Many non-Catholics have been trained from childhood to believe that one of the clear proofs of the falsity of Catholicism is to be found in the honor that is paid to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, and in the innumerable trusting prayers that are offered to her by Catholics. At the same time it is true that many non-Catholics, when they learn what are the genuine foundations of Catholic devotion to Mary, are drawn by it so irresistibly that ultimately they become Catholics. For the truth is very simple and clear, and is all contained in the following two truths.
(1) Mary is the Mother of God
(Luke 1:43) And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Catholics do not believe that God was bound by any compulsion to have a Mother; they believe that He chose to have a Mother and all that this implies. He chose to permit His human body to be formed in her womb. (Luke 1: 35) And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
He chose to permit her to bring Him forth as a tiny baby into the world. He chose to let her feed Him at her breast, carry Him in her arms, guard Him from danger, and teach Him as any child would be taught, to walk and speak and pray. He thereby chose to grant Mary a power over Him that only love can bestow (Luke 2:51) He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
Catholics believe that in choosing a mother, the Son of God chose to grant her the power over His will that the love of a good mother always wields over a good son.
2. Mary is a mother to all men.
Catholics believe that the Son of God chose to come into the world through a mother in order that that mother might accept as His brothers all the children of the sinful race of man. He set an example as to how she should be honored and loved. He prepared her for this motherhood of all by asking her to suffer every conceivable form of pain (Luke 2:35), thus teaching her sympathy for the sorrows of her children.
(Luke 2:35) “And you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Had she been His Mother alone, He would have spared her from pain, because He had the power to do so and because He loved her with an infinite love. He wrought His first public miracle at her request (John 2:1-11), and when He was dying He reminded her that she had been destined from the beginning to be a Mother to all (John 19:27).
(John 2: 1-11) (The Wedding at Cana) On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” [And] Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
(John 19:27) Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
Catholics therefore believe that Mary will be as eager to help them, in troubles of soul and body, as every natural mother is eager to promote the welfare of her child. The rosaries that Catholics recite are but the expression of their belief in these two truths (Luke 1:48) For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. They know that if Mary speaks to her divine Son in their behalf, there can be no doubt about their receiving an answer to their prayers.