Posted on 05/31/2011 11:53:33 AM PDT by marshmallow
The Protoevangelium of James
“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by [St. Anne], saying, ‘Anne! Anne! The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive and shall bring forth, and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.’ And Anne said, ‘As the Lord my God lives, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God, and it shall minister to him in the holy things all the days of its life.’ . . . And [from the time she was three] Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there” (Protoevangelium of James 4, 7 [A.D. 120]).
“And when she was twelve years old there was held a council of priests, saying, ‘Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, lest perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord?’ And they said to the high priest, ‘You stand by the altar of the Lord; go in and pray concerning her, and whatever the Lord shall manifest to you, that also will we do.’ . . . [A]nd he prayed concerning her, and behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him saying, ‘Zechariah! Zechariah! Go out and assemble the widowers of the people and let them bring each his rod, and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. . . . And Joseph [was chosen]. . . . And the priest said to Joseph, ‘You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the Virgin of the Lord.’ But Joseph refused, saying, ‘I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl’” (ibid., 8–9).
“And Annas the scribe came to him [Joseph] . . . and saw that Mary was with child. And he ran away to the priest and said to him, ‘Joseph, whom you did vouch for, has committed a grievous crime.’ And the priest said, ‘How so?’ And he said, ‘He has defiled the virgin whom he received out of the temple of the Lord and has married her by stealth’” (ibid., 15).
“And the priest said, ‘Mary, why have you done this? And why have you brought your soul low and forgotten the Lord your God?’ . . . And she wept bitterly saying, ‘As the Lord my God lives, I am pure before him, and know not man’” (ibid.).
Origen
“The Book [the Protoevangelium] of James [records] that the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the honor of Mary in virginity to the end, so that body of hers which was appointed to minister to the Word . . . might not know intercourse with a man after the Holy Spirit came into her and the power from on high overshadowed her. And I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus was the firstfruit among men of the purity which consists in [perpetual] chastity, and Mary was among women. For it were not pious to ascribe to any other than to her the firstfruit of virginity” (Commentary on Matthew 2:17 [A.D. 248]).
Hilary of Poitiers
“If they [the brethren of the Lord] had been Mary’s sons and not those taken from Joseph’s former marriage, she would never have been given over in the moment of the passion [crucifixion] to the apostle John as his mother, the Lord saying to each, ‘Woman, behold your son,’ and to John, ‘Behold your mother’ [John 19:26–27), as he bequeathed filial love to a disciple as a consolation to the one desolate" (Commentary on Matthew 1:4 [A.D. 354]).
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]).
Epiphanius of Salamis
“We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things, both visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God . . . who for us men and for our salvation came down and took flesh, that is, was born perfectly of the holy ever-virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit” (The Man Well-Anchored 120 [A.D. 374]).
“And to holy Mary, [the title] ‘Virgin’ is invariably added, for that holy woman remains undefiled” (Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 78:6 [A.D. 375]).
Jerome
“[Helvidius] produces Tertullian as a witness [to his view] and quotes Victorinus, bishop of Petavium. Of Tertullian, I say no more than that he did not belong to the Church. But as regards Victorinus, I assert what has already been proven from the gospel—that he [Victorinus] spoke of the brethren of the Lord not as being sons of Mary but brethren in the sense I have explained, that is to say, brethren in point of kinship, not by nature. [By discussing such things we] are . . . following the tiny streams of opinion. Might I not array against you the whole series of ancient writers? Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and many other apostolic and eloquent men, who against [the heretics] Ebion, Theodotus of Byzantium, and Valentinus, held these same views and wrote volumes replete with wisdom. If you had ever read what they wrote, you would be a wiser man” (Against Helvidius: The Perpetual Virginity of Mary 19 [A.D. 383]).
“We believe that God was born of a virgin, because we read it. We do not believe that Mary was married after she brought forth her Son, because we do not read it. . . . You [Helvidius] say that Mary did not remain a virgin. As for myself, I claim that Joseph himself was a virgin, through Mary, so that a virgin Son might be born of a virginal wedlock” (ibid., 21).
Didymus the Blind
“It helps us to understand the terms ‘first-born’ and ‘only-begotten’ when the Evangelist tells that Mary remained a virgin ‘until she brought forth her first-born son’ [Matt. 1:25]; for neither did Mary, who is to be honored and praised above all others, marry anyone else, nor did she ever become the Mother of anyone else, but even after childbirth she remained always and forever an immaculate virgin” (The Trinity 3:4 [A.D. 386]).
