Posted on 08/15/2013 7:03:11 PM PDT by annalex
Once a woman in the crowd surrounding Christ and His disciples cries out to Him:
Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. (Luke 11:27)
What is it? We have, clearly, an act of venerating Mary. Note that the Blessed Virgin is venerated properly: not on her own but as the mother of Christ. Yet the reason for venerating is indeed concerning: it is her physiological and physiologically unique relationship with Jesus that is emphasized. That is not yet paganism with its crude theories of gods giving birth to other gods, but it is lacking proper focus and Jesus corrects it:
Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28)
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| The Virgin with the Child on her knees and a prophet pointing at the star. Catacomb of Priscilla, late 2nd c. Source |
Having gotten past this linguistic hurdle, we can understand clearly what this passage, Luke 11:27-28, does: it establishes veneration of saints based not on their blood relation to Christ but on their obedience to God. It is in that sense that we venerate Our Lady: given that Christ is the Word of God personified, she heard and kept both Him in person as her Child and His teaching, figuratively. In Mary the essence of sainthood is seen in the flesh as well as in the mind. We could say that by the late second century at the latest, when we find evidence of the veneration of both the prophets and the Mother of God in the catacombs, the two reasons to venerate a saint: his martyrdom as in the case of Polycarp, or his obedience to the Word, as in Mary, -- unite into a single practice.
ROFL You mean you ain’t no sweetie?
Or something inspiring for sure! I’m not sensing the awe however.
Meh. I’m thinking that’s haughty! Wait…………that fits!
Oh dear, annalex, you are beyond redemption.
Oh the irony!
“Hi Elsie- You are a Mormon?”
What leads you to ask that, johngrace?
huh? This was asked and never answered by the person it was addressed. This was in August. So you are asking a question on a question never answered?
What leads you to ask that jodyel? Especially when it was not posted to you. There was no answer. Your suppose to be serious?”
Don’t you get snarky with me!!!
Reading this thread, which has nothing to do with Mormonism, and up popped this question. So I ask again, why are you asking Elsie if she is Mormon when nowhere on this thread has she indicated he/she is.
If it is pertaining to another thread at another time, THEN SAY THAT so others are not left wondering where the heck is wrong with you for asking a completely out of left field question.
ROFL Look up obfuscation. Catholics are good at it.
Alright, and your point is?
True dat, cuban leaf!
Then be happy, happy, happy while heading straight to hell, annalex.
Don’t really care to be honest.
Of course you do, you foolish person!
And the rest of us just sit back and are amazed at your stupidity.
How do Catholics know they’re doing the will of the Father?
How do they know that the works they’re doing are the works that GOD wants them to do?
Oh brother.....why oh why do we even bother with cretins such as yourself?
Run on, annalex, straight into hell.
I’m assuming I’m grossly missunderstanding you here.
You’re not.
I wouldn’t be laughing too hard, my ignorant freeper.
In fact, what you believe is so sobering as to be tragic.
I pity you.
Never have I seen such a tool!
Even St Thomas Aquinas, who I have come to like a bit, is so much better to talk to than you.
Can’t make your case so you resort to snarky comments.
Don’t need one. Salvation is not that difficult to understand unless one is Catholic and has to use big old words and phrases to talk down to the rest of us that don’t believe as they do.
I’d rather not ever hear from you again, you silly fool.
We do have lots of lakes here in Texas, Iscool, and San Antonio has a riverwalk where you can either walk along the water or ride in a boat.
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