“As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, ‘Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.’ He [Jesus] replied, ‘Blessed RATHER are those who hear the word of God and obey it’ ” (Luke 11:27,28).
The New Testament Christians knew nothing about any holy day of obligation – especially one honoring Mary as the “Mother of God”. Be assured, the Lord’s disciples never specially honored or exalted Mary in scripture, even in the Upper Room (Acts 1). Never is Mary mentioned in any salvation sermon scattered throughout the book of Acts. 
Such is the eternal record God has provided for mankind to know and draw from. Scripture alone is final spiritual authority and is to be the only source of Christian teachings (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
For Catholics to believe Mary is the Mother of God is also logically impossible since God is eternal and could have no mother. If Mary really was the Mother of God, then Mary preexisted before God, which is impossible. The real Mary of the bible was a mere creature, chosen and blessed to bear the Messiah, but that is where it ends. Mary’s special importance ceased. That is crystal clear, as the Lord Jesus himself openly corrected a Catholic-like woman, who tried to exalt Mary because she bore Jesus and nursed him as shown in Lk. 11:27,27.
The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God holy day of obligation on January 1 is one of the three of six ‘holy days of obligation’ honoring Mary in the Roman Catholic Church in the USA. So how serious is it to miss a Catholic holy day of obligation with its participation in the Eucharist?
“…Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2181).
That means a “mortal” sin is committed and the seriousness of that is shown here:
“Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell.” (CCC, 1861)
The conclusion to that is: Mary is to be honored by Catholics on holy days of obligation or deliberate offenders commit mortal sin, which will send them to hell unless repented of. Dear Catholics, please know that is a violent and idolatrous contradiction to God’s word.
In heaven there are 25 thrones – God’s and 24 other thrones occupied by the 24 elders (Rev. 4:4), which are all male, thereby excluding Mary from having any of those 25 thrones. Furthermore, there are 24 names on New Jerusalem: 12 on the foundations with the names of the twelve apostles (Rev. 21:14) and 12 on the gates with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12). Again, a mention of Mary is excluded. Over and over, Mary is shown to have no preeminence or exaltation in Paradise. Mary was not the greatest born of woman (Mt. 11:11), nor was she uniquely full of grace (Acts 6:8). She is not even specifically mentioned in heaven and there is no Queen of Heaven. Sincere Catholics have been taught a mythical non-existent Mary, not the real Mary of the bible. To deify Mary as Catholicism has done is to commit idolatry – a soul-damning sin (Rev. 21:8). That is the real sin that needs to be repented of.
True salvation is obtained by a trusting and submitting faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Acts 10:43; Gal. 3:26; etc.), one which unashamedly follows and obeys Jesus here and now (Heb. 5:9; 1 Jn. 2:3,4; 3:7,8; etc.). That includes repentance (2 Pet. 3:9; 2 Cor. 7:10; etc.). Catholics need to know a saving faith in Jesus excludes Mary, as being the object of their faith too. We are also to go to Jesus directly for salvation (Mt. 11:28-30; Jn. 5:40; 6:35; 7:37,38; etc.). The Christian’s devotion is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 7:34,35; 2 Cor. 11:3,4) and never on Mary too. It was the PRECIOUS Lord Jesus, who alone paid for our redemption (1 Pet. 1:18,19; 2:24; Rev. 5:9,10; etc.). Mary is not co-redemptrix, nor do we go to her to get to Jesus or trust in her in the slightest way for anything, especially our salvation, according to the Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles. If the most sincere Catholic departs from scripture for his beliefs, he will surely be lethally deceived. To draw only from God’s written word is be 100% safe in your beliefs and practices (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Take these truths to heart and pass them on to others you care about.
