Posted on 12/08/2012 2:24:39 PM PST by NYer
Do Catholics worship Mary? This question is as old as the Protestant Reformation itself, and it rests, like other disputed doctrinal points, on a false premise that has been turned into a wedge: the veneration of Mary detracts from the worship of Christ.
This seeming opposition between Mary and Christ is symptomatic of the Protestant tendency, begun by Luther, to view the entirety of Christian life through a dialectical lens – a lens of conflict and division. With the Reformation the integrity of Christianity is broken and its formerly coherent elements are now set in opposition. The Gospel versus the Law. Faith versus Works. Scripture versus Tradition. Authority versus Individuality. Faith versus Reason. Christ versus Mary.
The Catholic tradition rightly sees the mutual complementarity of these elements of the faith, as they all contribute to our ultimate end – living with God now and in eternity. To choose any one of these is to choose them all.
By contrast, to assert that Catholics worship Mary along with or in place of Christ, or that praying to Mary somehow impedes Christ’s role as “the one mediator between God and men” (1 Tim 2:5) is to create a false dichotomy between the Word made flesh and the woman who gave the Word his flesh. No such opposition exists. The one Mediator entrusted his mediation to the will and womb of Mary. She does not impede his mediation – she helps to make it possible.
Within this context we see the ancillary role that the ancilla Domini plays in her divine Son’s mission. Mary’s is not a surrogate womb rented and then forgotten in God’s plan. She is physically connected to Christ and his life, and because of this she is even more deeply connected to him in the order of grace. She is, in fact, “full of grace,” as only one who is redeemed by Christ could be.
The feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception celebrates the very first act of salvation by Christ in the world. Redemption is made possible for all by his precious blood shed on the cross. Yet Mary’s role in the Savior’s life and mission is so critical and so unique that God saw it necessary to wash her in the blood of the Lamb in advance, at the first moment of her conception.
This reality could not be more Biblical: the angel greets Mary as “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), which is literally rendered as “already graced” (kecharitōmenē). Following Mary, the Church has “pondered what sort of greeting this might be” for centuries. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception, ultimately defined in 1854, is nothing other than a rational expression of the angel’s greeting contained in Scripture: Mary is “already graced” with Christ’s redemption at the very moment of her creation.
Because God called Mary to the unique vocation of serving as the Mother of God, it is not just her soul that is graced, as is the case for us when we receive the sacraments. Mary’s entire being, body and soul, is full of grace so that she may be a worthy ark for the New Covenant. And just as the ark of the old covenant was adorned with gold to be a worthy house for God’s word, Mary is conceived without original sin to be the living and holy house for God’s Word.
Thus Mary is not only conceived immaculately, that is, without stain of sin. She also is the Immaculate Conception. Her entire being was specifically created by God with unique privilege so that she could fulfill her role in God’s plan of salvation. “Free from sin,” both original and personal, is the necessary consequence of being “full of grace.”
Protestants claim that veneration of Mary as it is practiced by Catholics is not biblical. St. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). Paul is not holding himself up as the end goal, but as a means to Christ, the true end. And if a person is imitated, he is simultaneously venerated.
If we should imitate Paul, how much more should we imitate Mary, who fulfilled God’s will to the greatest degree a human being could. Throughout her life she humbled herself so that God could be exalted, and because of this, Christ has fulfilled his promise by exalting his lowly mother to the seat closest to him in God’s kingdom.
Mary is the model of humility, charity, and openness to the will of God. She allows a sword to pierce her heart for the sake of the world’s salvation. She shows us the greatness to which we are called: a life free from sin and filled with God’s grace that leads to union with God in Heaven. She is the model disciple, and therefore worthy of imitation and veneration, not as an end in herself, but as the means to the very purpose of her – and our – existence: Christ himself.
God’s lowly handmaiden would not want it any other way.
Luke 15:11-32 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Nowhere have I misrepresented my faith.
