Even Karol Wojtyla wondered if it was possible to overdo our devotion, but there’s no reason to fear growing closer to Our Lady.
Protestants generally avoid any devotion to Mary, assuming it is a type of idol worship. But even Catholics – including Karol Wojtyla before becoming Pope John Paul II – can sometimes wonder if we might honor Jesus’ mother a little too much.
I’m convinced there’s no need to have fear about deepening our relationship with Mary.
Here are six reasons I feel so certain (I explore these and others in my book The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis):
See John Paul II’s reflections on this in Gift and Mystery.
1) Catholics don’t worship Mary
To put Protestants at ease right way: Catholics do not worship Mary. Period. We venerate her because as the Mother of Jesus, Christ came to us through her. God could have done it any way he wanted, and yet this was how he chose to come to us. It is only fitting then, that the Mother should help us return to her Son. Protestants are comfortable with venerating St. Paul, for example, speaking of him highly, recommending that others get to know his work. Similarly Catholics revere Mary. She is clearly not God, but a creature given incredible graces and gifts by the Creator.
