Posted on 07/18/2010 6:04:05 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: (I Cor 3:15 - If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.) (I Pet 1:7 - so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at (D)the revelation of Jesus Christ;)
As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.
1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:
Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.
Loving someone is one thing. Praying to them, burning candles to them, making up stories about them that are not true and have no Scriptural support is another.
Are you saying that eternal life is the only gift of God?
This puts you at odds with 90% of Christendom.
No, by my reasoning bread is how Jesus meant for us to eat of His body and drink of His blood. The connection was made at the Last Supper when He held up the bread and wine and said, “This is my body, This is my blood”
Funny the literalness regarding the bread and not the flesh.
Remember when Jesus tells the devil, “Man does not LIVE by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Now, just who is the WORD? Why, it’s Jesus! And now we know that mere bread is not enough, it is by the Word that we live.
This much is true, but God's Word includes much more than the written Scripture. And the entire Revealed Word of God is embodied within the Catholic Church and its Traditions.
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Mary’s savior is Jesus, same as for you and me.
He just saved her earlier than the rest of us.
Score another one for you. You are right, again. See 5377.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. - Matthew 13:18-23
Nothing in Scripture mentions CATHOLIC at all.
But Catholic teachings contradicts God’s Word. God’s Word is the Standard by which all things are to be measured.
So, we define love differently.
That is the beauty of having Mary as my mother. She is the first of the disciples, the first of the believers and the first of the saved.
She was honored by God and I merely respect that which God has honored.
Revelation clearly speaks about the prayer of the saints for those on earth. As Mary is in heaven, why not ask for her prayer?
Someone who converted to Catholicism wrote of the problem he had with prayer to the saints. Now, of course, one can be a faithful Catholic and never utter a single prayer for a saint’s intercession. That includes Mary. But, what helped him with it was when one of his friends asked for his prayers.
At first he prayed for that friend pretty often. Then of course, time and life caused him to remember his friend in prayer less and less. And then there were so many who wanted his prayer. He was happy to oblige but the same happened as with the friend.
One day he was looking at a painting depicting the verse in Revelations which tells us the saints are praying for us and it dawns on him that the saints in heaven have nothing that would obstruct or distract from their prayer. They are always praying and praising God. Who better to entrust for constant prayer on your behalf?
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. – Luke 1:48
Looks like you are not part of the family of generations that calls Mary blessed. You confuse devotion with worship. Mary was blessed because of the unique role she played in our salvation. This has nothing to do with worship. The Church distinguishes the devotion we give to Mary from the latria we give to God and God alone.
Catholics call Mary the Mediatrix because she can mediate, or pray to God, on our behalf. If I would ask you to pray for me, you would be mediating for me. But all of our mediation, including Mary's, is subordinate to Christ. Christ is the reason. He allows us to participate in his mediation, just like he allows us to share in his sufferings (Col. 1:24), to further the work of his redemption.
Thanks for your kind words.
It boggles the mind to see how MUCH one verse can be mangled by those determined to do so to fit their pet fantasies from the
ALICE IN WONDERLAND SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND REALITY MANGLING.
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE UNADULATERATED, UNALTERED WORD OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISSAC AND JACOB.
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