Why Heretics Hate Mary and We Should Love Her More

One Peter Five ^ | August 5, 2019 | Timothy Flanders

[ebb tide]

Why Heretics Hate Mary and We Should Love Her More

Marian devotion is the cure for heresy and the healing of all heretics. We must turn to her for refuge from the heretical depravity now consuming the Church. Marian devotion is the destruction of error, the fount of humility, and a potent safeguard for orthodox faith.

Mary Is the Destroyer of All Heresies

In True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort writes:

The most infallible and indubitable sign by which we may distinguish a heretic, a man of bad doctrine, a reprobate, from one of the predestinate, is that the heretic and the reprobate have nothing but contempt and indifference for our Blessed Lady, endeavoring by their words and examples to diminish the veneration and love of her. (30)

In the Tract for the Mass Salve Sancta Parens, the Church sings, “Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, thou alone hast destroyed all heresies.” From this, Pope St. Pius X invoked her as “Destroyer of Heresies” in Pascendi 58. And again, it was in the context of St. Dominic’s war against heresy that the Holy Rosary, Mary’s psalter, was revealed.

Thus, it is manifest that Our Lady holds a special place in the relationship of Holy Church with heresy and heretics. Why is this? It is because the root cause of heresy is not anger, lust, or sloth, but pride. A formal heretic pridefully and obstinately rejects the authority of the Church and the authority of the Fathers. His whole opinion hinges on an imaginary antiquarianism created by his pride. And it is against the sin of pride that Our Lady most perfectly shows her power. This is why St. Louis says in another place:

[Satan] fears her not only more than all Angels and men, but in some sense more than God Himself … because Satan, being proud, suffers infinitely more from being beaten and punished by a little and humble handmaid of God, and her humility humbles him more than the Divine power. (True Devotion, 52)

Demons and heretics fear her because she threatens to humble them. The latter impiously attack her under the pretense that they are safeguarding the honor due to God. In reality, they know that Mary will destroy their prideful opinions. “Humility is an abomination to the proud ” (Ecclus. 13:24).

How Mary Humbles the Proud

When the Holy Spirit exalted Mary by the mouth of St. Elizabeth, Mary said:

He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble. (Lk. 1:51)

Devotion to Mary brings humility to the soul. Just as St. John heard her voice and leaped for joy, and St. Elizabeth immediately humbled herself, saying “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:43), we too know this humility when we exalt Mary.

Mary humbles us because God wills that Jesus Christ be manifested to the world through her. According to nature, any man is her equal. According to grace and merit, she is “more honorable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim” [1]. In Mary, our humility is truly tested because she is a human, not God.

Humility toward God is presumed by all, and heretics falsely think themselves humble because they say they submit to God. But their pride is revealed when they refuse to submit to man — both legitimate authority and the sayings of the wise. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsels” (Prov. 12:15).

A humble man may even debase himself before wicked men, as our Lord did.  But heretics have no humility toward men. In reality, heretics are attempting to impose their private opinion on all authorities. They have no humility toward any human but are consumed in their own selves. As the history of Protestantism has shown, it is easy to feign humility toward God while exalting yourself over every man. This is the way of all the heretics.

One who is humble toward Mary will be humble toward authority. Mary especially checks the pride of heretics by proclaiming that they cannot have their own private, “personal Jesus,” since our Lord has forever bound Himself to His mother by His incarnation. In the same way that the Incarnation is the foundation of our redemption — without which there can be no Passion or Resurrection — the human person of Jesus Christ cannot exist without the person of Mary [2]. As I have written in another place, true union with Christ will result in love of Mary as our mother, who was also the first natural cause of His appearance to the world.

Marian Devotion is a test for orthodoxy

Since Marian Devotion is the fount of humility, it becomes a powerful test for orthodoxy. For example, when St. John Vianney’s lack of intelligence presented a barrier to his ordination, he was evaluated like this:

The vicar-general asked the superior of the seminary: ‘Is young Vianney pious? Is he devoted to the Blessed Virgin?’ The authorities were able to assure him fully upon these points. ‘Then,’ said the vicar-general, ‘I will receive him. Divine grace will do the rest.’ [3]

And so the Church ordained the future patron of parish priests. Sometimes it is as simple as asking if a man has Marian devotion. If a man is truly devoted to our Lady, he can be no heretic. St. Louis again:

“If you follow her,” says St. Bernard, “you cannot wander from the road.” Fear not, therefore, that a true child of Mary can be deceived by the evil one, or fall into any formal heresy. There where the guidance of Mary is, neither the evil spirit with his illusions, nor the heretics with their subtleties, can ever come — Ipsa tenente, non corruis. (True Devotion, 209) [4]

Thus, it is unsurprising that when we read through Building a Bridge by James Martin, S.J., a book purported to be about mercy and compassion, not a single page mentions the Mother of mercy and compassion. In fact, on page 130, he even erroneously asserts that at the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene was the first Christian, implicitly denying our Lady and the entire tradition of her Saturday memorial in which her sole faithfulness is commemorated. The examples of his warped or deficient Marian piety are only too easy to find [5].

