Posted on 12/05/2005 4:56:34 PM PST by Rosary
The Mother of Jesus is given a great rememberance in the Catholic Church. She is reverenced as the woman,who said,"Behold the handmaid of the Lord,be it done unto me, according to Thy word". With deep confidence,trust,and faith Mary accepted her destiny as asked of her by St. Gabriel,the Archangel,the messenger of God. Mary,was humble and never asked to be put on a honor list.Mary,was simple and never boasted of her title as Mother of the Son of God. Mary was chosen,amoung thousands of other women to be the Mother of Jesus.Her purity,love and fear of God,her prayers were always that God's will be done in her.Give glory to God for Mary,who whose Immaculate Conception is the reason Jesus came to all mankind. She was Jesus' Mother. She brought forth the God-man for the salvation of all mankind.
It is sad to see the Roman Catholic church go to such lengths to maintain Mary's virginity.
According to the Marian Library, about 80% of the Catholic shrines are dedicated to Mary NOT Jesus.
Romans 3:23
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; (WEB)
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; (ASV)
For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God; (BBE)
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (DBY)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (KJV)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (WBS)
for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short of the glory of God, (WEY)
for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God -- (YLT)
No, it's not.
It is really rude for people to come into these devotional threads and trash our faith. This wasn't a theological debate, but Rosary was starting a celebration of a major religious feast day.
So, instead of being able to celebrate our faith, these people think they have to troll us. It makes it very difficult for us to say anything devotional when this happens.
This is like racism. It's religious bigotry.
Prayer to Mary Immaculate, Help of Christians (M)
Blessed Mother,
Help of Christians,
Mary most pure,
teach us to see with your eyes,
to act with that love
that comes only from loving and knowing your son,
to be your son's hands on this earth,
to be channels of God's light
in this dark world.
O Immaculata,
O Mother most kind,
pray for us now and at the hour of our deaths,
Amen.
Saint Athanasius
"Let those, therefore, who deny that the Son is by nature from the Father and proper to his essence deny also that he took true human flesh from the ever-virgin Mary" (Discourses Against the Arians 2:70 [A.D. 360]).
I understand that the rosary is not Biblical.
The Bible doesn't say much about Mary. The last record of her speaking was her counsel to the servants at the feast at Cana at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry:
"Whatever he says to you, do it." (meaning what ever is Biblical.)
Moreover Mary teaches us about salvation that we should look unto God alone, for she did not trust in herself.
The last time she is mentioned in the Biblical narrative is in the opening chapter of Acts where she is found praying with the disciples before the coming of the Holy Spirit. From then on, the Bible is silent about the rest of her life and about her death.
Immaculata
Immaculata,
O pure one,
shaped by the fires
of God's love,
and refined the flame of loving God,
Mother of our Lord,
You who always told God yes,
no matter what the cost,
no matter what the pain,
no matter how deep the sorrow,
pray for us.
You who love us like the children we are,
lost and confused,
remember us
in this sad and painful world
where the darkness roars
as if to swallow us all up
as if it could extinguish the light
that your Son gave us
like it tried that sad and glorious day
at Golgotha,
inticing with pleasure that leads to death,
enraging with anger that leads to blood,
and yet,
there you are,
calm and loving in the midst
of this storm,
calling us home.
Never was it known
that any who turned to your intercession
was left unaided.
I pray to you then
to intercede for us
now that the darkness looks so deep,
to give us the strength to be followers of your Son,
that we will hear his voice
and walk in his ways,
glad to follow no matter what the cost,
this day and always,
Amen.
There you go. I am NOT going to debate you. You attacked what we believe when we were not making a debate thread. This is a devotional thread. We are talking about the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the title of Mary as patroness of the Americas. We are not arguing about whether YOU think Mary is in heaven or not, about honoring the saints, or anything like that.
Do not ping me back.
The contemplation of Christ has an incomparable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. It was in her womb that Christ was formed, receiving from her a human resemblance which points to an even greater spiritual closeness. No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary. The eyes of her heart already turned to him at the Annunciation, when she conceived him by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the months that followed she began to sense his presence and to picture his features. When at last she gave birth to him in Bethlehem, her eyes were able to gaze tenderly on the face of her Son, as she “wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger” (Lk2:7).
Thereafter Mary's gaze, ever filled with adoration and wonder, would never leave him. At times it would be a questioning look, as in the episode of the finding in the Temple: “Son, why have you treated us so?” (Lk 2:48); it would always be a penetrating gaze, one capable of deeply understanding Jesus, even to the point of perceiving his hidden feelings and anticipating his decisions, as at Cana (cf. Jn 2:5). At other times it would be a look of sorrow, especially beneath the Cross, where her vision would still be that of a mother giving birth, for Mary not only shared the passion and death of her Son, she also received the new son given to her in the beloved disciple (cf. Jn 19:26-27). On the morning of Easter hers would be a gaze radiant with the joy of the Resurrection, and finally, on the day of Pentecost, a gaze afire with the outpouring of the Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14).
