Mary and the Problem of Christian Unity

We are living in a remarkable age. As we approach the third millennium of Christianity in the year 2,000, we are watching a world in extremes. Amid the rapid onslaught of secularization and irreligion, we find hordes of people seeking solace in religion.

Amid the ravages of war and violence, we find the comfort and love of those who care for the poor and disadvantaged. Amid the lightning pace of modern life, we find souls searching for deeper meaning by retreating to monasteries and ashrams for solitude.

Two of the most powerful inspirations in late twentieth century Christianity are the drive toward greater unity among Christians of widely differing backgrounds (ecumenism) and the rapid growth of Marian devotion all around the world. This century has seen unprecedented efforts to bring together Christians who have been separated by misunderstanding and prejudice. And just when the ecumenical movement on a formal level seemed moribund, a new surge of grassroots ecumenism is finding ways of bringing together Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians. Whatever the outcome of these efforts, the air of this last decade of the second millennium is filled with the scent of Christian unity. It seems that Christians are grasping every opportunity to reconcile their doctrinal differences and to find the sweet savor of "brothers dwelling together in unity" (Ps 133: 1).

If this is an age of ecumenism, it is equally a Marian era because no century since the birth of Christ has witnessed such an outpouring of devotion to the mother of Jesus. As many observers note, reported apparitions and locutions have multiplied, leading numerous Christians to an unprecedented devotion to the humble handmaiden of the Lord who was privileged to bring the world its Redeemer. In tandem with these grassroots movements, there is a monumental effort within the Catholic Church for the Pope to define as dogma Marian doctrines that have long been present in the Church (Mediatrix, Coredemptrix, Advocate). Whether or not the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church decides to act, there is unlikely to be any diminishing of devotion to the mother of Jesus.

On the other hand, many non-Catholic Christians are mystified by such devotion to Mary. Some feel strangely drawn to honor her, but are afraid of falling into excessive focus on Mary to the exclusion of Jesus. To others, Marian devotion borders on the blasphemous. To still others, Catholics are idolaters. It is not an overstatement to say that no expression of historic Christianity has ever placed Mary in such a high position of honor as has the western Catholic tradition. And even though the Eastern Orthodox Churches have long honored Mary as the Mother of God, they do not have fully developed mariologies as the Western Church has.

The juxtaposition of ecumenical and Marian movements seems odd at best. On the surface, it appears that Mary would be the last subject chosen in an ecumenical dialogue. One might think that all the areas on which common agreement might be achieved should be addressed first, and then deal with the thorny question of Marian doctrine. Better to leave Mary until last. However, I am now convinced that questions about Mary must be addressed up front if any true ecumenism is ever to be achieved.

On a purely human level, no genuine friendship can ignore beliefs which are central to one party while those same beliefs are at best questionable to the other. Further, it is not completely honest for Catholics to pretend that Marian doctrines and devotions are not important and central to our lives. We ought to state openly that the Catholic faith does not allow the Church to ever change its defined dogmas about Mary. On the other hand, we must admit that not everything that goes on under the term Marian devotion is necessary or beneficial for the Church.

What can talk about Mary do to promote the cause of ecumenism? The answer depends on what we mean by ecumenism. One definition, and the one most common, sees ecumenism as a process of negotiation between different churches whereby one church gives up some aspect of its faith and the other partner relinquishes its claim to some of its distinctives. This process proceeds through a number of steps until a lowest common denominator is reached. The result is a church or some other official body which has a reduced form of faith and practice so that it might accommodate each respective member. This has largely been the pattern of ecumenism in the United States and the Western world for the better part of this century. In my judgment, such attempts have been a monumental failure. Mary cannot help with this type of ecumenism. The other definition of ecumenism is not founded on the concept of negotiation, but on seeking together the truth of God’s revelation. It begins with confessing that we don’t apprehend God’s truth completely, and that we must always seek to have the mind of Christ. In this conception, unity of heart and mind does not come from negotiated agreements, but from all parties, recognizing and embracing the objective truth of God.

