! ...TO ME EVERY KNEE SHALL BEND..." (Isaiah 45:22,23 cf. Philippians 2:9,10). Speaking of the Lord Jesus, the apostle Peter stated: "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Such blasphemous writings as Liguori’s, being fully approved by the Church of Rome, truly exalt Mary at the expense of the Lord Jesus Christ and should be considered no less than utter scandal. In fact, Roman Catholicism assigns to Mary the place that is Christ’s alone. As will be made clear in the succeeding chapter, this devotion and worship of Mary is nowhere found in the pages of the Roman Catholic Bible. Any and all worship that is not directed to the Lord Jesus Christ is utterly condemned.
The following sample of prayers that may be offered to Mary are taken from a book written by the Sisters of St. Basil, entitled ‘Novena Prayers in Honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help’ — with official Church approval, it leaves one in no doubt that Mary is seen as even above God by many Roman Catholics: "We have no greater help, no greater hope than you, O Most pure virgin; help us, then, for we hope in you, we glory in you, we are your servants. Do not disappoint us." The following is taken from a much longer prayer directed to Mary: "Come to my aid, dearest Mother, for I recommend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee I entrust my soul."
The documents of Vatican II, chapter 8 paragraph 69, also approve and advocate the worship of Mary: "Let the entire Body of the faithful pour forth perseveringly prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men." It is important to note that the Roman Catholic Bible contains no prayers to Mary, nor any directive to pray to or worship her. The Bible does say that God raised Jesus from the dead and GAVE HIM GLORY, "...that your faith and hope are in God" (not Mary) (1 Peter 1:21).
Nevertheless, the Roman Catholic Church approves of such worshipful prayer to Mary, and in so doing, their claim that praying to Mary honours Christ Jesus becomes a nonsense when one addresses Mary with the words, ‘we have no greater hope than you’. Multiplied millions of Roman Catholics pray to Mary every day. Ralph Woodrow makes the following observation: "It is estimated that, with close to a billion Roman Catholics at prayer, Mary would have to listen to approximately 50,000 prayers PER SECOND!!!"
Dear Roman Catholic, how can you truly believe in your heart of hearts that Mary, a human being, is capable of giving attention to all these prayers? And how would Mary translate the hundreds of thousands of prayers that are prayed to her simultaneously, and in many different languages, and often silently in a person’s mind? Only God is capable of such an awesome act. "Surely you can see the impossibility of all those prayers being heard and answered by one who by the admission of your own Church is not God, but only human."33
With the highly popular Rosary containing 10 prayers to Mary for every 1 prayer to the Father, and the Roman Catholic Prayer book containing more prayers to Mary and the saints than to Christ Jesus, it is evident that Mary is the chief object of Prayer amongst Roman Catholics. "The slogan, ‘Through Mary to Christ’, does not change the fact that for many worshippers the devotion naturally stops with Mary. They pray to Mary, not to Christ. Their prayers are directed to her personally. Roman Catholics have been deceived into believing that all grace necessarily flows through Mary. Mary is regarded as a kind of fourth person of the Blessed Trinity. To speak of Mary as ‘holy’, as ‘the Mother of God’, and as ‘co-redeemer’ with Christ, cannot but give the impression that she is more than human."34
It is of the utmost significance that no one in the New Testament ever prayed to Mary, either before or after her death. In fact, any attempt to pray to or worship anyone other than God is strongly condemned in the Roman Catholic Bible. For example, the Apostle John, in Revelation 22:8,9 "...fell down to worship at the feet of the angel..." But the angel responded immediately: "DON'T! I am a fellow servant of yours...WORSHIP GOD" (See Matthew 4:10; Deut. 18:9-12; Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:6; Isa. 8:19,20). These words are exactly what Mary would say today to every Roman Catholic that has been deceived into worshipping her: ‘DON’T! I AM MERELY A SERVANT—WORSHIP GOD!
