Posted on 03/25/2015 10:46:15 PM PDT by Steelfish
Because Mary Said “Yes…” — A Reflection For The Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord
March 25, 2011 by Fr. Thomas Rosica
Standing in the middle of the present day city of Nazareth is the mammoth Basilica of the Annunciation, built around what is believed to be the dwelling of Mary. In a grotto-like room at the heart of the basilica is a small inscription on an altar. It reads, “verbum caro hic factum est,” here the Word became flesh. There, it is believed, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and her response changed the world forever.
Imagine yourself in Mary’s place, asked to say “yes” to a divine plan so vast, so profound and so seemingly impossible that you cannot comprehend it. “How can this be?” she asks, bewildered. She is rooted in the faith of her ancestors, and yet now an angel has appeared in the midst of everyday life, extending a startling invitation. “You have found favor with God,” the angel says, “and you will conceive and bear His Son.” Will she accept?
It is Mary above all others who can teach us what it means to live by faith, and how to respond when God’s providence disrupts the daily course of our lives, overturning its rhythms and expectations. Despite her fears and uncertainty over how this promise could be fulfilled, she still answered “Yes.” Are we able to respond to God this way?
When we reflect on the Annunciation to Mary, and her acceptance of the angel’s message, we also reflect on our own vocation — our own calling from God. In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” — an echo of Mary’s “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
Each time we commit ourselves to embracing God’s call and accepting His will, we mark a new point on the path of our relationship with Him. For the rest of her life, Mary pondered her extraordinary encounter with God, turning the weight of the angel’s message over and over again in her heart. From the manger to the cross, Mary’s life was radically changed — her relationship with God profoundly deepened — the moment she said “Yes.”
Mary received and welcomed God’s Word in the fullest sense — becoming impregnated with it, and bearing it to the world. Angels might not appear in our doorsteps, but we do encounter God in each of our daily prayers, and he whispers to us a similar invitation: Will we accept His love and bring it joyously to those around us? Will we trust in His providence, even when we can’t see the path ahead? Amid the noise of everyday life, will we listen for and embrace his call?
When making his pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Annunciation, Pope Benedict XVI offered this prayer to the humble Virgin of Nazareth. It speaks for all of us who likewise seek to accept God’s will with joy:
Mary, Mother of the “Yes,” you listened to Jesus, and know the tone of his voice and the beating of his heart. Morning Star, speak to us of him, and tell us about your journey of following him on the path of faith."
Their ox got gored...And they have no biblical defense as usual...And this is the result...Calling us swine...Accusing us of believing in a god, as opposed to God...
God did not ask Sarah if she wanted to be a mother at a 90 years old...I imagine she cringed at the idea...But it was determined to be by God and of course she didn't argue, too much...She was resigned to the inevitable...
We have no idea if Mary was saddened by the news and realization she would be mocked and potentially lose her betrothed husband but the possibility is real...
But at the same time we know she was honored and obviously had a longer converstation about it with the angel than what is recorded in scripture...What a shocking thing, to have an angel standing if front of you carrying on a conversation...
As we know, there is no place in scripture where asked anyone's permission for anything...
Nope...And his mother doesn't automatically become the mother of the Holy Spirit, as you would have Mary do...
Protestant’s have no business telling Catholics what is God’ Word. It was through Petrine authority that the Catholic Church assembled the books in the Bible by referencing what are both the authentic WRITTEN texts and the ORAL TRADITION (Jn. 21: 25). Before the torrential mudslide of Protestantism there existed the Church that in the Synod of Rome AD 382 set forth what was God’ true written Word.
That infallibility did not evaporate ELEVEN centuries later with the evil of Protestantism where every Tom, Dick, and Harry and their grandmother and the Rev. Jeremiah Wrights and the Joel Osteens and Biily Grahams of this world get to crack open the pages of the Bible and purport to authoritatively pronounce the true word of God. This is more than risible, its a caricature of Protestantism where mainline denominations now allow for married gays and lesbian pastors as an authentic teaching of an all inclusive scriptural interpretation.
Little wonder that leading Episcopalian and Protestant theologians have converted to Catholicism leaving low-information Protestants stranded in the pews. It happened with Jimmy Swaggart, Benny Hinn, Tammy Fave Baker, Creflo Dollar, an the list of other nuts who try to tell us what is God’ true Word.