John Paul II,
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Your point?
Where did Jesus do only as I say (when it is found in the Bible)?
Oh yeah, that's right, Jesus didn't write the Gospels.
Gotta love how threads like this get hijacked.
At Mass this Sunday the priest was talking about the Feast and reminded everyone that their mother expected them to be there. It was an excellent way of describing the situation.
Immaculate Mary your praises we sing
You reign now in heaven with Jesus our King
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria
Ave, Ave, Maria
Sixteenth Apparition Of Our Lady Of Lourdes
Thursday 25 March 1858
For the next twenty one days, Bernadette did not go to the Grotto in the early morning as she had been doing until then - she had not felt the call within herself which was her summons. But surely the matter had not reached a satisfactory conclusion - after all, the Lady had still not identified Herself, despite the child's repeated requests.
However, the child did go to the Grotto - but alone. She would go in the late afternoon and spend long hours in prayer and contemplation. But unlike the days of the visions, Bernadette would not kneel in her usual place; instead, she would go deep into the large rock vault at the base of the Grotto. There, cloaked in the gloom of the place, she would pour out her soul to the Lady of the Apparitions - whom she saw with the eyes of her soul, if not her body. By this time, some pious people in Lourdes had set up a small altar beneath the niche - upon an old table, they had placed a small statue of the Blessed Virgin, surrounded with flowers and candles. In fact, candles burned all over the Grotto. Whenever people were gathered at the place, they would begin to sing hymns to the Queen of Heaven. Nearly all of the pilgrims there would leave a small monetary donation, which would later be used to carry out the requests of the Lady. Strangely, none of this money was ever stolen - although it was left there with no-one to watch over it.
On the evening on March 24th, Bernadette told her parents of the feeling she had that she was being called to the Grotto once more by an interior impulse - she intended to return there in the morning. It had been a long time since the Lady had visited her - more than two weeks! How long that night was - try as she might, the child was unable to sleep. As soon as the first light of dawn began to pierce the darkness of night, she rose and quickly dressed.
There were a number of people present there at the Grotto already; it seemed they too felt there may be a fresh occurrence that day. But why today, after the silence of two weeks? That was simple to answer - today was the feast of the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary - the day he saluted Her as 'Full of Grace'.
So perhaps ....
Bernadette arrived at the Grotto at five in the morning, with her blessed candle in her hand. Her parents were with her. Even before she reached the rock, she could see the wondrous light filling the niche, in which stood her beautiful Lady.
"She was there", said
Bernadette, "tranquil and smiling and watching the crowd just as a fond mother watches her children. When I knelt down before Her, I begged Her pardon for coming late. Still kindly towards me, She made me a sign with Her head that I had no need to apologise. Then I told Her of all my love and regard for Her and how happy I was to see Her again. And after pouring out my heart to Her I took up my beads".
At this moment, the Figure bathed in the heavenly light moved from the niche down into the larger vault. Rising to her feet, Bernadette went into the vault to be closer to the Lady. She remained standing in front of Her and a conversation followed. Soon afterward, the oval of light moved back up into the niche once more and prayers were resumed.
Bernadette herself describes the conversation and events which followed this moment -
"Whilst I was praying, the thought of asking Her name came to my mind with such persistence that I could think of nothing else. I feared to be presumptuous in repeating a question She had always refused to answer and yet something compelled me to speak. At last, under an irresistible impulsion, the words fell from my mouth and I begged the Lady to tell me who She was.
"The Lady did as She had always done before; She bowed Her head and smiled but She did not reply.
"I cannot say why, but I felt myself bolder and asked Her again to graciously tell me Her name; however, She only smiled and bowed as before, still remaining silent.
"Then once more, for the third time, clasping my hands and confessing myself to be unworthy of the great favour I was asking of Her, I again made my request.
"The Lady was standing above the rose bush, in a position very similar to that shown on the Miraculous Medal. At my third request, Her face became very serious and She seemed to bow down in an attitude of humility. Then She joined Her hands and raised them to Her breast. She looked up to Heaven.
"Then slowly opening Her hands and leaning towards me, She said to me in a voice vibrating with emotion
'I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION' (Que Soy Era Immaculada Conceptiou)
"She smiled again, spoke no more, and disappeared smiling".
After the vision, Bernadette asked her aunt Lucille to allow her to keep the blessed candle which she had used throughout the Apparitions. Lucile agreed. Having obtained the necessary permission, Bernadette placed the candle between some of the rocks beneath the niche, where it slowly burned itself out.
