Posted on 06/20/2012 7:27:46 AM PDT by cleghornboy
Faith is God’s gift to created persons who are entirely dependent on Him. The proper response to this gift is reverent obedience. Christian faith is characterized by a humble and reverent submission to what God has revealed. Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) has this to say: “’The obedience of faith’ (Rm 16:26; cf. Rm 1:5; 2 Cor 10: 5-6) ‘is to be given to God who reveals, an obedience by which man commits his whole self freely to God, offering the full submission of intellect and will to God who reveals,’ and freely assenting to the truth revealed by him. To make this act of faith, the grace of God and the interior help of the Holy Spirit must precede and assist, moving the heart and turning it to God, opening the eyes of the mind and giving ‘joy and ease to everyone in assenting to the truth and believing it.’” (Dei Verbum, No. 5).
For many if not most Catholics today, obedience to revealed truth seems difficult if not impossible. The idea of submitting one’s mind and will to another authority is viewed as repugnant. And this largely because, as Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand reminds us, “The egocentric sovereignty that modern man arrogates to himself bans everything that has the character of coming from above, of imposing bonds upon us, and of calling for an adequate response. Modern man also shuns all the factors in life which are gifts, which he cannot grant to himself: they remind him of his dependence upon something greater than himself and above himself. Thus truth in its implacable sovereignty – absolute truth that judges our reason instead of being judged by it – is denied.” (The New Tower of Babel: Modern Man’s Flight from God, p. 19).
This is most unfortunate for St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that, after the virtue of religion, obedience is the most perfect of all the moral virtues. And this because the virtue of obedience unites us more closely to God than any of the other virtues, insofar as it detaches us from our own will. For the main obstacle to union with God is self-will.
Obedience unites us to God and enables us to share habitually in His life. Obedience subordinates our will directly to the will of God and, as a consequence, all of our other faculties since these are subordinated to our will.
When we offer our wills as a sacrifice to God through obedience, we enter into communion with God, since we no longer have any other will but God's will. Only then can we make the words of Jesus in His agony our own words: "Not my will, but thine be done." This conformity of our will to the Divine will becomes one with charity. As St. Thomas reminds us, love effects primarily a union of wills.
This is the teaching of St. John, the beloved Apostle. After teaching us that he who claims to love God and keeps not His commandments is a liar, the Apostle declares: "But he that keepeth his word, in him in very deed the charity of God is perfected; and by this we know that we are in him" (1 John 2:5). This is the teaching of Jesus Himself, Who tells us that to keep His commandments is to love Him: "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
True obedience is, in reality, a genuine act of love. And this genuine love, this genuine conformity to the Divine will, purifies us from sin. Moreover, this conformity to the Divine will is what works out our reformation. It is, after all, the disordered love of pleasure - to which we yield through either weakness or malice - which has deformed us.
Happily, as we strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5: 48), we have a most perfect model of faith, hope and charity in the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is all holy. Her earthly life was characterized by perfect harmony with the person and redeeming work of her Son. Pope John Paul II reminded us that, “The Council urged the faithful to look to Mary so that they may imitate her ‘virginally integral’ faith, hope and charity. To preserve the integrity of faith is a demanding task for the Church, which is called to constant vigilance even at the cost of sacrifice and struggle. The Church’s faith is not only threatened by those who reject the Gospel message, but especially by those who, in accepting only part of the revealed truth, refuse to share fully in the entire patrimony of the faith of Christ’s bride. Unfortunately, this temptation, which we find from the Church’s beginning, continues to be present in her life, urging her to accept revelation only in part, or to give the Word of God a limited, personal interpretation in conformity with the prevailing mentality and individual desires. Having fully adhered to the Word of the Lord, Mary represents for the Church an unsurpassable model of ‘virginally integral’ faith, for with docility and perseverance she accepts the revealed truth whole and entire…” (General Audience of August 20, 1997).
Mary accepted revealed truth whole and entire. She fully adhered in obedience to the the Word of God. Shall we do any less?
People of other faiths keep making fun of us Catholics because we insist on using phrases like “virginally integral”.
This Church needs to speak in English. The article actually makes quite a few good points, but few are going to read past “virginally integral”.
Most, including me, non-Catholics have a real problem with the deification of Mary. I don't see the big deal if she was a normal person that God used to be the Mother of Jesus. She had relations with her husband afterwards. She had children afterwards. That would be normal. What the Catholics teach is an abnormal relationship when there is no cause to suspect this..
**She had relations with her husband afterwards. She had children afterwards. That would be normal. **
Where did you get ahold of this false teaching?
Have you ever heard of the Ark of the Old Covenant and how anyone died who touched it?
The same is true, using typology, of the Ark of the New Covenant, the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Joseph understood this and respected Mary. It was a far from “normal” as you say, situation.
How do you answeer this quote from the Nicene Creed speaking of Jesus Christ?
“and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”
This piece was not directed to “people of other faiths.” It was directed to Catholics. Hence the title: “As Catholics...”
The Bible. The command to go out and populate the earth.
Have you ever heard of the Ark of the Old Covenant and how anyone died who touched it?