It is a commonplace that married couples do not achieve success by each giving fifty percent to their marriage, but by each giving one hundred percent of themselves. In the same way, Christian unity comes from full commitment to searching for truth in a spirit of humility. Ecumenism begins with recognizing that unity already exists in God, that Christ is the center of unity, and that the Holy Spirit is the operative agent in bringing Christians together. Mary has everything to do with this kind of ecumenism.

Mary: The Sign of Unity ?
How can Mary help in promoting Christian unity? Many may feel the weight of disunity among Christians and long for a greater oneness in Christ, but can Mary really give us that greater oneness? Mary has been a source of division between Catholics and Protestants for a long time. What good will focusing on Mary bring? How can Christians be one when the very Marian devotions so precious to Catholics are viewed as idolatrous by Protestants? To human eyes, it seems that almost any other Christian doctrine would be better suited to bring unity than doctrines of Mary. And if we think of Mary just as a set of doctrines, that would be true. But Mary is more than a set of doctrines. Mary is a person. She lived her life on this earth as the mother of our Lord with her own character, mind, and idiosyncrasies. These things are true regardless of what we believe about her. Mary is what she is apart from our beliefs.

There is one unmistakable fact that we must remember about the real Mary—the Son of God lived in her womb for nine months. This is how Mary can be an instrument of unity. She united the Logos, the second person of the Trinity, with His human nature in her own body. Mary united more than any human being has ever united. She united God and man in the small confines of her own womb. Ponder this amazing reality. In Mary’s womb, heaven and earth were joined, not as two separate realities, but perfectly united in the one person of the Son of God. No wonder it says that "Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Lk 2:19). It is a reality beyond words.

Mary was the instrument of unity for the body of Jesus Christ and this is why Mary has long been thought of as mother of the church. The church is the body of Christ and Mary was the mother of Christ’s body, both physically and mystically. It is clear from Scripture that Jesus Christ is the key to unity among Christians, but the one Savior Jesus Christ would not be what he is—the perfect God-man—without Mary’s being the means of uniting His divine and human natures in one person.

Mary’s example of obedience and discipleship also forms the foundation of unity. Mary gave herself unreservedly to Jesus her Son. Every Christian wants to be an obedient disciple of our Lord and needs examples of obedience to do so. Mary was filled with grace, and this allowed her to listen to the commands of her God without delay. Mary was on earth what every Christian will become in heaven, filled with grace. Obedience means a readiness to say YES to God, a spirit of humility that says "Let it be" (fiat). Unity cannot be achieved through negotiation. It must come through obedience to the apostolic teaching given by Jesus to Paul and the other apostles. Without a willing spirit, we can never achieve God’s desire for unity. Mary’s life of obedience and discipleship calls us to unity with God through obedience.

The unity we seek is not human but divine. Its source is the divine life of Christ the Redeemer. It is that unity for which He prayed when He said, "Father, that they might be one." This kind of unity doesn’t come from each group of Christians giving up some belief or practice for the sake of unity; it comes from each individual or group submitting to the authority of Christ and from the work of the Holy Spirit bringing oneness where it is humanly impossible. Like salvation itself, Christian unity is not within the grasp of human power. All we can do is open ourselves to the ministry of the Spirit to produce the unity that is impossible through negotiation.

It is because Mary has been such a stumbling block for Christians that a fuller embracing of her person and role will achieve a greater unity than we might expect. If we view Mary apart from Jesus, then Mary cannot help us. Yet she was never meant to be seen apart from her Son. Just as the Magi found Jesus "with his mother" (Mt 2:11), so we find Mary involved with her divine Son, cooperating in His work and plan.

We cannot solve the problem of how to be one in Christ. Not by negotiation, not by one or the other side caving in. But God can solve our problems. God specializes in the impossible, just as He once said to Mary (Lk 1:37). If the Holy Spirit can form within the womb of the Virgin Mary a new entity—the unique Godman—then He surely can bring together Christians divided by history, suspicion and misinformation. Perhaps it’s time for us to stop trying to be unified and let God do what we have failed to do. No one can see precisely how this will happen, but we know it won’t happen without embracing the fullness of salvation in Christ himself.