"If one conducts a careful study of the Biblical use of the word ‘prayer’, one finds that it is always used with reference to God, except in a couple of instances where mention is made of the heathen custom of praying to dumb idols."35
The following statement by former Roman Catholic priest, Charles Chiniquy, makes for disturbing reading for any serious minded Roman Catholic: "What was my desolation and my shame to find that the Holy Fathers of the first six centuries had never advocated the worship of Mary. The many eloquent pages on the power of Mary in heaven and her love for sinners, found in my theologians, and other ascetic books I had read till then, were but impudent lies; additions interpolated in their works, a hundred years after their death. After discovering these forgeries of which my church was guilty, how many times in the silence of my long nights of study and prayerful meditations, did I hear a voice telling me: ‘Come out of Babylon!’"36
THE MARY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BIBLE
The Roman Catholic Bible depicts the REAL Mary. A Mary who bears little resemblance to the Mary that has been manufactured by the imagination and speculation of men. Mary is called the mother of Jesus, and the mother of our Lord, but NEVER is she referred to as the mother of God. St. Augustine once wrote in his ‘Treatise on Faith and Creed’: "...in respect of His (Jesus) being God, there was no mother for Him."
"Roman Catholic priests call Mary the ‘mother of God’, a name impossible, illogical, and unscriptural. It is impossible, for God can have no mother; He is eternal and without beginning while Mary was born and died within a few short years. It is illogical, for God does not require a mother for His existence. Jesus said, ‘Before Abraham was born, I am’ (John 8:58). It is unscriptural, for the Bible gives Mary no such contradictory name. Mary was the honored mother of the human body of Jesus—no more—as every Roman Catholic must admit if he wishes to be reasonable and scriptural. The divine nature of Christ existed from eternity past, long before Mary was born. Incidentally, Jesus never called Mary ‘mother’; He called her ‘woman’."37
"God has no mother. God has always existed. God Himself is the Creator of all things. Since a mother must exist before her child, if you speak of a ‘mother of God’ you are thereby putting someone before God. And you are therefore making that person God....Mary would weep to hear anyone so pervert the truth as to call her the mother of her Creator. True, Jesus was God; but He was also man. And it was only as man that He could have a mother. Can you imagine Mary introducing Jesus to others with the words: ‘This is God, my Son?’"38 It has been wisely stated: ‘As His human nature had no father, so His Divine nature had no mother.’
Mary was most certainly blessed among women, but this does not mean that she is divine and to be worshipped, for, centuries before Mary, there was a woman named Jael in the Old Testament who was also referred to as ‘Blessed among women...’ (Judges 5:24). The original Hebrew stated that Jael was blessed ABOVE women!
The simple reason that Mary was blessed among women is that she was chosen of God, purely according to His grace, to be the vessel from whence would come the Messiah. Notice that in the greeting Mary received from the mother of John the Baptist in Luke 1, she was referred to as "blessed AMONG women" and not ABOVE women. In Luke 1:28 the angel says to Mary, "...hail (greetings), favored one!" and in Luke 1:30 the angel said to Mary, "...do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." This favor was "...the absolutely free expression of the lovingkindness of God to (Mary) finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver. (It was) unearned and unmerited favor."
Mary, as well as several other women, is seen in Acts 1:14 in the company of the apostles, but there is no mention of any special honor or place given to Mary. She was not prayed TO, but rather, she prayed WITH the others: "All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers."
Significantly, apart from the four Gospels, all other writings of the apostles make no mention of Mary. Not even the apostle Peter, whom Rome insists was the first Pope, speaks of her in his two letters, nor did he do so in any of his sermons recorded in the book of Acts. Paul, too, never once spoke of Mary. Moreover, no one EVER prayed to Mary in the Bible, nor did they call on her for salvation; nor is there even the slightest hint of any directive given to pray to Mary, much less to worship her.
As we have seen, Roman Catholicism has bestowed upon Mary many titles, one of which is ‘Gate of Heaven’. However, when we turn to the Roman Catholic Bible, we see Jesus declaring: "I AM THE GATE. Whoever enters THROUGH ME will be saved..." (John 10:9). Mary is also called ‘Advocate of sinners’, yet we see in the Scriptures that: "...if anyone sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ONE" (1 John 2:1). Mary is also referred to as the ‘Way of salvation’, yet Jesus Christ declares: "...I AM THE WAY and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME" (John 14:6).
