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To: Hermann the Cherusker; NYer; Polycarp; Catholicguy; TotusTuus; Tantumergo
***Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Mother of God, in that we set our hope on thee, may we not go astray; but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities, for thou art the salvation of all Christian people.***

Help me see how this isn't blasphemous.

It describes Mary:
[1] ...as the focus of our hope. (compare: Hebrews 11:2 -- Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith)

[2] ...as our deliver and savior. (compare: Mathew 1:21 -- and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.)

7 posted on 09/15/2003 10:15:42 AM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej
One clue might be the the employment of the word "through" here.
8 posted on 09/15/2003 10:20:46 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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To: drstevej
It describes Mary:
[1] ...as the focus of our hope. (compare: Hebrews 11:2 -- Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith)

Blessed Mary is the "Hope of Christians", because in the ways God has glorified her, we also hope to receive His blessings. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads in no. 966:

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: "In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death." (Note 509 - Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15th)

[2] ...as our deliver and savior. (compare: Mathew 1:21 -- and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.)

First, because she gave birth to the Divine Son. Second, because she continues to intercede for us in heaven and distributes all of the graces of God. Third, because she is the "Gate of Heaven", just as God became man through Mary, so man becomes god through Mary, to expand on St. Athanasius' famous dictum.

The title is by way of appropriation, and is meant to reflect glory on the Son, by whom Mary has been given such power and exalted so greatly. You cannot rightly praise Mary without praising the Son she bore. If Jesus is the "Sun", with rays of Truth, Love, Mercy, and Justice pulsating outwards, Mary is the "Moon", and reflects all of these uncreated energies of the Most Holy Trinity within herself and to us as habitual sanctifying grace. It is from her prayers to her Son that we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our souls.

Mary is our salvation not because she redeemed us from sin, which Christ did alone, but because she brought us and still brings us grace and truth.

BTW, many of Our Lady's titles may be found here.

11 posted on 09/15/2003 10:55:42 AM PDT by Hermann the Cherusker
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To: drstevej
1) The term "focus of our hope" refers to Mary being in the Kingdom of God in her resurrected body as we all hope to be when the time comes. It does not mean that she is the source of that hope.

2) Mary's role in Christ's coming was an important one. While the Orthodox avoid terms such as "Co-Redemptrix" because that could be (possibly mis-) interpreted as meaning that Christ couldn't have done it with her, we do recognize that she was the singlemost important member of all of His chosen.

Neither of these positions is blasphemous, IMHO.

17 posted on 09/15/2003 11:41:44 AM PDT by FormerLib (There's no hope on the left!)
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