When you read into my words something that isn’t there or fail to understand what I am saying as it connects to all of scripture I am not responsible for the misconception. If Catholics keep using the documents, including the Douay-Rheims Bible, from the RCC they will never understand scripture.
Ping me. You’ve always got great insight into Scripture.
He is risen indeed! May we all be reminded of the hope of salvation that we all share; may we all "devote themselves to doing what is good" (ινα φροντιζωσιν καλων εργων, to excel in good works) as your translation approximates this verse, as the Church teaches all who have ears to hear.
Aha, we are saved by grace alone which does not come from works. Thank you. And here is verse 10:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them
annalex:But I've argued with you, answering near every post, for about a month now. Why did you misrepresent your faith?
CB is not the one misrepresenting His faith. He's been very open and forthright about what he believes and what he doesn't believe.
Misrepresenting the faith of non-Catholics is the purview of Catholics.
So they do acquire salvation through the efforts they put forth? Is that how you would see that?
Oh that all would understand the significance.
Not that I'm not interested ,but I have a business forecast and outlook to do and I am enjoying some great tasting wine that makes me very happy, the wine is more enjoyable than posting on FR right now ;-)
Possibly, in some forgotten translations. But we did not build a fake theology out of it. That is the big Protestant lie, persisting to this day. What, you do not hold to Sola Fide any more? Or is it that when it is time to deflect criticism you all of a sudden get interested in things literal and historical?
You can find, rarely, "faith alone" among the writings of the early fathers, too, but the context never shows the denial of importance of good works that are inherent in mature faith.
And, yes, the early Protestants and Luther himself, have been better, -- not perfect but marginally better -- about adherence to the authentic soteriology than the modern Protestant outcroppings that simply ignore the fact that the only time "faith alone" appears in the Holy Scripture is to deny salvation by faith alone.
LOL Leave it to you Harley!
CB is not the one misrepresenting His faith. He's been very open and forthright about what he believes and what he doesn't believe.
No, he plays games, but he has clearly said that: 1 - Celebrating Easter is Pagan 2 - Celebrating Christmas is Pagan 3 - None of the Creeds are to be followed 4 - Church on Sunday is Pagan 5 - Catholics are IdolatersAnd many other, odd beliefs that separate him from most protestants and all of the various Catholic and Orthodox communities. But then what is wrong with that? He says he knows exactly what Our Lord expects from us for our salvation. Good for him. If he is right, most of us are lost.
Me, I will stick with the Faith handed down and shepherded by the hand-picked successors of the Apostles Our Lord appointed as guardians of the faith here on earth. I will reject heresies and apostates, every time I see them.
I have seen no one here deny the “importance” of good works. It’s only the Catholics who claim it’s needed for salvation.
CB is not the one misrepresenting His faith. He's been very open and forthright about what he believes and what he doesn't believe.
No, he plays games, but he has clearly said that: 1 - Celebrating Easter is Pagan 2 - Celebrating Christmas is Pagan 3 - None of the Creeds are to be followed 4 - Church on Sunday is Pagan 5 - Catholics are IdolatersAnd many other, odd beliefs that separate him from most protestants and all of the various Catholic and Orthodox communities. But then what is wrong with that? He says he knows exactly what Our Lord expects from us for our salvation. Good for him. If he is right, most of us are lost.
Me, I will stick with the Faith handed down and shepherded by the hand-picked successors of the Apostles Our Lord appointed as guardians of the faith here on earth. I will reject heresies and apostates, every time I see them.
It's too bad that all you have is the HOPE of salvation.
For those iof us who ARE saved, *He is risen* reminds us of the salvation we now share.
2 Corinthians 6:2 2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Matthew 25:35–42
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, c‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,6 you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, e‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
Verse ten was omitted because it didn’t answer your request.
I am well aware that God has prepared good works for us to walk in.
That by no means equates to having to do them to gain salvation. The verse not only doesn’t say that, it doesn’t even come close to implying it.
Links to specific posts please......
Their efforts fill them with Christ's grace which alone saves. And the opposite: denial of the Church founded by Christ separates them from His grace.
So why is that verse there?
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