Be Like Mary

Lent & Beyond ^ | 3/19/2005 | Jill W.

[sionnsar]

John 2:1-12

One does not have to venture far into the Anglican blogosphere to recognize that the dominant discussion is on the House of Bishops’ report. This morning, I was led to turn my eyes to Mary rather than the bishops.

At the wedding in Cana, Mary comes to Jesus, who had not yet performed any public miracles, with a problem–"They have no wine.” She has a childlike trust that Jesus will do something about it–"Do whatever he tells you.” The scripture doesn’t tell us what she did next. I’ve always thought she went back to the party, but I have nothing to base that on except that there is no record of her helping the servants fill the purification jars.

We have a problem in the Anglican church. I think we are being called to a childlike trust that Jesus will do something about it, that the purification jars will be filled, that the wine will be deemed good by the master of the feast, and that Jesus’s glory will be manifest.

Each of the six purification jars held 20 or 30 gallons. It took time and hard labor for the servants to haul that much water from a bucket well. Some of us will be called to be those servants–"Do whatever he tells you.”

All of us will need to be patient but quietly expectant while the purification jars are being filled. The end result? It will be surprisingly good in quality and overabundant in quantity.

Let us be like Mary.

[jo kus]

"It doesn't, it separates us from each other. Ain't no dead person gonna save you, stop praying to them"

Again and again, death doesn't separate us from the Body of Christ. Those in heaven can aide us that much more than those on earth, whom you ask to pray for you now.

Regards

[Campion]

I already did. You say "dead," he says "alive". I believe Him, not you.

[Campion]

So, next time you hear from Paul, tell him I said "Hi".

Tell him yourself. Oh wait, you can't, he's dead. Kinda answers his question about "Oh death, where is thy sting, oh grave, where is thy victory?", doesn't it?

[irishtenor]

What's his phone number? I can't wait to call him. Maybe he has call waiting?

What I don't understand is why anyone would pray to someone other than God the Father, through Jesus, our Savior. It doesn't make any sense to pray to any one else.

[Gerard.P]

I can't believe you think you know scripture and post this stuff. Why don't you crack open a Bible once in a while?

*****"I just suggest you look at the word of God and see if "the Church" means what you think it does."****

I suggest you do the same.

The Word of God on the sufficiency of the Bible:

Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, WHICH ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK.


***"Christ died for our sins, so that each of His children could come,forgiven, directly to God without needing the intercession of any one else, not Mary, the angels,our brethren in Christ who have passed, nor any earthly Church beaurocracy.****

Intercession of an Angel from Scripture.

And the ANGEL being come in, said unto her: Hail, FULL OF GRACE, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

Mary "prays" ie. requests the help of the Angel in understanding.:


And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

And the Angel answers her prayer:

35 And THE ANGEL ANSWERING, SAID TO HER: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.


And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to THY word. And the angel departed from her.

Honor and devotion bestowed to Mary in Scripture:

41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth HEARD THE SALUTATION OF MARY, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST: 42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, AND blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that THE MOTHER OF MY LORD should come to me? 44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, BECAUSE those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

46 And Mary said: MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD. 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth ALL GENERATIONS shall call me blessed. 49 Because HE THAT IS MIGHTY, HATH DONE GREAT THINGS TO ME; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.


John the Baptist as an intercessor for Christ:

And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying: 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: 69 AND HATH RAISED UP AN HORN OF SALVATION TO US, in the house of David his servant:


***"Christ died for our sins, so that each of His children could come,forgiven, directly to God without needing the intercession of any one else..... nor any earthly Church beaurocracy. ****


Earthly Beaurocracy:


When he had said this, HE BREATHED ON "THEM;" and he said to them: RECEIVE **YE** THE HOLY GHOST. 23 Whose sins YOU shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins YOU shall retain, they are retained.

But YOU shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and EVEN TO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.

21 Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THIS MINISTRY AND APOSTLESHIP, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave them lots, AND THE LOT FELL UPON MATTHIAS, AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE ELEVEN APOSTLES

Intercession of others:

"Call now if there be any that will answer thee, and turn to some of the saints."--Job chapter 5

"Take unto you therefore seven oxen, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust: and my servant Job shall pray for you: his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you: for you have not spoken right things before me, as my servant Job hath. 9 So Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite went, and did as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord accepted the face of Job. 10 The Lord also was turned at the penance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."