Apart from being God’s chosen vehicle for the Messiah’s entry into the world, and after accomplishing her maternal duties towards Jesus, little is said of Mary in the Scriptures. In this sense Mary may be compared with John the Baptist, who, after having accomplished the purpose set for him by God, humbly stated: "He (Jesus) must increase; I must decrease" (John 3:30). It is also significant to note that Mary was visited only once by the angel Gabriel; all subsequent angelic visits, guidance and counsel concerning Jesus was given to her husband, Joseph (see Matthew 1:20; 2:13,19,20,22).
Jesus had been an obedient child, who honored His parents as the commandment says. After Jesus had reached maturity, however, parental authority was to play no part in the Lord Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ first miracle was the changing of the water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana. Upon hearing that the people had run out of wine, Mary, perhaps expectant of a miracle, was with Jesus and told Him, "...they have no wine" (John 2:3), implying that He intervene.
Jesus, however, contrary to the Roman Catholic teaching that He always grants His mother’s requests, REBUKED Mary! calling her "woman...", and adding, "...how does your concern affect Me? My hour has not yet come" (v.4). This rebuke was given to Mary "...for interposing in a matter which was the act of His Godhead, which had no dependence on her, and which she was not the mother of."39
Mary responded with a clear directive to those at the wedding feast, with words which should echo in the souls, minds and hearts of every Roman Catholic today! Mary said: "DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU" (John 2:5). It is of the utmost significance that these are the last recorded words of Mary in the Roman Catholic Bible. They are a directive to every true believer. Equally significant is the fact that they appear at the beginning of the Lord Jesus’ ministry.
Our instruction from Mary herself is NOT, ‘Do whatever I tell you’, but, ‘DO WHATEVER JESUS TELLS YOU’!! In other words, ‘LISTEN TO HIM; FOLLOW HIM; OBEY HIM; WORSHIP HIM NOT ME’!!!
Former Roman Catholic priest, Charles Chiniquy, comments: "...Jesus...wanted to banish all idea of Mary ever becoming an intercessor between man and Christ. He wanted to protest against the doctrine He knew would come of the Church of Rome, and Mary understood it well when she said, ‘Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.’ Never come to me, but go to Him.’"40
The Roman Catholic must realise that the Roman Bible states that God has bestowed upon JESUS, not Mary, "...the name that is above every name, that at the name of JESUS (not Mary), every knee should bend, of those in heaven (this includes the knees of Mary), and on earth and under the earth" (Philippians 2:9,10; cf. Colossians 1:18). If even Mary’s knees are bent at the name of the Lord Jesus, what are your knees, dear Roman Catholic, doing bent at the name of Mary?? The Roman Catholic Bible also has this to say of Jesus Christ: "THERE IS NO SALVATION THROUGH ANYONE ELSE, nor is there ANY other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12).
In summary, "We ought to hold her (Mary) in respectful remembrance as one who was honored among women in being the mother of the Man Christ Jesus: but not to forget that she was a sinner even as others"—for she called God her SAVIOUR (Luke 1:47)—"she was saved by grace even as others."41
A religious devotion or worship of anyone other than God is called idolatry. The Roman Catholic Bible teaches that God alone is to be worshipped and looked to for salvation, AND NO OTHER!! God has said: "...THERE IS NO SAVIOUR BUT ME" (Isaiah 43:11). The first commandment teaches: "You shall not have other gods besides Me" (Exodus 20:3). Jesus said, "...It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, AND HIM ALONE SHALL YOU SERVE.’" (Luke 4:8; cf. Isa. 42:8; Acts 10:25; 14:11-15; 1 Cor. 1:29).
The Roman Catholic MUST realise that when you bend your knees and/or pray to someone, you make that person a god, whether it is your intention to or not. This is the idolatry that is strictly forbidden by God in His Word! At the name of JESUS every knee should bend, not at the name of Mary.
THE COMPASSION AND MERCY OF THE ONE MEDIATOR: CHRIST JESUS
Many Roman Catholics pray to Mary and seek her intercession with the Lord Jesus Christ because they feel that she, being a woman, has more compassion and understanding, particularly towards the problems that are peculiar to women. In contrast, Jesus Christ is seen as a stern Judge and, consequently, many turn to Mary for the compassion and understanding that they believe ‘can only come from a mother’s heart’. Mary is said to be able to turn the Lord Jesus’ frown into a smile by her appeals for ‘her children’. To teach that anyone has more love or compassion than Jesus Christ is a lie and nothing less than blasphemy against God. The Roman Catholic Bible tells us plainly that: "...God IS Love..." (1 John 4:16).