But it is even more disturbing when we read how the Rhine group at Vatican II successfully suppressed the document on the Mother of God, relegating it, by a narrow vote, to the final section in Lumen Gentium (against the protests from Eastern Catholic bishops and others) [6]. When their efforts to suppress Marian devotion were opposed by Paul VI (to his credit), the time became known to them as “Black Week” [7]. Perhaps more alarming, Ratzinger himself admits that his Marian piety was weak in Last Testament and seems to imply the false dichotomy that Marian piety is not Christocentric [8]. Without succumbing to the sin of rash judgment, it is nevertheless suggestive that this lack of Marian piety correlates with an apparent hubris on the part of many Vatican II “reformers.”

Whatever the true state of these and other men with an apparent reluctance to love and honor their own mother, we can be certain that our Blessed Lady is a sure refuge from heresy. As Fr. Ripperger has stated, without a strong intellectual formation, everyone becomes a Modernist in our corrupt society. That is why we must cling to Our Lady for refuge from heretics and heresy in our time.

True devotion to Mary keeps us safe from the excesses of pride. Even more in our day, let us consider: she stood firm, though she witnessed the Passion and death of our Lord. We also must stand firm, even as we are witnessing the passion and death of the Church. Moreover, it seems clear from her frequent apparitions since the 19^th century that Our Lord has purposed His mother for a special role in resolving this crisis. Let us pray our daily rosary and make the First Saturdays. Let us abide with Our Lady in the Passion of the Church and never lose hope for the Glorious Resurrection.

---

[1] Eastern Catholic Marian antiphon

[2] So too the mediation of the Sacraments — through another human — we receive our Lord.

[3] The Life of Saint John Vianney, The Curé of Ars, ch. 1

[4] It should be noted that Marian devotion is not an infallible test for orthodoxy, but merely a general rule against which there can be significant exceptions. Some Protestants, although material heretics, are in fact humble, and some Catholics are orthodox with little or no Marian piety. However, no man can be truly devoted to Our Lady and be a heretic. Moreover, formal heresy is defined as an error in the intellect and an obstinate will. It is particularly the latter from which Mary keeps us safe.

[5] I refuse to expose the reader to any further abuse of Our Lady from James Martin. Suffice it to say I have searched in vain for a substantial treatment or promotion of Marian devotion from Martin, and he admits in My Life with the Saints, p. 345ff., that his Marian devotion, which was shallow in his youth, was formed by the Jesuits as an imitation model, not the traditional, primarily mediatrix role. If his Marian devotion does go beyond sentimentality, let him publicly and explicitly disavow every heresy of which he is accused.

[6] See Rev. Ralph Wiltgen, The Rhine Flows into the Tiber (Augustine, 1979), 90ff.

[7] See Ibid., 234ff. The Rhine group was opposing Paul VI’s honoring of our Lady as “Mother of the Church” as well as his actions regarding collegiality, religious liberty, and ecumenism.

[8] See Benedict XVI, Last Testament, trans. Jacob Phillips (Bloomsbury, 2016), 70ff. As I have read more into Ratzinger, despite his obvious strengths, more of his theology has concerned me. This point was another red flag

[af_vet_1981]

It usually happens with those who don’t quite understand 2nd Corinthians 2:14. In fact, I believe it is those who have no understanding of 2nd Corinthians 2:14 whatsoever.



Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

The pronouns "we, us, and you" refer back to the earlier salutation:
1. We or us = The Apostle Paul and Timothy (and any others with him in the ministry like Silvanus, etc.)
2. You = the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia (Greece).

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Second Corinthians, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verse one,
Second Corinthians, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verse fourteen,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James
underline for emphasis

Thus the verse in question pertains to the ministry of the Apostle to the Gentiles in which he abounded, founding churches of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church (despite vehement opposition and hatred), and in explaining the mysteries of God, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

[Mark17]

Gee whiz bro. Get a grip. I mention lost sinners and their inability to grasp spiritual issues, which is common with those who belong to false religions, and you come back with cartoons, and randomly generated verses, not even remotely close to being germane to anything. I have come to expect that. I suggest you study to show yourself approved. You might get some assurance of salvation. I don’t know bro, but maybe you are not interested in salvation. If you are not, then I can’t help you. I am rather enjoying my assurance of salvation right now. You can feel free to consider that to be the sin of presumption, but sorry bro, I just can’t seem to generate any concern. Have a nice eternity bro. I don’t know if you will, but I know I will. 😁🤣👍😆🙃😂☝️

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Often, I think they post a verse because it has a similar word, so they assume that proves something.👊🔥😉

[Roman_War_Criminal]

“The mysteries of God” - as if there are ‘mysteries’ He withholds from His True Church.
Refuted Here: John 15:15

As if you need to belong to a country club man-made gathering to be a part of the Body of Christ and partake in His Wedding Ceremony!