Mary and the Unity of the Trinity
The unity we seek does not result from negotiated agreements. Our Christian unity must be founded on truth. It must be unity of heart and mind, a permanent oneness that is not shaken by the changing tides of custom and culture. The New Testament concept of unity is nothing less than union with the Holy Trinity. Jesus our Lord prayed that the oneness of His disciples would resemble and flow from the oneness experienced by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: "That they all may be one, Father, as you are in me and I in you that they may also be one in us" (Jn 17:21). Jesus Christ does not want our unity to be like his and the Father’s. He wants our unity to be the same as He and the Father have.

Mary is both a sign and an instrument of the unity coming from the Holy Trinity because she bears a unique relation to each member. Let’s see how Mary is related to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. First, however, a word of caution. In A.D. 431 the ancient Christian Church defined Mary as the Mother of God because the Church wanted to protect the full divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. This title, Mother of God (or better Godbearer), asserted that the child in Mary’s womb was nothing less than fully God and fully man. But the title Mother of God never has been nor should be interpreted to mean that Mary is the mother of the Trinity. Mary bears a distinct relation to each member of the Trinity, but she is not the mother of the Father, nor of the Holy Spirit.

Mary is the daughter of the Father.
When Mary proclaims herself the handmaiden of the Lord (Lk 1:38,48), she is declaring her filial obedience to the will of God. The love she has for the heavenly Father shows itself in her desire to be His vessel of bringing salvation to the world. What better sign of unity than this act of submission to the will of God? If we only follow Mary’s lead, we will find ourselves united in heart as her heart was united with the heavenly Father’s heart.

Mary did not negotiate with God, bargain with Him nor seek a compromise. She acknowledged her dependence on His grace and sought to perform His bidding. The will of the Father is unity for us who profess His Son. We will have unity only when we have submitted ourselves to the Father as Mary did.

Yet Mary is more than a sign. She is an instrument of unity. How is this true? Without her obedience the Savior would not have been born. Some Christians think that if Mary had refused Gabriel’s invitation to bear the Savior, God would have found another woman. There is not the slightest evidence in the New Testament for this view. Mary freely gave herself to God’s will of giving the world its Savior. By her instrumentality Mary united the Father to the world through His Son. In a profound sense, Mary united us to the Father through the Son. And that is how we will find a greater degree of unity today. By seeking to imitate her obedience and by seeking submission to the same Father through the Son she bore.

Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
Gabriel proclaimed that the Holy Spirit would come over her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her (Lk 1:35). This is the language of marital love (see Ruth 3:9; Zeph 3:17). Mary was united with the third person of the Trinity in order to give flesh to the second person. As the spouse of the Holy Spirit, she gave her body to the service of God so that she might receive the fullness of God. And so Mary is a sign of how we too must seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit to do the will of God (cf Eph 5:18). It is the Holy Spirit who brings Jesus Christ today just as He brought the divine Christ to the womb of Mary (cf. Jn 14:17,18). When we are filled with the Spirit as Mary was, we are united to Jesus and we become more united with one another. Mary’s union with the Holy Spirit brought us the Son who poured out the Spirit that we might be united with both Son and Spirit. Her union brings about our union.

Mary is the mother of the Son.
Through her, Christ’s divine and human natures were united into the one person that would save us from our sins. As Jesus’ mother, Mary signals that our unity will only be in and through her Son. When Paul says that Jesus was "born of a woman ... that we might receive the adoption" (Gal 4:4,5), the apostle implies that true unity comes only from being members of the same family—the same family in which Jesus is the firstborn Son.

We cannot be members of many different families that have a tolerance for one another’s beliefs and worship. No doubt tolerance for cultural and historical differences is essential, but that is still not the New Testament ideal of unity. Unity means being in the same family as Jesus ("one Lord"), having the same content of belief ("one faith"), living in the same Church body ("one baptism"). Only then can we be sure that we have the same "God and Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all." See Ephesians 4:4-6.

Mary: God’s Woman of the Hour
Now is the time for unity among Christians. As we approach the beginning of the third millennium since Christ’s birth, we see an almost unprecedented call to unity. Christian leaders the world over have caught a glimpse of Christ’s will that "they may be one, Father, as you are in me and I in you" (Jn 17:21). The desire for unity is laudable and ought to be pursued with vigor. Yet the only unity worth pursuing, the only unity that will last is the unity that already exists in the Holy Trinity. This kind of unity is not something we achieve. It is something given to us as a gift. This unity is infused in our souls and expressed by oneness of mind and heart (doctrine and love).