Mary is not love! Mary’s love could not even compare with the love of God. She had love which, like our own, was a human love, an imperfect love, not the Divine love that God has and IS! It is evident from the Gospels that, while on earth, Jesus Christ displayed great compassion and mercy for the lame, the diseased, the demon-possessed and the blind. In fact, all who came to Him were received with great lovingkindness. Even in His dying hour, Jesus showed immediate mercy towards the penitent thief who called to Jesus to remember him, and needing no plea from His mother Mary, promptly told the thief, "...today you will be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
"It is in Christ’s full humanity (the fact that He is also God makes him no less human than anyone of us) that we are able to relate to Him and feel comfortable with Him."42
The following Scripture written to true believers shows clearly that Jesus is not harsh towards those who come to Him believing His Gospel, but is able to sympathize greatly with their weaknesses: "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us CONFIDENTLY APPROACH the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help" (Hebrews 4:15,16; cf. Hebrews 2:16-18 cf. John 6:37). Here we see that the Throne of Jesus is the THRONE OF GRACE, from where He is ready to forgive the sins of all those who call upon Him in spirit and in truth.
That Mary, or any other human being, could have more love or compassionate understanding than Jesus Christ, suggests a defect in God. The following array of Scriptures from Roman Catholicism’s own Bible shows clearly the infinitely adequate love of God:
Psalm 100:5 - "Good indeed is the Lord, whose LOVE ENDURES FOREVER, whose faithfulness lasts through every age."
Psalm 108:5 - "FOR YOUR LOVE TOWERS TO THE HEAVENS; YOUR FAITHFULNESS, TO HE SKIES."
PSALM 136 CONTAINS THE WORDS: "GOD'S LOVE ENDURES FOREVER" IN EVERY ONE OF ITS 26 VERSES!!
Psalm 138:8 - "...the Lord is with me to the end. Lord, YOUR LOVE ENDURES FOREVER."
Psalm 145:8,9 - "The Lord is GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL, slow to anger and ABOUNDING IN LOVE. The Lord is good to all, COMPASSIONATE TO EVERY CREATURE."
The Roman Catholic Bible says that kindness BELONGS to God (Psalm 62:12). Matthew 9:36 tells us that "At the sight of the crowds His (Jesus’) heart was moved with pity for them..." (cf. Luke 19:41; John 11:35). It is abundantly clear from these few Scriptures that the Lord Jesus is love and that there is no end to his compassion and mercy, for the Roman Catholic Bible says, "God’s love endures forever". Rome calls Mary the ‘Treasury of Divine grace’, yet the Roman Catholic Bible states that God is "THE GOD OF ALL GRACE..." (1 Peter 5:10).
Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can come to God directly through the ONE MEDIATOR between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (see 1 Timothy 2:5). Roman Catholicism teaches that one comes to Jesus through Mary, however, nothing of the kind is found in the pages of the Roman Catholic Bible. Even the current Pope, John Paul II, declared in his March 1987 encyclical, ‘Redemptoris Mater’, that "...Mary is in no sense a mediator between God and man, which is Christ’s role alone..." However, to say that Mary intercedes between Jesus Christ and man, still makes her a mediator between God and man, for the Lord Jesus is God.
"The reason that Mary, the saints or angels cannot act as our priest or mediator is because they have no sacrifice, nothing to offer in behalf of our sins. Only a priest with a true sacrifice can serve as mediator between God and men. Christ alone, our Great High Priest, is the true sacrifice, and He alone can act as our priest."43
Throughout the teachings of the New Testament, there is only one mediator mentioned: Christ Jesus the Lord. No other is spoken of, for no other is needed. "Therefore, He is ALWAYS able to save those WHO APPROACH GOD THROUGH HIM, since He lives forever to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
The Roman Catholic Bible says that the true believer has but ONE Advocate with the Father, "...Jesus Christ the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). "Biblically, a person who prays talks to God through the mediation of the God-Man, Jesus Christ. No heavenly entities other than the persons of the Trinity figure into the picture. Humanity’s link to heaven is ‘limited’ to the unlimited: God. Why should we need anything else? This is the significance of the incarnation: because He is man, Christ is able to function as our Mediator; because He is God, we have direct access into the presence of Deity and never have to settle for anything less. Therefore, linking Mary in the heavenly chain between Jesus and man not only places Mary in a mediating position unoccupied by other believers, it depreciates the all-sufficiency and glory of Christ’s priesthood."44
Hebrews 9:24 says: "For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that HE might NOW APPEAR BEFORE GOD ON OUR BEHALF." The Lord Jesus does not appear before God on Mary’s behalf, but on the behalf of His people!
