Immanuel (God with Us)

The happening at Cana where Mary interceded with the couple who almost lost their supply of wine during the wedding feast greatly affected the belief of the Filipino people especially husbands and wives. Yet if we observe mostly in lives of our Filipino Roman Catholics, not only couples are fanatic to Mary, even those who are singles and still young also look up to Mary with high regard.

We notice that Filipino Roman Catholics treated as someone who is very important to them knowing that for them, Mary is their way to go to Jesus. They believe that Mary could intercede for them to God. Because of this, their concept of God became distorted thinking that God is a distant god therefore they need someone to intercede for them and they can only find that in the person of Mary, the “Mother of God”.

What made this belief very wrong is the thought that because of this belief, people became distant form God and became much closer to Mary. They are giving Mary much importance than God. They couldn't establish a relationship with God because for them, it more important to have a constant, intimate relationship with Mary. The worse thing about it is that sometimes, if not most of the times, they treat Mary as God more than the true God who is Jesus Christ. When they need something, they go directly to Mary and not to God anymore. They thought that there is a high percentage for their appeal to be heard when they relay their message to God through Mary.

God is not a distant God. He is the God who is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10). And as what He personally said in the gospel, HE is always with us (Matthew 1:23).

What the Roman Catholic concept's about God is very sad. But the good news is, we can still let them know what is true.