Posted on 03/16/2015 1:40:04 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
I was recently given a fascinating little book called American History You Never Learned; it contains much information showing that the discovery of the New World, and the founding of our nation, occurred within a direct context of divine guidance and blessing. In particular, Our Lady (who, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is still today our national patroness) played an important role in the establishment of the United States.
For instance: The earliest explorers of North America—sent by the Catholic king of Norway in the 14th century—left behind a carving in modern-day Minnesota in what became known as the Kensington Stone. Dated 1362, it read: “Hail Virgin Mary; save us from evil” (making it the oldest historical record found in the U. S.).
Christopher Columbus dedicated his voyage of discovery to Mary, changing the name of his flagship from Gallega to Santa Maria, and led the crews of all three vessels in hymns to Our Lady each evening. Upon discovering the island of San Salvador (named after the Savior), Columbus and his men went ashore and sang the Salve Regina in Our Lady’s honor; they taught the natives there the Ave Maria (“Hail Mary”) and other Catholic prayers.
Columbus’ three ships were named the Santa Maria (“Saint Mary”), the Pinta (“Paint”), and Nina (“Girl”)–which, put together in a sentence, reads “Holy Mary paints girl.” This refers to the miraculous event which occurred 49 years later, when Mary “painted” an image of herself as a young Indian maiden on St. Juan Diego’s tilma, or cloak—a scientifically-inexplicable image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which still exists in all its beauty today, and which prompted the conversion of nine million Mexican Indians to Catholicism in just one decade’s time.
The French explorer Fr. Jacques Marquette named the greatest river in North America the “River of the Immaculate Conception” (though its name was later changed to the Mississippi). The Spanish and French introduced Catholicism to many Native Americans, but the One True Faith wasn’t welcome in the English colonies. Catholic settlers established themselves in Maryland (the first colony to allow freedom of religion); they were able to name their colony after Our Lady only because they claimed to be honoring the English Queen Henrietta Maria.
It’s believed Our Lady’s intervention may have saved the life of General George Washington on several occasions; it’s also recorded that she encouraged him at the most trying time of the American Revolution, appearing to him at his headquarters in Valley Forge during the terrible winter of 1777-78. He later described her as a “woman of singular beauty,” and related how she said, “Son of the Republic, look and learn!” In the vision of the future he was then given, Washington saw the colonies take root and thrive, only to be fiercely attacked and dreadfully scourged on three different occasions—the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and a future conflict (World War III?) still to take place.
Has the United States remained true to its founding ideals? In particular, are Jesus and His Mother afforded a place of honor in our nation’s culture, politics, and economy? The answer to these questions is obviously a negative one—and so you and I are called to pray, fast, and sacrifice for the moral and spiritual renewal of the United States, and for the mitigation or prevention of any future war involving our country (a very appropriate theme for the remainder of Lent). America is still very dear to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart; our Heavenly Mother will gladly obtain her Son’s blessing and protection for our homeland, if only enough of us humbly beseech her for this grace.
Reverend Joseph M. Esper is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Anchorville, Michigan. He is the author of numerous books, including Saintly Solutions, More Saintly Solutions, After the Darkness, Lessons from the Lives of the Saints, and Why Is God Punishing Me? In addition to Amazon, many of his most recent books are available through Queenship Publishing. This article was first published on Catholic Journal.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (I Cor. 15:20-28)
Without Mary, we would have no Jesus.
Call it what you want, but not only does the rocord show that the "body" of the RCC is the origin of the concept of "incorporation," but legal records also show incorporation in D.C. traces back to parent incorporation in the City of London, which in turn traces its praent incorporation to the Vatican. These are facts. And they are also why the current Pope can, and did, proclaim the negation of corporate indemnification over a year ago. That the Catholic Church has an extremely heavy involvement with legal incorporation over the centuries is indisputable. I am not praising or condemning it here, simply asserting its existence. Ignore it if you want, it doesn't change anything.
Awkward!
I have no problem with disagreements. I do have a problem with the Alinsky tactics used to eliminate all rational discussion. When I was questioning my faith, it was those that drove me away with their anger. The Catholic threads allowed me to post and ask thoughtful questions although I was Protestant. Those angry FReepers have been aptly named by lurked_for_a_decade (http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3267954/posts): Westboro Wing of the Free Republic Evangelical Dispensationlist Causcus of the Free Repubulic Religious Forum.