Dear Roman Catholic, the compassionate Lord Jesus, the One who sympathizes with the weaknesses of His people, implores you this day: "COME TO ME (not to Mary), ALL you who labor and are burdened, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST" (Matthew 11:28) The Bible also tells us: "Lord, you are KIND AND FORGIVING, MOST LOVING TO ALL WHO CALL ON YOU" (Psalm 86:5).
Even if after all this evidence from God’s Holy and infallible Word, there remains doubt in the mind of any Roman Catholic that Jesus Christ is love and will treat with love and compassion all who call upon Him in spirit and in truth, the Holy Spirit inspired words of the apostle Paul to the believers at Rome should quickly dispel any remaining uncertainty: "But God proves His love for us in that WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US" (Romans 5:8). And, "Everything (everyone) that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to Me" (John 6:37).
Mary did not die for mankind. But God, who became man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, DID die for His people, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE STILL SINNERS!! This is the kind of love that Jesus Christ has for all those God has given Him. It is a love that is undeserved, yet freely given. Writing to believers, Paul the apostle stated: "But God, who is RICH IN MERCY, because of the GREAT LOVE HE HAD FOR US, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED)..." (Ephesians 2:4,5).
The true Christian is not to be afraid to come to God, for "...through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary" (Hebrews 10:19). God is ready to forgive all those who come to Him HIS WAY: "He who did not spare His own Son but handed Him over for us all, how will He not also give us everything else along with Him? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? IT IS GOD WHO ACQUITS US. Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, WHO INDEED INTERCEDES FOR US" (Romans 8:32-34).
In closing this chapter, we invite you to listen to the questions concerning Mary that were asked by former Roman Catholic priest of 25 years, Charles Chiniquy, whilst still a priest in the Church of Rome, to a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church:
"When Jesus and Mary were on earth, who loved sinners with a more efficacious and saving love? ‘Jesus being God, His love was evidently more efficacious and saving than Mary’s’, answered the bishop. And to who did Jesus invite sinners to go for their salvation; was it to Himself or Mary? I asked again. The bishop answered: ‘Jesus; Come unto Me.’ He never said come or go to Mary.’ Have we any examples in the Scriptures, of sinners, who, fearing to be rebuked by Jesus, have gone to Mary and obtained access to Him through her and have been saved by her intercessions? ‘I do not remember of any such cases’, replied the bishop. I then asked, To whom did the penitent thief on the cross address himself to be saved; was it to Jesus or Mary? ‘It was to Jesus,’ replied the bishop.
Did that penitent thief do well to address himself to Jesus on the cross, rather than to Mary who was at his feet? said I. ‘Surely he did better’, answered the bishop. Now, my lord, allow me only one question more. Please tell me if you think that Jesus in heaven, since He is sitting at the right hand of His Father, has lost any of His superior love and mercy for sinners? And if so can you show me that what Jesus has lost has been gained by Mary? ‘I do not think that Christ has lost any of His love and power to save us now that he is in heaven’, answered the bishop. Now, my lord, if Jesus is still my best friend, my most powerful, merciful, and loving friend, why should I not go directly to Him? Why should we, for a moment, go to anyone who is infinitely inferior, in power, love, and mercy, for our salvation? The bishop was stunned by my questions. He stammered some unintelligible answer, and excused himself on account of some pressing business."45
The Roman Catholic Bible instructs the believer to "Cast all your worries upon HIM (not upon Mary) because HE CARES FOR YOU" (1 Peter 5:7). Christ’s people are instructed, in Jude 21, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."