Ambrose of Milan
“Imitate her [Mary], holy mothers, who in her only dearly beloved Son set forth so great an example of material virtue; for neither have you sweeter children [than Jesus], nor did the Virgin seek the consolation of being able to bear another son” (Letters 63:111 [A.D. 388]).
Pope Siricius I
“You had good reason to be horrified at the thought that another birth might issue from the same virginal womb from which Christ was born according to the flesh. For the Lord Jesus would never have chosen to be born of a virgin if he had ever judged that she would be so incontinent as to contaminate with the seed of human intercourse the birthplace of the Lord’s body, that court of the eternal king” (Letter to Bishop Anysius [A.D. 392]).
Augustine
“In being born of a Virgin who chose to remain a Virgin even before she knew who was to be born of her, Christ wanted to approve virginity rather than to impose it. And he wanted virginity to be of free choice even in that woman in whom he took upon himself the form of a slave” (Holy Virginity 4:4 [A.D. 401]).
“It was not the visible sun, but its invisible Creator who consecrated this day for us, when the Virgin Mother, fertile of womb and integral in her virginity, brought him forth, made visible for us, by whom, when he was invisible, she too was created. A Virgin conceiving, a Virgin bearing, a Virgin pregnant, a Virgin bringing forth, a Virgin perpetual. Why do you wonder at this, O man?” (Sermons 186:1 [A.D. 411]).
“Heretics called Antidicomarites are those who contradict the perpetual virginity of Mary and affirm that after Christ was born she was joined as one with her husband” (Heresies 56 [A.D. 428]).
Leporius
“We confess, therefore, that our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before the ages, and in times most recent, made man of the Holy Spirit and the ever-virgin Mary” (Document of Amendment 3 [A.D. 426]).
Cyril of Alexandria
“[T]he Word himself, coming into the Blessed Virgin herself, assumed for himself his own temple from the substance of the Virgin and came forth from her a man in all that could be externally discerned, while interiorly he was true God. Therefore he kept his Mother a virgin even after her childbearing” (Against Those Who Do Not Wish to Confess That the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God 4 [A.D. 430]).
Pope Leo I
“His [Christ’s] origin is different, but his [human] nature is the same. Human usage and custom were lacking, but by divine power a Virgin conceived, a Virgin bore, and Virgin she remained” (Sermons 22:2 [A.D. 450]).
Maybe it’s an indemic infection . . .
generated by the same stuff that caused
such
mangling of History
mangling of Scripture
mangling of DAFFYNITIONS
mangling of ‘logic’
etc.
Pot...meet kettle.
Mote...meet speck.
“Guess that’s why it takes a few small novels to articulate what’s not found in the scriptures...”
What are you talking about. The scripture verses are at the links.
Some people want a simple religion that says: “You shall handle snakes and not get bitten, you shall drink poison and not die.”
So that they do, completely misunderstanding the meaning the verses. ~and they get bitten and die.
Others want to actually understand and try to know how God answers and relates to us and we to him.
You can have a religion that gives you literalism to the nth degree like Islam, or you can have Christianity.
This is excellent: http://jaysanalysis.com/2010/04/06/refutation-of-the-protestant-canon-of-scripture-part-2/
Better minds than mine have expositions that give a greater in depth understanding of Scripture.
I don’t believe in reinventing the wheel. If one is too lazy or too intellecutally stunted to examine things, well, then I can do nothing more.
and there is no biblical basis for your Modal god
wow -- one of you says post the details, the other complains of "too many biblical quotes, why not link" -- decide
Ah, like these?
God has the power to take life, but He can’t.Interesting -- so do you believe God is 'bound' and God can't take life?He’s got the power to do it, but He won’t. He’s bound; He can’t.
He says, “Death and life is in the power of” who’s tongue? Yours. You ready for this? You want something that’ll knock your lights off?
You choose when you live; you choose when you die. Death and life is in the power of your tongue, not God’s.?
Ah, and Jesse noted the following new revelation of Jesse about heaven
Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament is the key to bringing back life to The Church.
I can't even imagine what my life would be like without attending at least an hour a week at Adoration. I try adding more when ever it's possible for me to do so
here's a link to find a chapel near you.
I use that link quite frequently because a travel to visit customers for work in different states.
Have you seen this site ?
Or could I go in, sit in a back pew and pray quietly and leave when finished?Not sure if your St. Mary's has Eucharistic Adoration (where Jesus -- the Host -- is in a Monstrance (not necessarily in the church proper) for the faithful to Adore; check here to find out), but it doesn't matter as Christ (the consecrated Host) is in the Tabernacle (little box behind the altar or to the side), which brings a wonderful peace to the church. Anyway, one does not need to believe in Christ (who would know?) to enter the Catholic Church, and one certainly does not need to be Catholic either.
