Mary: she's a common sight here. She appears on the front of buses, dangles from the rearview mirror of taxi cabs, smiles on candles in the grocery store.
It shouldn't come as a surprise. Statistically, 89% of Mexico's population is nominally Roman Catholic.
In Mexico, Mary plays an important role. She is believed to be holy. Rather than take requests to God, people are urged to ask Mary. After all, the reasoning goes, if you want something, who do you ask: Mom or Dad? Ask Mom; she's the soft one.
With so much emphasis placed on Mary, Jesus takes a backseat. In cathedrals, where Mary is placed in the front, Jesus is tucked away in the back. He is still dead; his lifeless body hangs from the cross or rests in the tomb. The idea that we made Jesus suffer for our sins is prevalent. Yet there is no mention of his resurrection.
What a joy it is to share with others the good news that Jesus is alive! He rose from the dead, victorious from the grave. Mary cannot intercede for us, but Jesus can!
Pray for the mission work in Mexico - there are still many who have not heard of Jesus' victorious work of salvation.
It shouldn't come as a surprise. Statistically, 89% of Mexico's population is nominally Roman Catholic.
In Mexico, Mary plays an important role. She is believed to be holy. Rather than take requests to God, people are urged to ask Mary. After all, the reasoning goes, if you want something, who do you ask: Mom or Dad? Ask Mom; she's the soft one.
With so much emphasis placed on Mary, Jesus takes a backseat. In cathedrals, where Mary is placed in the front, Jesus is tucked away in the back. He is still dead; his lifeless body hangs from the cross or rests in the tomb. The idea that we made Jesus suffer for our sins is prevalent. Yet there is no mention of his resurrection.
What a joy it is to share with others the good news that Jesus is alive! He rose from the dead, victorious from the grave. Mary cannot intercede for us, but Jesus can!
Pray for the mission work in Mexico - there are still many who have not heard of Jesus' victorious work of salvation.
2 comments:
this is so misleading. Catholics believe in resurrection. It is stated on the 'Credo' prayer :..."Jesus was crucified during the times of Poncio Pilato, he was tortured and killed and he resurrected on the third day according to the Scripts, he ascended to heaven and he is seated by the Father's right side, and he shall come back with glory to judge those who are alive and those who are dead, and his kindgdom will have no end..."
Please get your facts right!
You are correct that the Catholic church teaches that Jesus rose from the dead. However, in my experience this teaching has become so de-emphasized in the Mexican Catholic church that most people seem to have forgotten about it. When I have taught Introduction to the Bible classes, all Mexican Catholics who attend these classes know about Holy Week. It is a huge holiday. And they can list off Palm Sunday, "Holy" Thursday and Good Friday. However, almost everyone I have spoken to seems to think that Holy Week ends either on Good Friday or the Saturday that follows. Last year, on the Saturday before Easter, I visited those in the neighborhood around our church to invite them to our Easter Sunday service. Not one person knew that the next day was Easter when Jesus rose from the dead. Almost everyone knows Jesus died, but few seem to know that he came back to life. I am very glad that you know Jesus rose. I wish more people knew it and trusted in Him as their only hope for salvation and life eternal.
- Missionary Mike Hartman
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