Take note of this: no one should put his trust or confidence in the Mother of God or in her merits, for such trust is worthy of God alone and is the lofty service due only to him. Rather praise and thank God through Mary and the grace given to her. Laud and love her simply as the one who, without merit, obtained such blessings from God, sheerly out of his mercy, as she herself testifies in the Magnificat [Luke 1:46-55].It is very much the same when I am moved by a view of the heavens, the sun, and all creation to exalt him who created everything, bringing all this into my prayer and praise, saying: O God, Author of such a beautiful and perfect creation, grant to me... Similarly our prayer should include the Mother of God as we say: O God, what a noble person you created in her! May she be blessed! And so on. And you who honored her highly, grant also to me...
Let not our hearts cleave to her, but through her penetrate to Christ and to God Himself. Thus what the Hail Mary says is that all glory should be given to God using these words: "Hail, Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ. Amen."
--Blessed Martin Luther, *Personal Prayerbook* AE 43:39
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