There are countless reasons to honour the Mother of our Lord and our blessed Mother:
- The Archangel Gabriel honoured Mary.
- St. Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, honoured Mary.
- Of all the people ever created, God choose Mary to bear His Son.
- Thanks to Mary’s fiat, the gates of Heaven were opened for us.
- Jesus gave us Mary as our spiritual mother.
- The fourth commandment requires that we honour our mother.
- Mary loves Jesus perfectly and also loves each of us perfectly.
- No Mary, no Jesus. (Although Jesus, as God, always existed)
- By honouring Mary, we are imitating Jesus – who will honor his mother for all eternity.
- From Mary came the Eucharistic Body and Blood.
- God chose Mary as His way to come to us.
- Mary helps defeat Satan.
- The early Church Fathers offered high praise for Mary.
- Mary was a part of the most significant events in Jesus’ life.
- God entrusted His own Son to Mary.
- God has honoured Mary above all creatures.
- Mary’s consent was required to bring Jesus into the world – Her permission was essential to our redemption.
- Mary worked and suffered for our salvation and it would therefore be ungrateful not to honor and reverence her.
- Mary’s consent made reparation to God for the disobedience of our first parents.
- Mary is a perfect example of obedience.
- Mary is sinless.
- Mary is full of grace.
- Mary is blessed among women.
- Mary is the mother of our Lord.
- Mary has found favor with God.
- Mary said all would call her blessed.
- Mary is the greatest of all saints.
- Mary is the Queen of heaven.
- Mary underwent intense sufferings on our behalf.
- Mary is our Mother by the Will of Christ.
- Mary is the greatest example of virtue in a creature.
- Surely someone worthy of being the mother of the Jesus – that is, God! – is worthy of our honor.
- Jesus’ humanity was drawn from Mary – without her, we could not be Jesus’ brothers and sisters.
- If the Ark in the Old Testament which held the written words of God was to be so revered, how much more should the Ark which contained the living Word be revered?
- If one would “carefully handle a plant that brought forth the choicest of flowers”, how much more ought one to show devotion to Mary, who brought forth Christ?
- Mary is our best guide to Christ.
- Without Mary there would be no: Christmas, Easter, Salvation, Eucharist, New Testament…
- Without devotion to Mary, one loses out on knowing their Mother!
- It’s a privilege to have Mary pray for us, and those who honor her may ask for this privilege.
- Would a wise person show great honour to an earthly king, yet snub his mother?
- When one loves God, one should also love those whom God loves. “For it is the nature of love, to love when it feels itself loved, and to love all things loved of its beloved. So when the soul has by degrees known the love of its Creator toward it, it loves Him, and loving Him, loves all things whatsoever that God loves.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
- If someone you knew gave up their own child so that you and your loved ones could live, would you not honour that person? Wouldn’t it show much ingratitude to not honour such a person? Well, Mary did give up her Son so that you and your loved ones might live!
- If you want Mary to be there for you at your death, as she was for Jesus, you should be devoted to Mary during your life.
- Jesus’ body – without which we could not be redeemed – was taken from, nourished by, and cared for by Mary.
- Jesus’ plan for our redemption was totally dependent upon the Blessed Virgin’s participation – Any chance we have of salvation was totally dependent upon the Blessed Virgin’s participation.
And, since Scripture commands us to honor our mother and father, how could we fulfill this commandment if we don’t honor Mary, our spiritual Mother? As Scripture says…
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth…. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne… Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus.” (Rv. 12:1-2,5,17, emphasis added)
1catholicsalmon 
Atodo Emmanuel
/ June 18, 2012The second commamdment of God is thou shall mak or worship any image made of man. Why then do we have the image of mary worshiped in many Roman catholic churches
1catholicsalmon
/ June 18, 2012Mary is revered and respected as the Mother of God—-the Spouse of God. We do ask her to pray for our personal intentions, to take our prayers to the Lord God.
Catholics DO NOT worship any statue. If they do, then it’s totally inappropriate. We pray to the saints in heaven, kneeling in front of an image, but if that image were not there, it would not make any difference whatsoever to our prayer.
This Tradition has been carried forward from the earliest times of Christianity.
The statues are just reminders of our Christian brothers and sisters who have gone to heaven before us, like photos of loved ones in our families.
Thanks for your comment. Please do ask if there needs to be further clarification.