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To: ealgeone
You've ignored the fact that the Roman Catholic is always referring to believers' efficacious action as members of the Body of Christ, acting in Christ, with Christ, as Christ.

Romans 14:8
"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

Therefore, there is no indication whatsoever that a person who has passed on to heaven, ceases to be a member of the Body of Christ. Frankly, this idea strikes me as bizarre. It's unimaginable to me that one becomes less spiritually connected to the Lord and to the Body of Christ when one is with the Lord in heaven.

So you can understand this as a paradoxical truth: we come to share in Christ's divinity, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity. That's what St. Peter says: we become "partakers in the divine nature".

We "mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ."

We "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

So then, even when I am conversing with you, ealgeone, the two of us are in Christ. What difference does living or dying make? We are already dead to this world:

Colossians 3:3
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

Christ is our life. He is Mary's life. He is my life. He is the life of every saint, in this world and in the world tro come.

This is the way--- the only way --- we can love one another and pray for each other: in our unbroken bond as members of One Body.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death."

31 posted on 10/17/2017 4:35:08 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("In Christ we form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
The problem with your post is we have no examples on the NT where Paul, Peter, James, John, etc ever pray to anyone in Heaven other than God.

We do have a plethora of admonitions to pray to God...to make our requests known to Him...to rely upon Him.

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray Matthew recorded this.

7“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10Your name kingdom come. Your name will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’] 14“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Compare this to the Hail Mary where the emphasis is on Mary.

When combined as part of the Rosary we see the meaningless repetition Matthew recorded Jesus warning against.

The overwhelming emphasis in the Hail Mary and Rosary is on Mary....not God.

32 posted on 10/17/2017 4:51:16 PM PDT by ealgeone
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