Counterfeit WK 4 - Wednesday Night

Week 4 Counterfeit

The Mother Mary, the Queen of Heaven vs. the Earthly Mother of Jesus

Week 1: The Word of God vs. Tradition

The Counterfeit – The Bible, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterium are an equal source of authority.

The biblical truth is the Bible is our ultimate and final authority.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Week 2: Grace plus works vs. Grace Alone

The Counterfeit – Salvation according to Roman Catholicism is Grace plus works.

The biblical truth is that we are saved by grace alone. Ephesians 2:8-9

Week 3: Sacraments vs. Ordinances

The Counterfeit – The seven sacraments of Catholicism are channels of Grace.

Ordinances of Water Baptism and Communion

Comparison of Jesus and the Catholic Mary

Veneration of Mary

O Mother of Perpetual Help,

thou art the dispenser of all the goods which God grants to us miserable sinners, and for this reason He has made thee so powerful, so rich, and so bountiful, that thou mayest help us in our misery. Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners who have recourse to thee.

Come then, to my help, dearest Mother, for I recommend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee do I entrust my soul. Count me among thy most devoted (or “faithful”) servants; take me under thy protection, and it is enough for me. For if thou protect me, dear Mother, I fear nothing: not from my sins, because thou wilt obtain for me the pardon of them; not from the devils, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; not even from Jesus, my Judge, because by one prayer from thee He will be appeased. But one thing I fear—that in the hour of temptation I may neglect to call on thee and thus perish miserably. Obtain for me, then, the pardon of my sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace always to have recourse to thee, O Mother of Perpetual Help.

CCC 969

“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”

CCC 966

“The most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more fully united with her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death, and so that she might be the more powerful intercessor for the salvation of all men.”

CCC 971

Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more fully united with her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death, and so that she might be the more powerful intercessor for the salvation of all men.”

The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

One of the prayers says: “O sovereign princess, turn O Mary thy loving eyes on me, look at me and draw me near to thee…… granted we may go to heaven.”

Pope Pius XII (1876–1958)

“O Mary, cover our aching wounds, convert the wicked at the cross. Mary became for all people the mother of forgiveness. For us, Mary is an icon for the Church and must offer forgiveness to all those who seek it.”

II. Biblical Response

Mary is not mentioned in the Bible after Acts 1:14; in the New Testament she is never mentioned after the ascension of Christ.

1. Veneration or worship of Mary

Acts 10:25-26

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”

Psalm 148:13-14

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

14 He also has exalted the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, of the children of Israel, a people near to him.

Revelation 5:13

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

Matthew 4:10

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

2 Corinthians 11:3

3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2. Praying to Mary

CCC 2678

We can see the prayers to Mary via the Rosary.

Matthew 6:7

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matthew 6 (Disciples ask Jesus how to pray)

6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. [a]”

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering,[a] anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer,

11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,

12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

3. Perpetual Virginity of Mary

Matthew 1:25

25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew 13:55-56

55 Is not this the carpenter’s[a] son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

4. Mary is without sin

Romans 3:23

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the sin offering for us, so that in Christ we could be right with God.”

1 Peter 2:22

“He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth.”

Hebrews 4:15

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet he did not sin.”

Jesus is the only mediator. Hebrews 9:15

“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

It is God the Father who draws people unto salvation through Jesus. John 6:44

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”