The Church and the Church alone is the final deposit of God’s infallible word. Those who doubt the infallibility of the Church today must then logically have doubts about its infallibility in AD 382 when it assembled the authentic written Word of God. That authenticity did not disappear into the ether with the multitude of contrary interpretation of God’s Word unleashed by Protestantism.
The Miracle at Cana tells it all as well as the last words of Christ on the Cross. No Protestant interpretations needed here either by lay folks or pastors of neighborhood Foursquare churches. Just pick up a book by the great theological Einstein of our times, Benedict XVI or the the late Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s “Life of Christ.” The Catholic theological and intellectual traditions cannot ever be matched. Never.
More than two is droves now???
Protestant’s have no business telling Catholics what is God’ Word. It was through Petrine authority that the Catholic Church assembled the books in the Bible by referencing what are both the authentic WRITTEN texts and the ORAL TRADITION (Jn. 21: 25). Before the torrential mudslide of Protestantism there existed the Church that in the Synod of Rome AD 382 set forth what was God’ true written Word.
That infallibility did not evaporate ELEVEN centuries later with the evil of Protestantism where every Tom, Dick, and Harry and their grandmother and the Rev. Jeremiah Wrights and the Joel Osteens and Biily Grahams of this world get to crack open the pages of the Bible and purport to authoritatively pronounce the true word of God. This is more than risible, its a caricature of Protestantism where mainline denominations now allow for married gays and lesbian pastors as an authentic teaching of an all inclusive scriptural interpretation.
Little wonder that leading Episcopalian and Protestant theologians have converted to Catholicism leaving low-information Protestants stranded in the pews. It happened with Jimmy Swaggart, Benny Hinn, Tammy Fave Baker, Creflo Dollar, an the list of other nuts who try to tell us what is God’ true Word.
The Church and the Church alone is the final deposit of God’s infallible word. Those who doubt the infallibility of the Church today must then logically have doubts about its infallibility in AD 382 when it assembled the authentic written Word of God. That authenticity did not disappear into the ether with the multitude of contrary interpretation of God’s Word unleashed by Protestantism.
The Miracle at Cana tells it all as well as the last words of Christ on the Cross. No Protestant interpretations needed here either by lay folks or pastors of neighborhood Foursquare churches. Just pick up a book by the great theological Einstein of our times, Benedict XVI or the the late Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s “Life of Christ.” The Catholic theological and intellectual traditions cannot ever be matched. Never.
“Mary was not needed.”
She sure was. He needed to be born into the world. That requires a mother. Mary was the mother of God.
This is the stupidity of low information Christians.
Protestant’s have no business telling Catholics what is God’ Word. It was through Petrine authority that the Catholic Church assembled the books in the Bible by referencing what are both the authentic WRITTEN texts and the ORAL TRADITION (Jn. 21: 25). Before the torrential mudslide of Protestantism there existed the Church that in the Synod of Rome AD 382 set forth what was God’ true written Word.
That infallibility did not evaporate ELEVEN centuries later with the evil of Protestantism where every Tom, Dick, and Harry and their grandmother and the Rev. Jeremiah Wrights and the Joel Osteens and Biily Grahams of this world get to crack open the pages of the Bible and purport to authoritatively pronounce the true word of God. This is more than risible, its a caricature of Protestantism where mainline denominations now allow for married gays and lesbian pastors as an authentic teaching of an all inclusive scriptural interpretation.
Little wonder that leading Episcopalian and Protestant theologians have converted to Catholicism leaving low-information Protestants stranded in the pews. It happened with Jimmy Swaggart, Benny Hinn, Tammy Fave Baker, Creflo Dollar, an the list of other nuts who try to tell us what is God’ true Word.
The Church and the Church alone is the final deposit of God’s infallible word. Those who doubt the infallibility of the Church today must then logically have doubts about its infallibility in AD 382 when it assembled the authentic written Word of God. That authenticity did not disappear into the ether with the multitude of contrary interpretation of God’s Word unleashed by Protestantism.
