Why do Protestants struggle to rightly honor Mary? I hear phrases all the time that seek to remind those with a high Mariology that “she was just a normal human, only the Christotokos.” I also hear “Mary had a bunch of other children,” and of course the most dogmatic claim: “Mary was a sinner like all of us.”
Now, seeking to be charitable, those who hold such positions do so because they are seeking to show exclusive honor to Christ. However, what many don’t recognize is that by failing to honor and venerate Mary, we actually end up failing to honor Christ as HE is.
For example, calling Mary “the mother of Christ” rather than “the mother of God” is an affront to Christ himself. Rather than “putting Mary in her proper place” as some might assume, it ends up robbing Christ of being a fully divine Person in the incarnation. If Jesus is God, and Mary is the mother of Jesus, Mary is the mother of God. This is what the Church has taught, and to deny such teaching is heresy.
All of this to say that Mariology is directly associated with Christology. The reason many traditions venerate her the way they do, is because they have such a high view of Christ.
Now, this is not to say that some haven’t gone into idolatry with the level of veneration of Mary. But this is to say that a high view of Mary is historically proper, because it reflects a high view of Christ Jesus our Lord.
So next time, when you speak with an ignorant (but well intending) Protestant, show him how honoring Mary is actually, ultimately, honoring Christ himself.
This is the first video reflection for the Great Fast.
Welcome to the Mere Catholicity Locals Community! Here, you will find like-minded Christians with a desire to live ecumenically and pursue Christ in all things.
The Mere Catholicity movement runs only through listener support. The work that I (Jonah) do requires time and money. Without the financial support of my Locals community, I would not be able to continue making content. Simple as that. It is only thanks to this group that I can continue providing you with content that (hopefully) both edifies and challenges!
The good news for you is that joining the community itself is completely FREE! Once you sign up, you will be able to see most posts, live streams, and even content posted by other users. However, you will only be able to observe. You will not be able to comment, post, or see any exclusive content. This might be a good way to see if you want to support later down the line. So please join! Even if you cannot afford to give at this time!
Now, for those who do wish to give ...
Friends - as I consider the various platforms that I operate, I find Substack to the most conducive to the model of online ministry that I am aiming for. Though I still plan to post here, as many of you still support me through this platform, Substack is where I will be focusing the majority of my time. If some of you wish to move your subscription from here to Substack, you are welcome to do that. Those who continue to support here, I will continue to post here — mostly the stuff that is behind the paywall on Substack so that you are getting the exclusive content regardless of where you are subscribed.
Hope you all are doing well. Lord bless you.
- Rev. Jonah
I've been gone again for a time preparing for my ordination. I was ordained a Deacon in the Holy Catholic Church on March 8th, 2025.
It was a joy beyond words. I am now back in full swing with ministry, media, and work.
I hope you all have been doing well. More to come soon.
Good morning everyone. I wanted to quickly update you on the Mere Catholicity Podcast. I’ve been posting videos on my channel, but it has been quite sometime since my channel has had a podcast episode release.
With my new job as a classical teacher, scheduling interviews has been a challenge. However, my plan is to use my summer breaks as time to double down on planning and recording new podcasts. The idea will be to record a ton of interviews that will then slowly release throughout the school year, expiring around the time the following summer arrives. This will ultimately result in a consistent once a month interview.
All that to say, the podcast will resume here in May or June of 2025 with some excellent interviews lined up!
Blessings on your Sunday!
