The Biblical and Heavenly Roots of the Sacred Liturgy

> “I gave you proof from Scripture that Mary means more to God than you think.”

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You did nothing of the sort!

An assertion out of your imagination is proof only of your belief.

There is nothing in scripture that makes Mary anything but the chosen vessel to bring “the Son of Man” into the world. That was her function, which she performed admirably, but to extrapolate that into anything else is idolatry.

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John 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

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Mother? yes. Beloved? I’m sure. But you extrapolate by several orders of magnitude her role in God’s plan. She had little to no understanding of what was unfolding.
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The process of sanctification begins with baptism. The sacrifice of the Cross is what makes it possible. These two events are in our past.

However, actual sin is not finished. People do sin. Those who do sin, and do not have their sin sacramentally absolved, are not in a state of grace. Coversely, people can gradually free themselves of sin through faith and good works and are saved by grace that fills them. That process is described in 2 Peter 1. Grace displaces sin.

My position in Christ is already determined based on HIS work ... not MINE.

If you are baptized and believe everything Christ told you to do, -- for example, do good works, confess your sin, forgive others, receive the Eucharist, then that would be a complete Catholic faith which will save you in the end, when "by good works you may make sure your calling and election" and "you shall not sin at any time". You can start on that road by reading the Holy Scripture with love and attention, and stay away from Protestant lies. I wish you the best and pray for you.

The process of sanctification begins with baptism.

The process of sanctification begins with regeration, the impartation of eternal life. It cannot begin before then as there is no santification for unbelievers ... only condemnation.

Those who do sin, and do not have their sin sacramentally absolved, are not in a state of grace.

You make it sound like a person can go from being saved to being unsaved totally based on what sin they do and what sacraments they partake of. I could be saved at 8:00 in the morning and be on my way to hell by 8:05, but if I confess then I'm saved by 8:06 but fall again by quarter after. Thats insane.

You have built up a whole religion which appeals to the most basic and sinful aspects of depraved human nature ... the desire to believe that you can, by religious rituals, make yourself more acceptable to God. You cannot.

This is a slap in the face to God Almighty ... Are His promises void, can we void his covenant?

I will also pray for you ... that the blindness which holds you in bondage to vain doctrines would be removed and you can see the truth.

The process of sanctification begins with regeration Baptism is regeneration:

[3] Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again? [5] Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3)
Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)
[3] For we ourselves also were some time unwise, incredulous, erring, slaves to divers desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. [4] But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared: [5] Not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost; [6] Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: [7] That, being justified by his grace, we may be heirs, according to hope of life everlasting. [8] It is a faithful saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they, who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. (Titus 3)
baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3)

Can one receive an absolution and the Eucharist and commit a sin five minutes later? Yes I suppose, such things have happened, -- faith of some can be this weak. But with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27, many similar), and with mature faith santification is a reality for many.

the desire to believe that you can, by religious rituals, make yourself more acceptable to God

No you cannot. A ritual cannot save anymore than circumcision could save:

by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2:16, similar Romans 3:28)

The sacraments save not because a priest works a ritual but because God decided to give them to us for that purpose:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8)
He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved (Mark 16:16)
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. (John 6:55)
Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained (John 20:22f)

Read the Bible with love and attention and you will become Catholic or maybe Orthodox.

Water baptism does not impart eternal life. Belief in the truth of the gospel does. "What must I do to be saved ... believe on the Lord Jesus ... " Baptism is an act of identification, a public confession of what has already happened ... the impartation of eternal life.

This is obvious from the occurances in Acts. First is belief, which causes salvation, and then baptism ... the belief has already occured, the act of baptism is an obedience act whereby you are publically identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. You are publically proclaiming that as Jesus died, was, buried, and rose again ... so I die to myself, my old life is buried, and I now live a new life to my Lord.

It should not be confused with spirit baptism described in Romans, which is a work of the HS whereby He places us into the body of Christ.

Obviously, a grown up man will not decide to get publicly dipped in the water just to be a good sport, -- some serious decision-making precedes baptism. It is also true that faith in the Savior Christ, of either the baptizee himself or his sponsor in the case of a baby, must be present. Firther, repentance must be professed for the past sin, obviously not necessary for an infant. However, like all sacraments, baptism works out of itself, because it is God Who regenerates. The baptized may very wish want to be regenerated, but he cannot do that any more than he can get back into his mothers womb and get out again (John 3:4).

It is therefore baptism itself, -- the gift of the Holy Spirit that comes with it,-- that saves. Two things come attending to the baptism: the disposition of the man and the physical contact with water, but it is God Who baptizes and so it is God who regenerates. "by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8). The Scripture teaches that as regards to baptism directly:

[18] Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit, [19] In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison: [20] Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.
[21] Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [22] Who is on the right hand of God, swallowing down death, that we might be made heirs of life everlasting: being gone into heaven, the angels and powers and virtues being made subject to him.
(1 Peter 3)

We have baptism because Christ died. The baptism is the entry in life eternal in the Church like Noah entered the ark, and was saved. Baptism is of the form of water but its effect is spiritual as it configures our conscience. Baptism saves.

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