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.’”
You are welcome. Nothing is to be gained by glossing over real differences but neither is anything gained by sowing seeds of misunderstanding.
Yes, by sect I mean mostly those who have a church of me joined with a bunch of other “me”, members. Not the usual Protestant denominations. They reject any understanding of the Bible but their own and hold any creed, confession, or statement of faith with suspicion.
She had one mission on earth, to birth the LORD Jesus Christ. That was the end of her mission.
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Really? Please explain the following:
From John 19:
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!
Why was she still around if she “had no mission?”
****You also stated: The Scriptures tell nothing of her doing anything after the crucifixion.
From Acts 1:
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
By the way, what is your interpretation of this:
Revelation 12:1 - And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” St. Jerome (A strong exhortation from a Father and Doctor of the Catholic Church to Christians urging all to recognize that serious Bible study is a necessity, not an optional luxury. St. Jerome, was a monk and bible scholar of the 5th century, a contemporary of Saint Augustine.)
Also: Go Navy. Beat Army! ;-)
....” many catholics on this thread are “clamoring” to the defense of Mary”.....
Of course they would..indoctrination is very deep to retain Mary as central to their faith...in their eyes without mary there would be no Jesus....so she remains their focus rather than the centrality of Jesus Christ in their faith.
It’s easy to say this as I’ve never seen a defense of Christ, by catholics, even remotely close to that of their mary idol.
Why was she still around if she “had no mission?”.....
This wasn't about her mission....this was about Jesus giving ‘the care of his mother’ to one of his disciples...and note he did NOT put her in the care of a family member....rather to one who he knew would understand his comment.
**and note he did NOT put her in the care of a family member**
There were no other sons or daughters as mistaken believed by some people.
Thus Christ gave his mother unto John’s care.
This wasn’t about her mission.
_______________________
How do YOU know that?
and note he did NOT put her in the care of a family member
_________________________
Wasn’t John, the one whom He loved, about to become an adopted son of God by virtue of His great sacrifice?
Acts 16:30-31
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”.... They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
When it comes to salvation Christianity is Savior-centered, not self-centered:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 )..... Good works are the natural outcome of following salvation through Christ.
Strict adherence to a list of do’s and don’ts is NOTt what Christian salvation is about. Romans 3:20 reads,... “no one will be declared righteous in his [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” ...We all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
When Paul and Silas said to the jailer,.... “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved …” (Acts 16:31), they understand ‘the centrality of Christ in salvation’.
The word translated as “saved” is charged with deep theological implications, meaning “to save, rescue, deliver; to heal … to be in right relationship with God, with the implication that the condition before salvation was one of grave danger or distress”....(Focus on the family)
Better said might be Jesus knew what John's mission would be...and was wise to put his mother in his care along with the other disciples who met together, rather then that of family members who were so slow to believe.
How do YOU know that?
Context.
Please explain.
Mary of the Bible certainly did have other children...
Matthew 12:46-47—
“While He was still speaking to the multitudes, behold, His mother “and brothers” were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. And someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”
Matthew 13:55—
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and ‘His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”
Mark 6:2-3—
“And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?... “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and ‘brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? Are not ‘His sisters’ here with us?”
John 2:12—
“After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother, and ‘His brothers’, and His disciples; and there they stayed a few days.”
Acts 1:14—
“These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, ‘and with His brothers’.”
1 Cor. 9:4-5—
“Do we not have a right to eat and drink? Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles, ‘and’ the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”
Gal. 1:19—
But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, ‘the Lord’s brother’..
You should understand what context is....otherwise look it up.
1. We’re not talking about John...the topic is mary (sic)...and she was entrusted to his care....
You made the sub-topic family (regarding why Jesus asked John to care for her).
2. it had nothing to do with her mission.
You have not substantiated this is ANY way.
3. She completed that.
You have not substantiated this either.
4. Further she had other children besides Jesus as as we know.....
This has been totally proven false by all serious Bible scholars.
5. and likely grand children at some time.
Pure speculation based on false understanding of Scripture.
Such a response would indicate that you cannot explain.
This messianic Psalm clearly shows that Jesus has brothers. As Amos 3:7 says,.... “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.” God’s will has been revealed plainly in the New Testament and prophetically in the Old. Psalm 69 shows us that Jesus had brothers.
“Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies, What I did not steal, I then have to restore. God, it is Thou who dost know my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from Thee. May those who wait for Thee not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts; May those who seek Thee not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel, Because for Thy sake I have borne reproach; Dishonor has covered my face. ...I have become estranged from my brothers, AND ..... “an alien ‘to my mothers sons”. ......For zeal for Thy house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach Thee have fallen on me.”
No..it says do your own homework...The context is clear.
Are you a member of the Church of Christ?
Ahhhhhh, a stronger response which indicates that you definitely cannot explain.
I’m a Christian. I currently attend a Nazarene church, but am not a member, nor do I subscribe to everything they say/do.
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