Thank you for the name lurked!
Without Mary, we wouldn't have God...
No wonder she's so high on the list...
Yes, it's called "terminology." We call God "the Father," but He is not male, and He is not even a He - He is infinite.
If one accepts the Judeo-Christian Scriptures as the benchmark for how to think about God, there aren't any justifications for goddess worship, either small g or big g.
Again, God is infinite. Which means God is not a "She," either. People who are into what you call "goddess worship" no more think there is a giant woman in the sky than you think there is a giant man in the sky. These words trace back to human aspects people can relate to in some way, because humanity is generally unable to relate directly to infinity.
Of course, if one is into goddess worship, there are usually quite a few other points of difference from Christianity, so discussing His mode of self-revelation in terms of gender probably comes downstream from first deciding whether Christianity is true.
To claim that the infinite God might choose to relate to people at a certain point in history through a female aspect - especially towards people who never even heard of the Bible, let alone those who have - as some sort of negation of Christianity, is absurd. And the reason goes back to that "infinity" thing. I would say, rather, that for people who have received God through the Christian teachings, then God has chosen those teachings for them. And for others, God reaches them through other associations. HOWEVER, that in no way eliminates the single, inescapable, essential truth of human beings needing to reach God through the manifestation of Christ.
And yes, I am well aware that Jesus said "I am the way." But who is this Jesus but not the infinite God? The idea that what Jesus did in the Christian tradition is the only way He ever manifested to humanity is, I believe, not only an extraordinarily limited understanding of Jesus' infinitude, it also just-so-happens to deny Jesus to a huge percentage of the human beings who have ever lived on this planet - literally billions of people. I understand that most people who call themselves Christians are fine with that - I am not. People will believe what they want to, but they shouldn't think that just because they do, others don't have a different take on the subject. The tragedy is that most people's reaction to a "different take" is to cry heresy and look for a stake.
I am also well aware that most Christians believe that my perspective on this issue denies me the title, status or right to even call myself a Christian. But so far, such denial has not interrupted my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so it doesn't bother me. And on a planet where each half of the orthodox Christian world - literally - believes the other half of the orthodox Christian world is going to hell because of differences in their definitions of orthodoxy, I hardly worry about both sides looking down their noses at me.
That the enshrining of Natural Law into founding documents is the most brilliant achievement in the history of nations and also that which sets America apart from any nation before or since should be understood by anyone who dares call himself a FReeper.
As far as those being raised after the Crucifixion, once again I refer you to the comments about Sunday Bible Study. The Bible, from verse of Scripture to the NEXT verse of Scripture can actually JUMP years, decades, multiple hundreds of years forward. This is what this verse does. Speaking of those people being raised, they were NOT raised immediately after the Crucifixion. Jesus is THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. The Bible makes this crystal clear. Thus, that proves that the verse you are attempting to use to refute these people died twice, is wrong. You simply miss the fact that Scripture is not always verse by verse by verse in the same moment. Many places in Scripture, time frames jump forward. Are you a true Believer, or are you simply trying to start a fuss? If you are a Believer and are deep into your Bible, you should have understanding of these facts. If you are attempting to start a fuss, it ends here, cause I am not going to debate it with you. I believe the Bible for what it says. If you don't, that is YOUR PROBLEM. But, I would think that you have some idea of Scripture and should if you are a Believer know this, and if not a Believer, are one of those who likes to take verses out of context to start a fuss. End of statement.
From Alinsky's 12 Rules for Radicals:
RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions. (Pretty crude, rude and mean, huh? They want to create anger and fear.)
RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)
Wow for 10 bucks I can get a message to Mary!
Did they NOT die once?
A coward dies a THOUSAND deaths; while the brave die only once.
Without Rahab, we would have no Jesus.
Beats rejecting one!
"Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned;
and I will go still further and say, take this revelation, or any other revelation that the Lord has given,
and deny it in your feelings, and I promise that you will be damned.
Brigham Young - JoD 3:266 (July 14, 1855)
How can one reject' what hasn't occurred?
I can sure 'reject' Joseph Smith; because he is a PROVEN false prophet.
I do??
MY point of view?
All of these 'words' you try to place on ME, came from YOUR fertile(?) imagination!
RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.”
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