First is the myth of the edifice. There is scarcely a uniform 'culture' in the Catholic Church, even in the Latin Rite.
Throughout the history of the Church, even though some Popes may have attempted a strong hegemony, it has not been theirs to have or to keep, not for long and not over a great territory.
Look at Notre Dame or the blessedly now former archbishop of Los Angeles. Neither has shown much regard for the mythical Vatican culture. Notre Dame honors those who support abortion, and LA was a mess. My daughter did not give unspecified gifts to her parish because she didn't want any money going to the diocese, and she's not the hard-core Catholic that I am.
Running the Catholic Church, from a secular POV, must be like trying to handle a fully laden super-tanker under sail in the roaring forties. It must be a welcome relief when things settle down enough to think about trying to set an actual course.
Were you to read the encyclicals of Blessed John Paul or the books of Benedict XVI (maybe especially these) I think you might be surprised that instead of iron-fisted dicta you were reading deep and sometimes lovely meditations on the Gospel and on life in Christ.
And around the world, or much of it, there is a woeful lack of the imposition of a culture. Until the current Bishop of Richmond was 'installed' and the old one put out to pasture, the difference between this diocese and Arlington, immediately to the north, was astonishing.
And even now, a nearby parish holding a 'workshop' on religious orders and their lay 'associates' seemed to mention every order BUT the Dominicans, because of their disagreements with us.
Some on your side seem to profit from the myth of the powerful Vatican. (I jokingly told a pagan friend that RCIA does NOT stand for "Roman Central Intelligence Agency".) When some university or diocese or rogue priest does something that probably causes bulk orders of Tums at the Vatican, then you can say, "See there? They secretly ARE in favor of genocide!"
Then there is the phenomenon of the dirty picture to which I referred in an earlier post: If one fully accepts that the Lordship of Christ and our participation in Him leads to intercessors whose will is so aligned with His and to the phenomenon of remarkably holy and even "great" saints... if one is confident that one's primary and all encompassing loyalty is to the Trinity, then one feels free to indulge in extravagant praise of, say, Anthony of Padua, the "wonder worker."
And among my co-religionists there may be many who lack the ability to articulate clearly the "economy of grace". But verbal facility in expressing one's thoughts about one's relationship with God is not a requirement for justification or sanctification. I am confident that many with a stronger faith and deeper sanctity than I could not defend the idea of the communion of the saints in a way that would stand muster for ten minutes. But it appears that while I have a very small teaching gift, they may have a very large gift of holiness.
Given the opportunity I might whisper to them, "You know, when you call Mary the dispense of Grace, I know what you mean and you know what you mean, but you may confuse some people; Wanna take it back a notch?"
If "Ferrarro is who I think he is and has said what I think I recall, I wince when I read him, because while he was talking, I imagine, to a friendly audience, I know I'm going to be at the end of the parade with my broom inserting all the footnotes and explanations before a skeptical audience.
Okay. You probably won't believe it, but maybe it was my turn to say it anyway.
My apologies; I’ll post a paragraph or two next time.
Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament is the key to bringing back life to The Church. I can't even imagine what my life would be like without attending at least an hour a week at Adoration. I try adding more when ever it's possible ...Boy oh boy, you're right about that! More seminarians come from parishes that incorporate Adoration; it's been proven, at least according to my B-I-L, "the priest."
Of course I know Christ.
The church lists “perpetual”
so I assume that means the doors are open to the chappel 24/7?
Thanks for your info.
I’m sure there are many many thousands for whom you spoke quite accurately.
And, I could go a lot of that distance with you . . . though I don’t think 100%.
But then, you could not go 100% of my distance on probably any topic save MAYBE that the sun is up . . . in our time zones.
Of course I know Christ. The church lists “perpetual” so I assume that means the doors are open to the chappel 24/7? Thanks for your info.I know you know Christ. That was not an insult. :) And yes, perpetual means they are open 24-7, but unless you are an adorer (one who spends a specified hour with Christ a week and has a key or code), chances are the doors for everyone else probably lock at about 10:00 p.m. (maybe 9:00 p.m.), and open up around 7:00 a.m.
This is not to say you can’t stay until midnight or whatever time you like. I’ve never been asked to leave once I was “in.” The doors lock usually for safety reasons only, and there’s always an adorer with Jesus ‘round the clock.
Are you saying you don’t belong to or regularly attend any church? Not asking for the name…
NO! Please keep up - lest you run off with taking things out of context to fit an agenda.
Your post makes little sense otherwise, but that shouldn’t surprise...
thanks for your reply.
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