Truth without love is barren and sterile. Unity without truth is empty and fruitless. Jesus was a kind and compassionate man who proclaimed the truth. The Lord who wept over Jerusalem’s obstinacy (see Mt 23:37-39), and who was moved with compassion over the "sheep without a shepherd," (Mk 6:34) is the same Lord who said that the truth of His words would not pass away (Lk 21:33). If Jesus is our Lord, then we must follow with equal vigor His truth and love.

Insistence on truth at the expense of unity will not do, nor will embracing unity at the expense of truth. Truth and unity are equally ultimate. Yet even now, we must realize the impossibility of reconciling truth and unity with human schemes and ingenuity. The only way to have unity is by having unity in Truth. The truth that brings unity is Jesus Himself who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). The truth Jesus gives is the complete teaching of His will as expressed in and through the Church of the apostles.

The Church is Jesus’ idea and institution; it is part of the will of Jesus. And it is Christ’s Church that wrote and gave us the Holy Scriptures and the truths of faith passed down from generation to generation. Obedience to Jesus means obedience to Jesus’ Church. It is no accident that Christians have spoken of the Church as our mother for centuries. Classic Christianity spoke this way: the one who wants God as a Father must have the Church as a mother. Why is it necessary? Because Jesus is nurturing our faith through our mother, the Church. And that is why Mary is so important.

Jesus is our model but we must remember that even our Lord learned some of His commitment to truth and compassion from His mother. All we have to assume is that Mary lived her own words to see that this is true. She loved truth enough to consent to Gabriel’s invitation to bear the Son of God (Lk 1:38). She was filled with compassion enough to see God’s "mercy from generation to generation" (Lk 1:50). Mary was a woman of truth and love. Her commitment to God’s truth and love lead her to the unity of the Son of God. Her submissive heart that willingly embraced God’s truth and her devoted love for God brought about the unity of Christ’s human and divine natures into the perfect unity of His one divine person.

So Mary’s commitment to truth and unity is both our model and the means of our unity. She modeled our path to unity by her embrace of the divine Son within her womb. We must embrace Him too. Mary is also the means of our having unity because without her act of submission to God we would not have the one Savior who can unify us.

It is time to lay down our defensive postures, to lay aside our personal and political agendas, to give up our dearest visions for the Church and to embrace the complete will of Christ. I believe that if we could simply be like Mary on that day when Gabriel came to her, we could then say with her, "Let it be done to us according to your word" (Lk 1:38). Perhaps, she could say with us:

Lord, we are your servants.
Heal our divisions and
Let Your Son reign as Lord within.
Let Your Word dwell within us
And make us one.

>>Catholics do not pray to Mary or the Saints as a form of worship. Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints as a form of asking a trusted friend for assistance.<<

Youre second sentence is how it is explained to me by my wife (ex-catholic). And as Chuckles says, and I agree, that is not Christian, pure and simple. Just as Mormons say Jesus “mostly” died for your sins, this implies that going to Jesus through “a trusted friend for assistance” diminishes the personal relationship he wants to have with you.

If Jesus was your brother, and he, you and Mary were all walking the earth, do you seriously think it would help your cause to, instead of talking to Him directly, go to mom and ask her to present your case to him - after he has made it abundantly clear he wants a direct and personal relationship with you?

Would it not show unbelief in what he said? Would he, being a man, not feel slighted? Remembering that he was fully man, if you were him, wouldn’t you?

It appears, AlaninSA, many of us understand what Catholics mean by praying “to Mary” more than we thought we did. And it is the very thing you described above that we ARE saying is not Christian.

Christians do not put an intercessor between themself and Jesus - even Mary. It is, frankly, an insult to His promise.

Rob Roy said “”When a man and the bible disagree,trumps everytime”” and this... “” either of your contemporaries or of post bible antiquity is to support the line of thinking that allows the likes of Mohammad, Jim Jones and Joseph Smith to be taken seriously.””

Explain why there are thousands of protestant communities who disagree with each others scripture interpretations along all kinds of heresies that NO early Christian's believed until the reformation if the Bible trumps every time?

