Around 45 minutes into episode #6824 of “Catholic Answers,” Vicki Thorn stated: “You know, I also want to say to our listeners, that sometimes when we’re beginning to heal, especially women, God is really sort of frightening to us, because we’re so afraid of judgment. The blessed Mother – this is Mary’s work. … This is Mary’s work – and so if God seems a little – you know – too scary, turn to Our Lady and ask her to help, because she’ll lead you.”

By contrast, the Scriptures always exhort us to turn to the mercy of the Lord:

Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 69:16 Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. Psalm 25:6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

We are not to come in reliance on our own merits (or the merits of our fellow sinners, such as Mary), but solely on the mercy of God:

Daniel 9:18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

Indeed, we can approach the Father through Christ, specifically because it is through Christ that the Father of mercies has given us mercy:

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Rather than turning to any form of idolatry, including the religious veneration of Mary, turn to Jesus:

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

The Lord’s is full of compassion and He is the only Mediator between God and man, as it is written: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5) – therefore with Paul let me entreat the reader who is trusting in Christ to be reconciled to God by Christ – not by anyone else:

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

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