Man it’s going to be something else for the followers of the Roman religion finally fall on their sword as their ‘pope’ takes their religion into the desert of pure apostasy over the next decade. Where will they go? What will they do?

[Religion Moderator]

Discuss the issues all you want but do not make it personal.

Mindreading is making it personal.

[af_vet_1981]

I mention lost sinners and their inability to grasp spiritual issues, which is common with those who belong to false religions, and you come back with cartoons, and randomly generated verses, not even remotely close to being germane to anything.

960 posted on 8/14/2019, 2:13:23 AM by Mark17

reads:
"It usually happens with those who don’t quite understand 2nd Corinthians 2:14. In fact, I believe it is those who have no understanding of 2nd Corinthians 2:14 whatsoever."

That scripture is then listed in post 961. It therefore cannot be random. Search the scripture. Posts 960 or post 962 are erroneous.

[Mark17]

Sorry bro. To me, it’s just another random scripture generation. You can call it whatever you like. It still appears to me as random. I just don’t agree with your theology bro, never will. You will simply have to get over it. 😁
I wonder if you have any assurance of salvation? If you don’t, then I will be forced to come to my own conclusion about it, but you may not like where it goes, at the end of your earthly existence, but that’s on you bro. Let me say it again. Study to show yourself approved. You might get assurance of salvation. I don’t know, maybe having assurance of salvation would be a horrifying experience for you. 😁😆😂 Tty it you will like it. 😆😁

[af_vet_1981]

To me, it’s just another random scripture generation. You can call it whatever you like. It still appears to me as random.

That makes no sense; mark17 chose that very scripture and then suggests that it is random. Are there random persons posting under the same account id ?

Roger on the random scripture generator. It usually happens with those who don’t quite understand 2nd Corinthians 2:14. In fact, I believe it is those who have no understanding of 2nd Corinthians 2:14 whatsoever. 👍🤣😁 Their handling of scripture is abysmal. 👍

[Mark17]

Gee whiz bro, get a grip. I brought up 2nd Corinthians 2:14, cuz false religionists can’t understand spiritual issues, with a spiritually dead spirit. I stand by that. Then, I believe you randomly generated this verse:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Now my question is, what has that got to do, with not being able to discern spiritual issues, with a spiritually dead spirit? Sorry bro, I am not buying what you are selling. I believe you randomly selected that verse, when it has nothing to do with 2nd Corinthians 2:14.
I would like to know when did you stop having assurance of salvation? 😁🤣 Where do you plan on spending eternity? In Heaven, or some other specific place, that will be, shall we say, a little less than comfortable? 👎 I suggest you study to show yourself approved.

[af_vet_1981]

I brought up 2nd Corinthians 2:14, cuz false religionists can’t understand spiritual issues, with a spiritually dead spirit. I stand by that. Then, I believe you randomly generated this verse:

Please post 2nd Corinthians 2:14
so all readers may study it, distinguish truth from error, and show themselves approved, or not.

[Mark17]

Sorry AF, my mistake. It is 1st Corinthians 2:14, not 2nd Corinthians 2:14, but here it is:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

It’s true, spiritually dead people, cannot discern spiritual principles. It’s just a cold, hard fact of life. Do you have spiritual understanding? I have my own opinion, but what do you say? Since forum rules tell me I can ask you three times, before I make my own judgment. When did you stop having assurance of salvation? Where will you spend eternity? That’s 3 times I asked now. I can’t ask anymore, but if you can’t or won’t answer, it tells me your non answer IS an answer. 👍😁😆🙃😀😫

[af_vet_1981]

Sorry AF, my mistake. It is 1st Corinthians 2:14, not 2nd Corinthians 2:14 ...

So posts 960 and 962 were erroneous.

One can be so convinced something is true and it is demonstrably false.

Now, to First Corinthians (and its reference to Jeremiah):

• Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
• Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
  
  ...
  
  
• Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
• For it hath been declared. unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
  
  ...
  
  
• But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
• That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
  
  ...
  
  
• But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
  
  ...
  
