Well written! My husband is going through OCIA and I’m attending some sessions to re-catechise, something our priest said is they Protestantism leads to atheism and I definitely agree for the reasons you’ve noted in this essay! It becomes ‘too minimal’.
“Is baptism absolutely necessary? Christ saved the thief on the cross without it. Yet baptism remains necessary because Christ commanded it. Baptism is the proper, fitting way to enter the Church.
Is the Eucharist absolutely necessary? God could sustain you spiritually without it. But Christ said, “Do this” because it’s the fitting way to receive Him.
Is praying to Mary absolutely necessary? No. But it is fitting, proper, and part of a Christian life well-lived.”
Respectfully, from your protestant brother in the faith, this argument doesn’t hold up. Christ said to obey His commandments, but He never told us to pray to Mary.
Your first two examples show things that He did demonstrate in scripture, but again, no scripture tells us to pray to Mary.
To be clear, because I know text can be read combatively, I have tremendous respect for many Catholic traditions. I just do not understand this one.
First, I appreciate the good-faith answer. I am often hesitant to engage online, because I don’t want folks outside the faith to ever think I am hating on my Catholic brothers. I purposely use phrases like brother or sister in the faith to show my belief we are in the same family, just different branches.
As an aside, I admit to my “branch” splintering far too much, leading to many false theologies and beliefs.
Secondly, I am familiar with that stance. To a certain extent, I understand it. However, my thought is: if we can pray to the Father through the Son, why would I not? Also, this post says we “have” to pray to Mary.
And again, I do not see it commanded or demonstrated in scripture. Frankly, I find comfort knowing the saints pray for us, and I understand the thought of asking them to do so, but to say it is a requirement is still not something I am prepared to accept.
I don’t believe it has to be either/or, but the headline and the original post says “have.”
This article says you have to. That means it is necessary, which I don’t think needs to be redefined.
Even going to Paul’s letter in 2 Timothy, the word prayer is the Greek “proseuchē,” which means a prayer addressed to God, not a request made to someone else to pray for us.
If this article said it is a good thing to ask Mary, or any of the saints, to pray for us, I would say sure. May not practice it, but I could understand it as good. But it says “have to pray to,” and that’s where I respectfully disagree.
I do understand the prayers themselves are requests for intercession. I attended a Catholic school, Hail Mary is engrained in my brain, and I’ve said a rosary or too in my time. The older I get, the more I respect and even revere some of the Catholic traditions. So much so I would rather err on making that overstated then risk you or any of my Catholic brethren to think I am attacking.
This is so simple but a wonderful eye opener. Thank you for the education on the different types of necessity!
Thank you!
Well written! My husband is going through OCIA and I’m attending some sessions to re-catechise, something our priest said is they Protestantism leads to atheism and I definitely agree for the reasons you’ve noted in this essay! It becomes ‘too minimal’.
“Is baptism absolutely necessary? Christ saved the thief on the cross without it. Yet baptism remains necessary because Christ commanded it. Baptism is the proper, fitting way to enter the Church.
Is the Eucharist absolutely necessary? God could sustain you spiritually without it. But Christ said, “Do this” because it’s the fitting way to receive Him.
Is praying to Mary absolutely necessary? No. But it is fitting, proper, and part of a Christian life well-lived.”
Respectfully, from your protestant brother in the faith, this argument doesn’t hold up. Christ said to obey His commandments, but He never told us to pray to Mary.
Your first two examples show things that He did demonstrate in scripture, but again, no scripture tells us to pray to Mary.
To be clear, because I know text can be read combatively, I have tremendous respect for many Catholic traditions. I just do not understand this one.
First, I appreciate the good-faith answer. I am often hesitant to engage online, because I don’t want folks outside the faith to ever think I am hating on my Catholic brothers. I purposely use phrases like brother or sister in the faith to show my belief we are in the same family, just different branches.
As an aside, I admit to my “branch” splintering far too much, leading to many false theologies and beliefs.
Secondly, I am familiar with that stance. To a certain extent, I understand it. However, my thought is: if we can pray to the Father through the Son, why would I not? Also, this post says we “have” to pray to Mary.
And again, I do not see it commanded or demonstrated in scripture. Frankly, I find comfort knowing the saints pray for us, and I understand the thought of asking them to do so, but to say it is a requirement is still not something I am prepared to accept.
I don’t believe it has to be either/or, but the headline and the original post says “have.”
This article says you have to. That means it is necessary, which I don’t think needs to be redefined.
Even going to Paul’s letter in 2 Timothy, the word prayer is the Greek “proseuchē,” which means a prayer addressed to God, not a request made to someone else to pray for us.
If this article said it is a good thing to ask Mary, or any of the saints, to pray for us, I would say sure. May not practice it, but I could understand it as good. But it says “have to pray to,” and that’s where I respectfully disagree.
I do understand the prayers themselves are requests for intercession. I attended a Catholic school, Hail Mary is engrained in my brain, and I’ve said a rosary or too in my time. The older I get, the more I respect and even revere some of the Catholic traditions. So much so I would rather err on making that overstated then risk you or any of my Catholic brethren to think I am attacking.