IS MARY THE CAUSE OF SALVATION?
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Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:
“Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.” (CCC 494)
“Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert … : ‘The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the Virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.’ Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary ‘the Mother of all living’ and frequently claim: ‘Death through Eve, life through Mary.” (CCC 494)
“The Virgin Mary ‘cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation. … By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living.” (CCC 511)
“by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death” (CCC 966)
“restoring supernatural life to souls” (CCC 968)
“the Blessed Virgin…under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix” (CCC 969)
“collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish” (CCC 973)
“the new Eve, the Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ” (CCC 975)
“she is inseparably linked with the saving work of her Son” (CCC 1172)
“The Gospel reveals to us how Mary prays and intercedes in faith. At Cana, the mother of Jesus asks her son for the needs of a wedding feast; this is the sign of another feast - that of the wedding of the Lamb where he gives his body and blood at the request of the Church, his Bride. It is at the hour of the New Covenant, at the foot of the cross, that Mary is heard as the Woman, the new Eve, the true ‘Mother of all the living.’” (CCC 2618)
“by asking Mary to pray for us….we address ourselves to the ‘Mother of Mercy,’ the All-Holy One. We give ourselves our to her now…our trust broadens further…to surrender ‘the hour of our death’ wholly to her care. … May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise” (CCC 2677)
Scriptures to Consider:
NOTE: The Bible never mentions Mary being “full of grace” (but uses that phrase with Jesus and Stephen), redeemed from conception, or sinless. While the Bible describes Mary as “highly favored” (Luke 1:28) and “blessed . . . among women” (Luke 1:42) it does not support the claim to sinlessness.
Romans 3:23–24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (ESV)
Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (ESV)
1 John 1:8-10 "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us”
John 2:4 “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me?’”
Acts 6:8 “Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.”
John 1:14 “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”
Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Romans 5:17 “For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” (ESV)
Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (ESV)
John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish”
1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (ESV)
Romans 5:18 “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” (ESV)1 Corinthians 15:45 “Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (ESV)
John 14:16 "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (ESV)
Hebrews 13:6 “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (ESV)
John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (ESV)
John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (ESV)
John 16:7 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (ESV)
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (ESV)
John 2:4 “And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.'” (ESV)
1 Peter 4:19 “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (ESV)
Questions to Consider:
Why is Mary given titles that are only biblically used as titles to describe God Himself? “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix [Mediator]” Why are there no biblical passages giving Mary these titles?
Did Jesus praise his mother or rebuke his mother for her interference at Cana?
Why are we called to “trust” and “give ourselves” to Mary? How is this different than faith and worship? Doesn’t Peter say to entrust our souls to the Creator? Where does Peter tell us to entrust our souls to Mary in the Bible?
Is mercy referred to by the Bible as coming from Mary? Where does the Bible refer to Mary as the “All-holy” one?
Do these claims and titles about Mary elevate her to the level of deity (being a god/goddess)?
Where does the Bible address Mary as the “cause of salvation” (CCC 494)?
Where does the Bible connect Mary to Eve (CCC 494) as it connects Jesus to Adam (1 Cor 15:45)?
How do “our prayers” cooperate with Mary to “deliver our souls from death” (CCC 966)? Where does the Bible describe this practice?