The Miracle at Cana tells it all as well as the last words of Christ on the Cross. No Protestant interpretations needed here either by lay folks or pastors of neighborhood Foursquare churches. Just pick up a book by the great theological Einstein of our times, Benedict XVI or the the late Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s “Life of Christ.” The Catholic theological and intellectual traditions cannot ever be matched. Never.
“Blame the Hebrews for writing it.”
No, blame should be put on those Protestants who misinterpret it.
“To what?”
And there we go.
worship of the church itself is anti-Christian
The shallowness of Bible Christians keep showing. Christ established ONE Church and gave it Petrine authority to teach ONE truth, not the multiple mudslide of interpretations we hear from the vapid rubbish of Billy Grahams and the David Koreshs’, and the Joel Osteens.
The followers of Jesus ARE the church. Emperor Constantine founded Catholicism
How do Catholic square the dogma of the "Immaculate Conception" with the concept that Mary could have said "no"?
So the books in the Bible fell from the skies and robotically self-assembled themselves and the great unwritten word of God disappeared into the dust? What a pathetic nonsense that explain beyond any shadow of doubt why Bible Christians are today reduced to a caricature. The “followers of Jesus” admittedly follow the same Word of God He taught His apostles to “Go forth and teach..” Only the Catholic Church teaches the One truth. Catholics have the CREDO and the CATECHISM. Everyone else can take Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s interpretation or like him, feel free to crack open the pages of the Bible and give it “his” or “her” own interpretations. This is the recipe for the Tower of Babel, an apt metaphor for Protestantism.
**“Did Mary make his soul,”
Did your mother make yours?
“and the Father that dwells in him?”
Does the Holy Spirit dwelling in you - if that is the case - stop your mother from being your mother?**
I was simply leading into the rest of my post (although I’m agreeable with those opinions). But why didst thou restrain thyself from addressing the rest of the post, which delved deeper into the theory you support? (Surely it wouldn’t be that hard for one as scripturally erudite as yourself.)
Mary may have been symbolically the Ark of the Covenant FOR NINE MONTHS, but after she delivered the incarnate Son of God, she ceased even being that.
Besides, IF Mary is the NEW Ark of the Covenant, then are you asserting it is she of whom Revelation 11 speaks?
Now, I know Revelation 12 comes right after that particular passage and it speaks of the sign in heaven of the woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Is this where Catholicism comes up with the idea that Mary will ALWAYS be the New Ark of the Covenant and do they contend it is SHE that will bring judgment down?
“Surely it wouldn’t be that hard for one as scripturally erudite as yourself.”
No, you’re just wasting my time unless you can prove that Jesus isn’t God - which I doubt you believe and I certainly don’t believe. Otherwise, Mary is the mother of God.
His OPINION, nothing more. Deal with it.
“His OPINION, nothing more. Deal with it.”
No, it’s true. Deal with it.
Wouldn’t that be considered rape?
Which is what atheists charge, such as i countered a while ago on Salon. However, in reality not only did God engage in the violence and anguish of rape, but Mary did indeed consent to what seemed to be a supernatural kind of In Vitro Fertilization.
For the typical longing of a Jewish women was not only to be the mother of children, but to be the mother of the promised Messiah. And thus Mary's response to being told she would be that mother was not, "why are You doing this to me," but "how" this would be possible.
And the magnificent Magnificat of the Mary of Scripture (not to be confused with the demigoddess of Rome ) clearly affirms that she welcomed this Divine supernatural nonviolent impregnation.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)
Yet your query is also a worthy theological question. If i may digress, even if God had given Mary no choice, is it murder when God takes the life of an infant? No, as the reason murder is evil is because it ultimately is detrimental, as man is not omniscient or almighty, so that he will assuredly always make it work out for good.
In this case He saves a child from the possibility of doing evil himself, and of damnation (even though valid purposes mankind must be able to choice btwn good and evil).
And God makes all things - including the sorrow of parents over a lost child - to work out for the good of those who love God and Good. (Rm. 8:28)
And if a doctor knew that In Vitro Fertilization would result in a blessing to the mother and to the world, and did so though she objected, then it would make the charge of rape to have a radically different connotation. But man does not have that right, as he is not the almighty omniscient Creator and Author of life, and we cannot trust that man has or will always have good will or foresight.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.