Yes. And that fact was well publicized. Jesus had half-brothers from his biological mother and Joseph. There is nothing to suggest she was to never have relations with her husband.
I don't have a problem with Joseph not having relations with Mary after Jesus was born. I can understand that.
But saying Mary was Immaculate because Jesus couldn't be surrounded by sin is a very dangerous path. It suggests that Jesus was not physically present on earth, since He could not be around sin (and the earth is corrupted by it).
Essays for Lent: Mary Ever-Virgin
Why is the perpetual virginity of Mary so important to Catholics? [Ecumenical Vanity]
Is the Perpetual Virginity of Mary a Biblical View?
Aeiparthenos (An Anglo-Catholic Priest on Mary's Perpetual Virginity)
The Heõs Hou polemic is over: Radio Debate Matatics VS White & Svendsen on Perpetual Virginity Mary
The Early Church Fathers on Mary’s Perpetual Virginity - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
The Heõs Hou polemic is over: Radio Debate Matatics VS White & Svendsen on Perpetual Virginity Mary
Luther, Calvin, and Other Early Protestants on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary
Luther, Calvin, and Other Early Protestants on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary
Please turn to Luke 1:26 in your Bible and read it slowly and carefully..
Good grief, later Mary walked to see her cousin, Elizabeth. Of course she had a physical, and very holy, body and soul.
You wrote:
“The Bible. The command to go out and populate the earth.”
So Jesus violated that command by not marrying and having children, right? And St. Paul too, right?
“There is nothing to suggest she was to never have relations with her husband.”
Actually there is: her question to Gabriel and his response. Ever wonder why she wasn’t punished as Zachariah was just a handful of verses earlier? After all they asked similar sounding questions. What was the REAL difference in their questions?
Jesus had a mission from God that forbade His getting married. Mary specifically, with approval, got married. Paul was a widower who never remarried.
You wrote:
“Jesus had a mission from God that forbade His getting married.”
Gee, really? Show me where you find that in scripture.
“Mary specifically, with approval, got married.”
Getting married doesn’t mean she ever had sex.
“Paul was a widower who never remarried.”
So, he wasn’t fruitful and never multiplied. He violated God’s commandment - according to your own logic.
Jesus as the Lamb of God, sacrificed for the sin of the world, had to be “without blemish.” This means his human nature had to free from the damage of original sin, because all physical imperfections are reflections of the first Sin of Man.
Mary as the New Eve had to be free from original sin, in order to make the choice for God instead of against Him. This dogma is so deep and eternally glorious, and yet so immediately relevant.
When I pray the Rosary, I always include the Assumption and Coronation of Mary, because this is the end of human life for which we all hope. What are we hoping for, if not to be body and soul with Christ, receiving the crown of glory He prepared from the ages for His faithful?
however, while she was an ordinary mortal, she was not a 'normal person' -- not because of any innate ability or power, but by the grace of God, He created a perfect vessel for Him to reside in for 9 months
and, no, you have zero proof that she had relations with her husbands afterwards and you have zero proof that the 'brothers and sisters' of Christ were not either cousins or children from Joseph's earlier marriage.
Ancient tradition holds that Joseph was an elderly widower. Also note that the brothers of Jesus disown Him and that Jesus gives the care of His mother to a non-family member -- that latter is unthinkable in a traditional society and would not have been done by Jesus who kept the law.
Flat out impossible as Jesus gave the care of His mother to a non-family member. If he had other brothers and sisters born of Mary, they would be taking care of her after His death, not an outsider. No Jew keeping the law to honor father and mother would do that.
People have to get over the anti-Mary nonsense. Do not
take it personal, some men long ago rejected Mary to reject
Catholicism. You didn’t~! Our Lord wants everyone to
honor and love Mary. You can speak to her in prayer, she
will help you. Remember the wedding at Cana. It’s a lesson.
I worry, if you reject the Marian Dogmas now, what of the
final Marian Dogma. The 5th Marian Dogma? Instead believe
all of the Dogmas and you won’t be going down the wrong
road.
You all may know of Taylor Marshal. He gave this verse from
Scripture to show, yes Mary was Immaculately Conceived.
~ ~ ~
Sharing #2.
3 Scriptural arguments for the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
See the link for the full article...
http://cantuar.blogspot.com/2009/12/immaculate-conception-of-mary-three.html
Argument #2
Mary as New Eve Having Enmity with Satan
Gen 3:15
“I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel..”
In this verse God addresses Satan. The Seed here is Christ. The Woman is His Mother, that is, Mary. Thus Satan has perfect enmity with Christ and with His Mother. The Catholic Church has interpreted this as indicating the sinlessness of Christ and Mary. [u]If either actually committed sin, then they would not be at enmity with Satan but actually a cooperator with Satan at times
John was His half brother.
err.. no, John the disciple at the foot of the cross was not Jesus' brother --> do read the bible, your statement makes no sense in light of John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home. -- if John was already Mary's son, why the words?
err.. no, John the disciple at the foot of the cross was not Jesus' brother --> do read the bible, your statement makes no sense in light of John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home. -- if John was already Mary's son, why the words?
Mary had no other children, so Jesus had the responsibility, to take care of His Mother.
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