It is your OWN personal interpretations of the Bible that you believe trumps every time and it is THIS DANGEROUS paradigm that has produced Jim Jones, Joseph Smith and many others.This came out of the reformation and solo-scriptura,not Catholicism/Orthodoxy

I don't have that problem of confusion,I follow the teaching of an over 2000 year old church that the Bible came out of and I can read the writings of the early Church fathers along with Scripture typology with clear historical interpretations of those scriptures through the ages.

Rob Roy-””Snap out of it!””

You need to snap our of it,Dear Brother, The Catholic Church came before the Bible,not the other way around.

Here is the writings from 2 Saints who were DIRECT DISIPLES of the Apostle Saint John

“See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 8:2 (c. A.D. 110).

“[A]ll the people wondered that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of whom this most admirable Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. For every word that went out of his mouth either has been or shall yet be accomplished.” Martyrdom of Polycarp, 16:2 (A.D. 155).

>>Explain why there are thousands of protestant communities who disagree with each others scripture interpretations along all kinds of heresies that NO early Christian’s believed until the reformation if the Bible trumps every time?<<

That is a separate subject. It does bring up an interesting concept though:

One trial attorney became a Christian after reading the Gospels. He said one of the compelling reasons was due to his trial experience. He said when multiple witnesses were in collusion, their stories matche TOO precicely. However, when there was no collusion, but the witnesses were being honest, there would be interesting minor contradictions, but the stories main thread was not only the same but often they said the same thing in a different way that, on the surface seemed to contradict, but in fact were at the root just too people saying the same thing in very different ways.

He said that as he read the Gospels, with their minor “seeming” disagreements, that is exactly what it reminded him of.

I would be more concerned about a church that agreed on EVERYTHING than one that had minor disagreements on minor points.

You want to rely on extra-biblical writings of mere men, I can’t stop you of course. Heck, I really enjoy the writings of C. S. Lewis and others. They have challenged my understanding and interpretation of God’s word. But I still retain the God given right to disagree with some of their interpretations.

When I stand before God, I will stand Alone, with my Intercessor, Jesus, at His right hand. Mr Lewis, nor any of my pastors will be there.

>>Do you actually think that Christ -who is truth would approve of all of these opposite beliefs over 2000 years of consistencies on Faith and Morals?<<

Seriously, I doubt if Christ would approve of most of the stuff in this thread and, truth be told, probably no small amount of my stuff.

But I do the best I can, attitudinally, spiritually and intellectually. I try to keep a tone of respect for all here even though I may not have a great deal of respect for what they say all the time.

>>So run off and start another Church as in the spirit of the reformation.<<

Ive visited my friend in Kentucky a few times. You aughta see all the “babdis” churches there. And the names!!! First Separate Baptist Church?!

Yeah we people muck it up pretty well. I separate Christianity from Religion. Religion (even the Catholic church) is ALL man made.

I love the sign I saw on one church above the exit door. You notice it as you walk out. It says: The Church has left the building!

>>So run off and start another Church as in the spirit of the reformation. You’re kidding yourself if you think that minor differences have not lead to more separation of Christian beliefs.<<

I think I am a realist in that area. The Church of Christ seems to believe that since the bible is silent on it, they consider it a sin to have musical instruments in church. They feel so strongly about it that when my friend (a former Christian church pastor - which is an offshoot of the Church of Christ, I kid you not) SHOOK THE DUST OFF THEIR FEET AT HIS DOORSTEP AS A TESTAMONY AGAINST HIM simply because he disagreed on that one point!!!

But I think it is even MORE dangerous to “toe the line in the name of conformity” even when you are hearing things that go absolutely contrary to your understanding of the bible. Nobody agrees with every single thing their church preaches, but when the disagreement is doctrinal, it is time to move on, as Luther did.

Just as Mormons say Jesus “mostly” died for your sins, this implies that going to Jesus through “a trusted friend for assistance” diminishes the personal relationship he wants to have with you.

Would it not show unbelief in what he said? Would he, being a man, not feel slighted? Remembering that he was fully man, if you were him, wouldn’t you?

