[blue-duncan]

” my question is not to explain to me what the Protestant range of interpretations of the scripture is, but where the contradiction of the Catholic mariology is with the scripture.”

“I do not ask why sola scriptura people (who depend on warrants for chewing gum, apparently) do not venerate saints, I ask where Catholic praxis is contradicted in the scripture”

This request is similar to Pelosie requesting General Petraeus not to give them a positive report of the surge in Iraq.

“This is a prooftext (Luk 11:28 “But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”) for veneration of all saints, Mary chief among them.

There is nothing in the verses that says”Mary chief among them”. However, following that logic then all of the following should be equally “venerated” as Mary in RCC praxis.

Mat 5:3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Mat 5:5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Mat 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Mat 5:7 Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mat 5:8 Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Mat 5:9 Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Mat 5:10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 11:6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Jhn 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.

Rom 4:8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Jam 1:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Rev 1:3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.

[annalex]

My request is entirely logical. We are not Calvinists. In fact, a good reason we are not is Calvinist rejection of the communion of saints and human cooperation with divine grace. So to tell me why veneration of Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints contradicts Calvinism treads water -- I agree that it does. An allegation that our devotions contradict scripture is one that I take seriously and I would like this slander to be substantiated honestly, or retracted. So far, al I get is more calvinist assuptions heaped on, -- no substantiation and no retraction.

Regarding the "blessed", indeed all these are blessings worthy of veneration. It is primarily through the example of the saints that we learn the Beatitudes.

The fact that Mary is chief among the saints comes not from her being simply "blessed", although that she most certainly is, but filled with grace, "kecharitomene" (I am sure the "doctor" has the proper phonics on that as well), -- as a Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, through whom the abundance of grace came to un in the person of Christ.

[Mad Dawg]

gain, you guys need to work on the difference between "same" (or "identical") and "equal".

And yes, while Mary heard the word and kept it as nobody else did, we do also venerate those whom we believe to be in the company of the blessed. Not "equally" but certainly similarly. Ever hear of the LItany of the saints? A Novena to Sainte ( A little French lingo there) Therese of Lisieux?

Then you all tell us that we are idolaters for doing so. But we DO venerate all the saints. Heck, we even have a day, you may have heard of ....