In need of prayer and guidance

greetings

For some time now I have been trying to share truth with my mom concerning her faith and devotion to the Catholic church. She listens to what I have to say and for the most part is not hostile, but she holds firm to her traditions and rituals. She called me not to long ago to find out how my son(he had been sick ) was doing. I told her that he was getting better, she wanted me to tell him that she would be praying for him, that she would remember him when she said her rosary. She would also pray to one of the saints as he was the patron saint of the sick. I have not said anything to her about this but it has been on my heart for some time. I do not want to hurt her but at the same time I know her prayers to no longer living people are useless and I do not want to appear as if I am accepting of this tradition she follows when it is not Biblical. Has anyone else had to deal with this before? Please pray that the Lord would give me the words to speak with her, that I would do so with a loving heart and that she might repent and see her need for Jesus.

God Bless
mj

Greetings brothertom

I have shared with her and will continue to but I have not actually rejected her offer of prayers before. I have shared with my husband about this and he thinks that it will most likely come down to having to just ask my mother not to pray for us unless she is praying to the Lord directly. I do not want to give her the idea that I am in any way agreeing with her empty and false traditions. I think he is correct in this knowing my mom as I do, I just want to speak to her as Christ would lead me to and not have there be any of self in this. My mother does believe she has been visited by mary and was greatly comforted by this supposed visit(when her first child died) so she is very devoted to her. I have shared with her that praying to mary or any other then the Lord is not biblical, but she believes we are not to look to just the Bible that we have traditions that have been handed down and that we must follow them as well. She is getting older and has been very sick over the past few months so this is been on my heart. I do thank you for sharing your thoughts with me in this and agree that saying nothing at all to her would not be a very loving response on my part. Jesus has opened my eyes to His truth I know that I must share that truth with her as He gives me leading to do so.

God Bless
Maryjane

MaryJane my prayer is the Lord will give you wisdom how to lead you mom to the cross. May He give you a burden for her, so you can pray her thru and reveive by faith his promises. Stand on the promises of God and he will honor your faith.

Dear Maryjane,
A dear brother who had been brought up in the roman catholic church here in Ireland were devotion to mary is very strong once gave me this advice. He pointed to a little toddler and asked this question - "If that child had picked up a razor blade and was running around with the razor blade in its hand, how would you get the razor blade off the child?" If you tried to snatch it away or take it by force the danger would be that the toddler would close their hand around the blade doing great damage to themselves. He offered the suggestion that a good way to get the razor blade would be to offer the child a sweet, then it might open its hand and drop the blade in order to get the sweet. The point he was making was that when we attack what people hold dear we can cause them to hold on to those things in a stronger way. Instead offer them a sweet, and what a wonderful sweet we have to offer, a personal, living relationship, with the risen Jesus (Psalm 34:8). When people grasp the wonderful sweet Jesus, other dangerous things will drop away. I pray that your dear Mother will come to understand what Jesus Christ has done for her and what he can be unto her.
Bless you Sister.

MaryJane,

You have more experience then me in dealing with Catholics so I cannot give you any advice but I did notice something in your post and just thought I would point it out, don't know if it will help you any or not.

She is getting older and has been very sick over the past few months

Have the deceased saints helped her any?

Blessings to you, MaryJane...

ginnyrose

Greetings

That is a very good question that you asked ginnyrose. I have not asked her directly that question in those terms but I have asked her why she prays to mary when she can pray to Jesus herself. She just gets upset and tells me she has no problem with mary that I am the one that has the problem.

I know she feels as if I am trying to take something away from her, she has even accused me of trying to take away her faith. IT does not matter how much I tell her I care about her or that I do not want to see her suffer eternity apart from God in Hell. To her the Catholic church, her faith in mary, and Jesus are all rolled up in one. She has told me this herself. She has told me that if she denies the catholic church then she is denying Jesus Himself. How to share with one who is so deceived and lost?(my prayer)

I care about her very much but as with my dad I know that if she continues on the road she is, living and holding to the false idolatry that she does she is rejecting Jesus for the comfort and peace she says these traditions give to her. Next time she offers prayer I really need to use it as an opportunity to speak with her again about these things. I know that is what He is pressing on my heart to do. I also know I need to trust in Him, in all things even with my mom no matter what happens.

Thanks to everyone for sharing and for your prayers

God Bless
maryjane

Mary Jane,

I agree absolutely with Know-Him on the response. My Mom is a devout Catholic with a capital "D" and I too would try my hardest to convince her that my way was the truth and hers was a lie.

It has been many years of patience and prayers which are now only beginning to show fruit. Our love and example of faithfulness over time will shoot holes in the religion she grasps ahold of. It is what she was raised with and the mere thought that she has been mislead and lied to by men is frightening.

There is a literal demonic spirit involved with Catholics and it can be broken, ( I am an example) but our witness is what will win them. She will come to know that we have a relationship with our Creator which will provoke her to jealousy.

May the Lord grant you wisdom and hope in your situation.

Kathleen

MaryJane,

An idea just came to me and I thought I had to come and share it real quick....

If your mom says again how she is going to pray for your child and use the rosary, etc, you could say something like this: "Mom, I am glad you are interested in seeing my child get well, and if you want to pray, I would appreciate it very much if you would just pray to Jesus." And then smile; if she does not see it, let your voice convey that if possible.

I do not know if this would help, but who knows?

God bless you, MaryJane,

ginnyrose