It appears, AlaninSA, many of us understand what Catholics mean by praying “to Mary” more than we thought we did. And it is the very thing you described above that we ARE saying is not Christian.

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, to the last word. Thanks tons.

Good morning stfassisi,

By your measure ,I suppose that you must find it really amazing that Christianity was able to spread through extreme persecution without the fully canonized Bible for hundreds of years

Not at all. In fact it is extreme persecution that hones the edge of the Word.

The reality IS that God gave His Gospel orally first. The Apostles gave it to others orally first, who shared it with the community at large. This was written down and shared with the future communities. The Bible is not ever shown as something given to each individual of the community. If you want to understand how the early Church did things, you would know that they complied with the leaders of the community.Read Acts of the Apostles,God did not hand out scrolls to everyone

Very true, my FRiend, in every aspect. Even today the Gospel is brought to people by preaching and outreach. That is true.

But it is incorrect to imply that there is something wrong with the people owning the Word (if that is your intention). I know with every fiber of my heart that had it been possible to distribute the Word by written scrolls back in the day of the early evangelists, there is little doubt that they would have done so!

Approved, written Scripture is a certain tool and removes the lion's share of heresies. If one must resign oneself to working within the boundaries of the Holy Word, It becomes very difficult to promote extreme heresy.

The fact of the matter is that it was dreadfully impractical to give every believer the written Word back in their day. There was no means to do so. That is why what scripture they were able to produce was treated with such discipline and care.

Yet, because the Church had singular authority, because it controlled the dissemination of information, because it controlled the education of it's priests and clergy, and thereby controlled the information, translation of information, and interpretation of information, there exists the very real possibility that the monolithic hierarchy thereof could be mislead, could be turned, could be tempted to alter the basis of that information to further it's own ambitions, or in it's ignorance, promote heresy unknowingly.

Would one be amazed that a corporate structure, given fifteen hundred years of sole and monopolistic power, and having full control of it's destiny, with power over kings and countries, their armies and their peoples, might become corrupted by those who rise to the top of such a structure?

That was the accusation as leveled upon the Church by those attempting to reform her as well they should, as noted by the listed grievances they laid claim to.

The printing press put the Holy Word in the hands of God's people for the first time ever. Not only did it serve to expose the heresies and vanities of the Church, but it also served to meter the influence of the Church, Roman, Reformed, or otherwise, in matters of authority, dissemination, translation, and interpretation, changing forever the ability of any organized structure to have a sole and unfettered monopoly in such matters. That is GOOD.

At the same time, it has enabled the unlimited access of the people to the direct, and relatively unfiltered Word of the Living God. It has allowed devotion and seeking of Truth to move forward to the finest increment, and at the greatest speed, and all in the hands of those that God has meant the Word to get to in the very first place- Each and every single one of us.

No, my FRiend, while preaching and community still serve as the spear point of evangelism, It is the written Word of God which is, should be, and always and forever will be the very backbone of authority. Who can claim wisdom above those Words? who can lay claim above the claims of Holy Jehovah and His Christ?

Peace be with you.

IIRC,

There's only one verse in the entire NT wherein TRADITION

IS REMOTELY positive.

Throughout the Gospels, Christ rails at

TRADITIONS OF MEN--EVEN THOSE ENSCONCED UNDER SOME SCRIPTURAL JURY-RIGGED, RATIONALIZED UMBRELLA

CHRIST RAILS AT MUCH MORE FIERCELY than is allowable hereon.

The RC edifice's magicsterical pile of stinking !!!!TRADITIONS!!!! and doctrines of men are just the sorts of layers of 'buffer' and 'burdens to bear' that Jesus railed at RELIGIOUS POLITICAL PONTIFICATORS against 2000 years ago.

CHRIST DIED TO REMOVE

all such from the spiritual lives of folks who authentically

TRUST IN GOD--AND GOD ALONE as the song goes.

HIS DEATH WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A RENDING OF THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE.

And centuries of the RC magicstericals have been adding an ever thickening veil to replace it ever since. They just place it more than a little metaphorically on the face of the caraciture of the Magnificent Magical Earth-Mother Mary as an enticement for the millions of folks suffering a MOMMY/DADDY deficit of love as a very clever kind of seduction away from a focus

ON GOD ALONE.

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