When you use scripture and rely on Christ alone there is no “sect”, ...And no Christmas and no Easter. Such is the life of the lonely internet prophet with no place to call home. So sad.
Posted on 12/27/2011 8:24:19 PM PST by RnMomof7
Rome, Italy, Dec 8, 2011 / 04:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the biblical description of a “woman clothed with the sun” in his remarks at Rome's Spanish Steps on the 2011 Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
“What is the meaning of this image? It represents the Church and Our Lady at the same time,” the Pope told the crowd assembled before the nearby statue commemorating the 1854 definition of Mary's Immaculate Conception. “Before all, the 'woman' of the apocalypse is Mary herself.”
The 12th chapter of the Biblical Apocalypse – also known as the Book of Revelation – describes the glorification and persecution of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Though not named, this woman is described as the mother of the Messiah. In poetic language akin to the Bible's other prophetic books, Saint John says she faced the threat of “a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,” and “fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.”
Pope Benedict, offering white roses in his traditional yearly act of Marian veneration, gave listeners his insight into the connection between the Virgin Mary and the Church – portrayed in the Apocalypse through the single image of the sun-clad woman.
“She appears 'clothed in sunlight,' that is, clothed in God,” observed the Pope. “The Virgin Mary is in fact completely surrounded by the light of God and lives in God … The 'Immaculate One' reflects with all of her person the light of the 'sun' which is God.”
“Besides representing Our Lady, this sign personifies the Church, the Christian community of all times,” he continued.
The Church, he explained, is “pregnant, in the sense that she carries Christ” and “must give birth to him to the world.”
“This is the labor of the pilgrim Church on earth, that in the midst of the consolations of God and the persecutions of the world, she must bring Christ to men.”
Because the Church continues to bring Jesus into the world, Pope Benedict said, it “finds opposition in a ferocious adversary,” symbolized in scripture by the “dragon” that has “tried in vain to devour Jesus,” and now “directs his attacks against the woman – the Church – in the desert of the world.”
“But in every age the Church is supported by the light and the strength of God,” the Pope said. “She is nurtured in the desert with the bread of his word and the Holy Eucharist.”
“And in this way, in every tribulation, through all of the trials that she finds in the course of the ages and in the different parts of the world, the Church suffers persecution, but comes out the victor.”
Pope Benedict said the Church should not fear persecution, which is bound to arise, but will be defeated.
“The only pitfall of which the Church can and must be afraid is the sin of her members,” he warned, highlighting the key difference between the Church and the woman who is its prototype.
“While in fact Mary is immaculate – free from every stain of sin – the Church is holy, but at the same time marked by our sins.”
While sinless herself, Mary remains in solidarity with the Church struggling against sin.
“That is why the people of God, pilgrims in time, turn to their heavenly mother and ask for her help,” explained Pope Benedict.
He stressed the world's need for the hope brought by the “woman clothed with the sun” – “especially in this difficult moment for Italy, for Europe and for different parts of the world.”
“May Mary help us to see that there is a light beyond the veil of fog that appears to envelop reality,” he declared.
“For this also we, especially on this day, never cease to ask with filial trust for her help: 'O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.'”
So simple it simply cannot be true to so many. They stumble at the stumblingblock.
It doesn’t take much study to find that “prelates” does not mean “priest”. Not unless you work backwards from the CC that is. Every word that is used in scripture for leadership in the church indicates and elder (older) person in the group.
>>Like the portion of Jude that warns against the heresy of "the priesthood of all believers" and clearly identifies it as something those of us under the New Covenant need avoid:<<
Oh now that’s funny. Use Jude against non Catholics? Are you kidding? The first chapter of Jude is talking about groups that were once faithful who were corrupted. That would fit the CC more than any other group. Look at verses 10 and 11.
Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Then look at the number of symbols and rituals the CC uses that were symbols of Baal. Then look at verse 16.
Jude 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
Which group has the “mouth speaking great swelling word” and “having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage”? That sounds like the CC Priests to me.
When you use scripture and rely on Christ alone there is no “sect”, denomination, or supposed “confessional” one attends as long as that entity is following scripture as well. Only those whose “sects” claim enrollment is a prerequisite for salvation would worry about something like that and that is one of the tenants of a cult.
When you use scripture and rely on Christ alone there is no “sect”, ...And no Christmas and no Easter. Such is the life of the lonely internet prophet with no place to call home. So sad.
It doesn’t take much study to find that “prelates” does not mean “priest”.ROTFLMAO!
That’s what they said about Christ too didn’t they? So you’re saying that I am following in Christ’s example? Thank you!
“So you’re saying that I am following in Christ’s example?”
Non Sequitur: The fallacy of offering reasons or conclusions that have no logical connection to the argument at hand (e.g. “The reason I flunked your course is because the government is now putting out yellow-tinted ten-dollar bills!”)
That's why we're told not to cast pearls before such swine and why the Church teaches us that such folks are anathema. They want to be their own religion of Self and obey whatever spirit it is that whispers to them, so let them swallow their own poison. All we can really do is pray they haven't already so hardened their hearts that they cannot hear the Holy Spirit trying to convince them to surrender to Christ before it's too late for them to do so.
Regards
Indeed. Happy Feast Day and Happy New Year!
Trace all the words back to the Greek or Hebrew words narses. I doubt that you dare find out the truth.
And still here you are, day after day, doing exactly what you think your church forbids. Is that called hypocrisy?
You know Peter..... the guy you claim was the first pope.
1 Peter 2
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Revelation 1:4-7 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Trace all the words back to the Greek or Hebrew words narses. I doubt that you dare find out the truth.
I don’t think Catholics study scripture. They study Catholicism.
As in, a distinct group set apart from the entire congregation who collectively are known as saints.
So now the "Sola Yourselfa" crowd claims to have studied the origins of the word "prelates" and have discovered that it came from cavemen who used it to mean, "pebble".
That's a somewhat interesting variation of, "that's what the Scriptures say, but that's not what they mean", but it's still exactly the same refusal to accept what the Bible clearly says. It's just another variation of the same dodge that those who claim to believe in the "clear meaning of Scriptures" use as they attempt to twist and torture Scriptures to fit into their own personal interpretation of Scriptures.
Yeah, I didn’t think you would dare. Just stay with your kindergarten picture books.
You can screech that all you want but Scripture says what is says.
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