[RosieCotton]

LOL! Great article! I think we've all been there.

I'm reminded of a time when I was maybe twenty and stationed overseas. An Evangelical friend of mine invited me to come to a young adults dinner at their church. I was assured it wasn't really church related - just a free meal. But as it turned out, after the meal they launched into a Bible study.

The reading was the wedding at Cana. The pastor, who was kind of hosting the whole thing, read the passage and then opened the discussion for comment - asked us what we thought we could learn from the reading. One kid said something about Mary being a good example in her saying "Do whatever he tells you."

Well...the pastor got in the guy's face and told him that was "daaaaangerously close to Catholic teaching", and he needed to really think about what he was saying. The guy got all red in the face and kind of scooted down in his seat while everyone glared at him. I was just baffled! Even for those who don't accept any of the traditional Catholic teachings (i.e. those that aren't explicitly spelled out in scripture), can't she at least be an example? But nooooo...too Catholic. Icky. Scary.

[NYer]

Thank you for that feedback.! At least one member got it right.

My pastor was invited to a wedding several years ago at which he encountered a female Baptist minister standing in the food line before him. He offered her a glass of wine and asked "White or red?". She explained that she was a Baptist and that she did not imbibe. To which he explained the Story of Cana from a catholic perspective, reminding her that Jesus often ate and drank with 'sinners'. He then asked her again what type of wine she would prefer, to which she replied "Red".

God bless this truly holy man! He speaks 8 languages, understands 3 others and reads Koine Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Aramaic. He is as orthodox as they come and totally devoted to the Blessed Mother.

[siunevada]

Well...the pastor got in the guy's face and told him that was "daaaaangerously close to Catholic teaching", and he needed to really think about what he was saying.

Wouldn't want to read Scripture too literally now, would we? It must have taken a lot of 'study' to get to an alternative understanding of that verse.

Or just skip it altogether!

[Diva]

Even for those who don't accept any of the traditional Catholic teachings (i.e. those that aren't explicitly spelled out in scripture), can't she at least be an example? But nooooo...too Catholic. Icky. Scary.

I once had occasion to work with some very fine homeschooling families here in Michigan concerning a law that was past in 1995. There were Evangelicals, Catholics, agnostics, Rerform Presbyterians, Charismatics...you get the picture a wide and diverse group of folks who came together and made sure we retained our freedoms in this state. Over the next few years I spoke at some of their conferences, and on a radio show hosted by a very dear lady who was a Reform Prsbyterian ; she is now deseased. One day on the phone she was very concerned having just come back from a vacation in Florida and talked to me about Catholics worshiping Mary. She knew I was Catholic but I guess had never put two and two together in her mind. The conversation went something like this:

My friend -- Catholics worship Mary.

Me--No, we don't worship Mary; we worship her son Jesus.

My friend--Yes, Catholics worship Mary I saw it when I was in Florida.

Me--What do you mean?

My friend-- There is a Church there called Mary Queen of Peace. (I think that was the name that frightened her.)

Me--No, we don't worship Mary: I am a Catholic and I can assure you the Church teaches us to venerate the Blessed Mother, to pray to the Blessed Mother but under no circumstances are we to worship the Blessed Mother.

Unfortunately I don't think she was ever convinced but decided to like me anyway.