Why the Virgin Mary Matters in Spiritual Life
By Arthur R Policarpio
Is the Blessed Virgin Mary "necessary" in spiritual life?
For Catholics, the answer is a clear, resounding YES. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an integral part of the Catholic Faith. Together with belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, devotion to the Blessed Virgin is what clearly differentiates the Catholic from non-Catholics.
And yet, should devotion to the Virgin Mary be the exclusive domain of Catholics? Or is this a precious spiritual heritage that Jesus left not just for Catholics - but for everyone, including our non-Catholic brethren?
It is interesting to note that an increasing trend currently is the conversion of so many previously high-profile non-Catholics to the Catholic Faith. Fierce attackers of devotion to the Virgin Mary during their non-Catholic days, these non-Catholic converts, upon converting to Catholicism, ironically end up the fiercest defenders of devotion to the Virgin Mary. In fact, many of these converts attribute their conversion to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
One such convert is Steve Ray, a prominent Catholic convert who previously tried almost the entire spectrum of various sects - Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, etc. Eventually, he found true meaning and happiness upon progressively reading book upon book, especially those by early Church fathers.
Interestingly, Steve Ray notes that their decision to enter the Church was on January 1st, the Feast of the great Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Nowadays, Steve Ray spends his time defending the Catholic Faith, through talks, seminars, and even appearances in prominent global channels such as EWTN.
Why the need for the Virgin Mary in our spiritual life?
The answer lies in the example of Jesus. Our Lord Jesus could have come to the world through a multitude of means. He could have come in a cloud of glory, in a blazing chariot. He could have parted the seas, and appeared in the middle of the parted waters in all his glory. Or He could have simply just materialized out of thin air.
And yet, the clear, undeniable fact is that Jesus chose to come to our world through the Virgin Mary. This is a clear fact that simply cannot be denied. Jesus came to our world through Mary. Is it not proper, therefore, for all of us to go to Jesus through the same way - through Mary?
Moreover, Jesus spent 90% of His entire life in the company of Mary - He spent thirty years with Mary in His undocumented "hidden life", then spent His remaining three years with the rest of the world for His public ministry.
Is the Virgin Mary necessary for our spiritual life? Again, the answer lies in Jesus' own example. Mary, solely through the grace of God, was necessary for Jesus' own life on earth - she is the way chosen by God to bring salvation to our world.
We all need Mary in our lives. Not just Catholics, but everyone needs the Virgin in their lives. After all, we all need a mother in our lives. The word "mother" is a wonderful chord that strikes the heart of all human beings. The mother is the human being's first experience of love, life, joy and happiness in this earthly life. Our spiritual mother, the Virgin Mary, is our first experience of love, life, joy, and happiness in our spiritual life.
Get to know our Virgin Mother more. Read up about her, study her - there are many websites that contain free articles about the Virgin Mary. Get to know our Virgin mother more, love her more - and you will see what miracles are in your own life!
Get free articles on the Virgin Mary! Totus Tuus Maria is your complete online resource for well-researched, easy-to-read articles on the Catholic Faith.
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