Posted on 09/03/2014 6:36:07 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
A little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer “Hail Mary.” He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. “Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer,” he said to his mother one day.
“Never again say it,” answered the mother. “It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do.” From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily “Hail Mary” and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead. One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: “Mommy, I have found the ‘Hail Mary’ in the Bible which says: ‘Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.’ Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?”
On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle MAGNIFICAT in which Mary foretold that “the generations would call her blessed.” He said no more about it to his mother but started to recite the “Hail Mary” every day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing those charming words to the Mother of Jesus, our Savior.
When he was fourteen, he one day heard a discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to their erroneous reasoning could not bear it any longer, and full of indignation, he interrupted them, saying:
“Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion.”
So deep was the impression which the boy’s talk had made that his mother many times cried out sorrowfully: “Oh my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the Catholic religion, the religion of Popes!” And indeed, not very long afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles.
Some time after his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked him and said indignantly: “You little know how much I love my children. Should any one of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!”
Her anger and temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached her and spoke to her affectionately, saying: “My dear sister, you naturally wish to have your child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me, let us pray one ‘Hail Mary’ and promise God that, if your son recovers his health, you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it no matter what the sacrifices may be.”
His sister was somewhat reluctant at the beginning, but as she wished for her son’s recovery, she accepted her brother’s proposal and recited the “Hail Mary” together with him. The next day her son was completely cured. The mother fulfilled her promise and she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received Baptism together with her whole family, thanking her brother for being an apostle to her.
The story was related during a sermon given by the Rev. Fr. Tuckwell. “Brethren,” he went on and said, “the boy who became a Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful prayer, ‘Hail Mary’, and your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the Rock (Peter) and ‘against whom the gates of hell shall never prevail.’”
The saints aren’t dead.
You teach that Jesus is a creature? I was not aware that theologians of Protestant denominations have eliminated the Nicene Creed. When did that happen?
“Begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. . . through Him all things were made.”
Hebrews 9:27 indicates otherwise. If you can prove to me that Mary did not physically die, then I may listen to you—though you still have other hurdles to overcome.
“This is a primary dividing line between Protestants and Catholics”
Not the protestant Martin Luther. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother. So protestants pick and choose what they liked about Luther and disregard the rest.
No--I was referring to Mary.
You know what Freerepublic needs? More Catholic v Protestant cat fights. Let’s get it up to 2 or 3 threads a day. That will really help advance the conservative cause.
Read what Martin Luther had to say if you would like. Otherwise I really don't have a concern over your disbelief. More Mary for me.
Yep! I do not know what motivates people to post the articles they do. But it would be nice if we ever actually stuck to the issues of the article.
If the Bible is an arrow pointing to Christ, and salvation through Him alone “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life..” then where in the OT, or New does it tell one to pray to Mary?
This is rhetorical as: NOWHERE. In fact the Bible only points to Jesus in all it’s writings.
At the cross Jesus told John “behold your mother”. Mary is the mother of all those who wish to come Jesus.
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That is nonsense. Jesus did tell John to behold His mother but that meant that since Jesus would no longer be there to take care of His mother that He was giving responsibility of taking care of His mother to John.
Mary was a very fine woman indeed but we have no reason to believe she was deified. Mary also had mortal children and a mortal husband. She was a woman among women. When Christ told John to behold his mother He did not give His mother authority over John, in fact the opposite was true, John was the new caretaker of Mary.
The Church’s deification of Mary is a mistake, she does not hear or answer prayers IMHO. That being said most of us have religious beliefs that are nonsense to others. I hold no ill will because someone prays to Mary and I respect them for at least believing in something and following their beliefs, I just think that particular one is wrong.
Besides--why would a God who loves me enough to suffer, bleed and die for ME, not listen to me directly? Why should I go through Mary?
Exactly, I have nothing against Catholics personally, but I am kind of over seeing so many Papist Apologist posts which HAVE NOTHING to do with Conservatism, and conservatives fighting liberals (it’s different with the new articles that point out how the Obama Admin is forcing Abortion/restriction of religious freedom on Catholics, etc because that’s actually news).
The Popes (men) teach us to pray to Mary (woman).
Jesus (Son of God) taught us to pray to God directly.
Given the choice of listening and obeying either men or the Son of God, I choose the later.
“No need for ‘saints’ to get between us.”
They don’t get between us. They get around us both. They are our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, not enemies.
“Jesus (Son of God) taught us to pray to God directly.”
Actually it’s THROUGH Christ, but why let little technicalities like truth interrupt your thoughts?
This is not a straw man arguments. There are countless such stories. Mary is the most perfect of all God’s creation heaven and earth and even before His mission on earth began, it was at her suggestion water was turned into wine. That’s no straw. Anyone who does not believe in the Miracle at Lourdes and Fatima are condemned to oblivion. The final words from the Cross: “Mother behold thy Son: Son behold thy Mother.” Having emptied Himself on the Cross, Christ finally gave all that was left on earth to all humanity, His own mother!
I am Catholic and will remain so all my days and beyond. But I do not believe this story for an instant. I’ll assume it is not meant to be factual but even as a teaching story it is not believable.
The majority of Protestants do believe Mary was special in that they regard her as the mother of Christ who gave birth as a virgin. They don’t title her Mother of God or believe she remained a virgin but most don’t dismiss her as just another woman.
There are sects that believe she was no more than a vessel a sort of rent a womb but that belief is in the minority. Most realize her fiat had an important role in salvation history. They know that she was with Jesus at the foot of the cross and understand that her grief was very real.
Oh and I doubt most Protestants have any problem with the salutation of Elizabeth to Mary, after all it is in the Bible. What they object to is using it as a prayer and the addition in that prayer to Mary being called Mother of God. This is not proof that they are against Mary but that to them worship which includes prayers is reserved for God alone. They do not have distinctions such as Adoration, Hyperdulia and Dulia.
“Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion.”
Now, a 14 year old boy...Catholic deception know no bounds...
When Jesus was asked by the Apostles how to pray what was his response? Did Jesus say to call on him? Did Jesus say to pray through him?
NO! Not to Mary, not to the Apostles, not to the Saints and not even to Jesus himself. Jesus taught that we should call on and address God directly. So let us examine the truth of the scriptures:
Mathew 6; 1-13 (NIV)
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
Luke 11:2 (KJV)
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
The Catholic Church in no way deifies Mary. We in no way, shape, or form believe that she is God, ever was God, or ever will become God. She is in no way equal to God. We simply believe that because she is Jesus' mother, she is worthy of honor. Not the honor due to God alone, but the honor of being His mother and the "first Christian". Just as you would honor your best friend's mother, you should honor Jesus' mother if you consider Him to be your friend.
And just as, under some circumstances, you might ask your best friend's mother to encourage your friend to do something for you, you might also ask Jesus' mother to encourage Jesus to do something for you.
It is in that spirit that we Catholics honor and pray to Mary.
The words of the first half of the Hail Mary prayer come directly from the Gospel. The second half comes from our heart.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Directly from the Gospel.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Actually, this part is based on Scripture, too... The intercession of Mary on behalf of the hosts of the wedding feast at Cana. With the confidence that comes from that example, its specific wording comes from our heart.
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