Why Mary is so important, and why

Protestants should care

The Catholic Church holds Mary, the Mother of Jesus in great reverence. Very often Protestants say that
Roman Catholics worship Mary. While we Catholics believe that there is no greater saint in heaven then
the very Mother of God, we do not worship her. Mary would be the first to discourage such worship
because she knows that worship is reserved for God and God alone. Yet we have to say that Mary’s
position in salvation history is unlike any person that came before or after her.

Mary is the pattern of what a Christian should be. In this brief paper, I am not going to discuss the
Immaculate Conception of Mary, nor her Assumption into heaven, although I do believe in both of these
things, but I also believe that a case for the importance of Mary in Christian life can be made without
reference to either of them.

Mary mirrors what every Christian should be. I cannot emphasize this point too greatly. Let us examine
what this great lady, this shining example, did at the start of her ministry. The Angel Gabriel came to
Mary and the angel conveyed a message from God Himself: Would she agree to be the mother of the
Messiah? Her response was, “Let it be done unto me as you have said.” She surrendered her life to God,
trusting in Him completely. Mary surrendered her entire being to God and He overshadowed her and
she bore a son which was Christ the Lord. In a similar way we are called to imitate Mary, to surrender
ourselves to God and He will overshadow us so that we can bear fruit for the kingdom.

Mary was the new Ark of the New Covenant. Mary physically carried in her body Jesus and became the
Ark of the New Covenant. Christians are called to carry Christ in their hearts just as Mary carried Christ
in her body. Her example therefore is one all Christians are called to imitate.

Mary was the first Christian. Mary believed in Jesus long before His birth. The angel Gabriel came to
her and asked if she would agree to be the mother of Jesus. (Luke 1:26) She agrees but asks a question,
‘how will this happen?’ she asks. The angel responds that God will cause it to happen. She used her free
will to say “Yes” to God. She took a great risk here. By becoming pregnant she invited a death sentence.
Remember that in first century Israel there was no such thing as a mother without a husband. If she had
been found to be with child and without Joseph her legal husband acknowledging the child, she would
have been executed as an adulterous woman. She heard the word of God and she believed. She
accepted the risk of living for God and her example is one all Christians are called to imitate.

Mary put Christ first in her life always. Throughout her life Mary put her Son and His mission first. Mary
always points to Jesus. The Wedding Feast at Cana is a case in point. Many scholars point to the fact that
Jesus did not appear to be quite ready to start His mission at this moment, yet His mother knew it was
time and knew He would do what she asked. She then uttered words that echo through time and space
until this very day when she said; “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5) Christians are called to
obedience to Christ. In this case, Christ changed water into wine. We are not speaking about a small
amount of wine either, each of those water jars contained 39 liters (10.3 Gallons) of wine each. So the
party went from no wine to a super abundance in an instant. John relates this story to show that Jesus
was the Messiah and that prophesy from ancient times was being fulfilled in their sight. (See Amos
9:13-14, Hosea 14:7 and Jer 31:12.) Christians are called to do what Christ says

Mary stood by Jesus her whole life. Mary’s life was one of dedication to Jesus. At the end she stood by
the Cross and was there when he redeemed us by willingly giving His life up in death. When He was
taken down from the Cross, she cradled his pale, dead body in her arms and the mothers’ tears that fell
from her eyes washed just a bit of the blood away. She assisted in burying her son in a cold grave and
must have winced as stone grated upon stone as the entrance was blocked off. To the end Mary served
Jesus. Christians are called to serve Jesus by serving selflessly those in this world that need help just as
Mary did to Jesus.

We are called to imitate Christ. It is undisputable fact that Jesus fulfilled the Law of God down to the
last jot and title. He obeyed perfectly the Ten Commandments including the commandment that tells us
to “Honor thy father and mother.” As Christ honors Mary as a dutiful son should, we as adopted sons
and daughters and members of the Household of God, we too are called to honor her as our mother as
well and in doing so, we imitate Christ as we are called to do.

My Protestant brothers and sisters, I realize that there are real differences between The Catholic Church
and the tradition you follow. I urge you in spite of these differences to look into this woman called Mary
and read what Martin Luther thought of her, you might be surprised at what he believed about her and
how your denomination has not only split from Catholic teachings, but the teachings of Luther as well.
Mary is the mother of Jesus, and He is the savior of the world. Through Mary’s fiat, that is her yes to
God, the savior was born into the world. Do not worship her, she does not want this. But imitate Jesus
by honoring this woman of great faith. Honoring His mother pleases Jesus and isn’t that what we as
faithful followers of Christ want to do?

I n the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of
grace, the Lord is with you!" 29 but she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting
this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of
his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel
said to her, "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. Luke 1: 26-35