  
• Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
• But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

• The same principle applies; know to whom the pronouns apply.
• We/us => The Apostle Paul and Sosthenes
• You => The church of God which is at Corinth, together with (catholic according to the whole) all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
  
  So there is the we/you relationship to consider in the text, between the Apostle and perfect (mature) disciples accompanying him and those who he is trying to shepherd and instruct. This is not a model of everyone claiming to be spiritual (while still behaving carnally) and pretending falsely to speak the same thing and not have divisions. Rather, this is a model for humbly receiving the teaching of the Apostles and glorying, if one is to glory, as the Apostle alluded to the in the scripture from the Old Testament.
  
  First Corinthians, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verses one to two ,
  First Corinthians, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verses ten to eleven ,
  First Corinthians, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verses thirty to thirty one ,
  First Corinthians, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verse fourteen ,
  Jeremiah, Catholic chapter nine, Protestant verses twenty three to twenty four,
  as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[2nd amendment mama]

placemarker

[af_vet_1981]

I wonder if you have any assurance of salvation?

Yes

• And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
• And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
• And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
• For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
• And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
• 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.
• And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
• He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
• He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
• He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
• He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
• As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Luke, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verses forty one to fifty five,
As authorized, but not authored, by King James

[af_vet_1981]

Let me say it again. Study to show yourself approved. You might get assurance of salvation.

• But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
• Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
• Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
• Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
• Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
• But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
• And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
• The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
• And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew, Catholic chapter twenty four, Protestant verses forty three to fifty one,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[af_vet_1981]

Let me say it again. Study to show yourself approved. You might get assurance of salvation.

Indeed, the Apostle Peter understood assurance of salvation. One should learn this by heart, not by abbreviations and numbers.

• Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
• Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
• According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
• Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
• And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
• And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
• And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
• For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
• Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
• For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Second Peter, Catholic chapter one, Protestant verses tone to eleven,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[Mark17]

I wonder if you have any assurance of salvation?

Yes

I see bro. It seems we have a problem here. Let me say first, I think you randomly generated verses again. You are quite good at it, but Elizabeth has no bearing on your salvation, or lack of it. The problem is, many in your chosen religion, keep telling me and others, that to have assurance of salvation, is committing the sin of presumption. Would I be correct in assuming, that since you tell me you have assurance of salvation, that as a catholic, belonging to a works based religion, you are committing the sin of presumption too? You have a problem with other Catholics bro. Since I am an ex catholic, I never had any assurance of salvation. I do now, but only because I am an ex catholic. How are you gonna reconcile your assurance with other Catholics, since most of the others don’t have any. You got your work cut out for you bro. Good luck with that, you may need it. 👍😁 Keep studying. Maybe you will figure out what 1st Corinthians 2:14 means. I already have. Have a nice eternity bro, wherever you may spend it. 🙃

[af_vet_1981]

Let me say first, I think you randomly generated verses again.

Perhaps that is because the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

It is false that the scripture verses are randomly generated.

1. This thread is titled Why Heretics Hate Mary and We Should Love Her More so it is entirely appropriate to post scripture with the beautiful and Spirit filled testimony of blessed Elizabeth and Mary.
2. The scripture from the Apostle Peter deals with assurance of salvation and how to obtain that assurance (note that one is not assured of salvation by believing one is assured of salvation).
3. The passage from Matthew also deals with assurance of salvation where the Messiah warns against taking one's status as a servant of the LORD for granted and not maintaining faith and doing good works.
4. The definition of generated also argues against the false allegation of randomly generated.

[Mark17]

Perhaps that is because the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Nice try bro. I am not buying what you are selling. I was actually thinking, it’s possible that 1st Corinthians 2:14 applies to those belonging to false religions. You wouldn’t know anyone who belongs to a false religion, would you? I surely do.

You said you have assurance of salvation. My opinion is, your definition of assurance of salvation, and mine, are probably as different as night and day. Of course, you said nothing about how you plan to reconcile your “assurance of salvation,” with your fellow Catholics, who tell us no one knows till they die. Maybe your YOPIOS tells you that. I believe my YOPIOS over yours. Sorry bro, I just have to tell it like it is. Have a nice eternity. I have no idea where you will choose to spend it. I don’t even know if you want to go to Heaven, but I know where I choose to spend it. 😁 I hope you choose the right place, but it’s entirely up to you. 😁😆😀☝️

[af_vet_1981]

Once upon a time there was a married pastor with a wife and children. The pastor and his family labored together in ministry, living off tithes and offerings. One of his flock came to him with a marriage issue and he counseled her. She was married with children. She was younger and more physically attractive than his wife. She went to work as his secretary. Within a year he traded in his wife for the younger wife of another man and they married and continued his ministry as if nothing had happened (although they did have to leave the area and start up elsewhere). The pastor believed and taught Eternal Security, assurance of salvation too.