Lucile asked why Bernadette had wanted to do this. She replied -
"The Lady asked me if I would leave the candle to burn at the Grotto - as it was your candle, I could not leave it there without your permission".
Leaving the Grotto, the child was laughing and smiling and quietly repeating some words to herself. Some neighbours from Lourdes came toward her and asked the cause of her happiness and what it was that she was saying. The child replied -
"Oh, I'm repeating the name the Lady has just this moment given me, for fear that I might forget it. She said to me, 'I am the Immaculate Conception' ."
The child was mispronouncing the word 'Conception' and had to be corrected.
From the Grotto, the little one went directly to the Presbytery - still smiling, still repeating the words which already were spreading so quickly throughout Lourdes.
She was still repeating them when she entered the garden of the Presbytery, where Abbe Peyramale was praying his Office. He asked what she wanted today, but the child did not hear his question.
"What's that you're saying, you conceited little thing!"
" 'I am the Immaculate Conception' it's the Lady who has just said these words to me!"
He asked if she knew what the words meant. She replied that she did not know their meaning.
"I see you are still being deceived. How can you say things you don't understand?" he asked.
"All the way from the Grotto I have been repeating the words 'I am the Immaculate Conception' for fear that I would forget them."
"Good!" added the Priest, "I shall consider what is to be done" and he entered the house, leaving the child and her aunt standing in the garden.
Later that day, the Priest admitted to a neighbour the effect of the child's words on him
"I was so amazed by it that I felt myself stagger and I was on the verge of falling
http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org/lourdes/apparition-16.html
Do not ping me again on this thread.
Here's one for you:
Immaculata
Immaculate.
clean
pure,
spotless
like a drop of water
falling like rain,
before it touches earth
like a beam of light
breaking through the darkness
to light the way.
Like you, O Mary!
You who never told God no,
you who always told God yes,
no matter how difficult.
Immaculate Mary,
pray for us now, and at the hour of our deaths.
Amen.
Luther's hymn in praise of the blessed Theotokos:
To me she's dear, the worthy maid,
And I cannot forget her;
Praise, honor, virtue her are said,
Then all will love her better.
I seek her good,
And if I should
Right evil fare,
I do not care,
She'll make up for it to me
With love and truth that will not tire,
Which she will ever show me,
And do all my desire.
She wears of purest gold a crown
Twelve stars their rays are twining,
Her rainment, glorious as the sun,
And bright from far is shining.
Her feet the moon
Are set upon
She is the bride
With the Lord to hide.
Sore travail is upon her;
She bringest forth a noble Son
Whom all the world must honor,
Their king, the only one.
That makes the dragon rage and roar,
He will the child upswallow;
His raging comes to nothing more;
No jot of gain will follow.
The infant high
Up to the sky
Away is heft
And he is left
On earth,all mad with murder.
The mother now alone is she,
But God will watchful guard her.
And the right Father he.
Sadly, this thread is far too full of rage and roar...not from you whom I have pinged.
I like that hymn.
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one."
Origen,Homily 1(A.D. 244),in ULL,94
"Thou alone and thy Mother are in all things fair, there is no flaw in thee and no stain in thy Mother."
"Ephraem,Nisibene Hymns,27:8(A.D. 370),in THEO,132
"Mary, a Virgin not only undefiled but a Virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin."
Ambrose,Sermon 22:30(A.D. 388),in JUR,II:166
"We must except the Holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the subject of sins, out of honour to the Lord; for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin."
Augustine,Nature and Grace,42[36](A.D.415),in NPNF1,V:135
"As he formed her without my stain of her own,so He proceeded from her contracting no stain."
Proclus of Constantinople,Homily 1(ante A.D. 446),in ULL,97
"A virgin, innocent, spotless, free of all defect, untouched, unsullied, holy in soul and body, like a lily sprouting among thorns."
Theodotus of Ancrya,Homily VI:11(ante A.D. 446),in THEO,339
"The angel took not the Virgin from Joseph, but gave her to Christ, to whom she was pledged from Joseph, but gave her to Christ, to whom she was pledged in the womb, when she was made."
Peter Chrysologus,Sermon 140(A.D. 449),in ULL,97
"[T]he very fact that God has elected her proves that none was ever holier than Mary, if any stain had disfigured her soul, if any other virgin had been purer and holier, God would have selected her and rejected Mary."
Jacob of Sarug(ante A.D. 521),in CE
O Sanctissima
Verse 1
O sanctissima, O piissima,
Dulcis Virgo Maria.
Mater amata, intemerata,
Ora, ora pro nobis
Verse 2
Tota pulchra es, O Maria
Et macula non est in te
Mater amata, intemerata,
Ora, ora pro nobis.
Verse 3
Sicut lilium inter spinas,
Sic Maria inter filias
Mater amata, intemerata,
Ora, ora pro nobis.
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