Posted on 12/22/2002 1:05:12 PM PST by Scupoli
The Rosary consists of the Apostle's Creed, which is a statement of Christian belief, the Lord's prayer, which was uttered by Jesus in Luke 11:2-4, the Glory Be, which is a prayer that glorifies the Trinity, the Hail Mary, and the Mysteries.
The Hail Mary and the Mysteries are probably the two parts that are the most misunderstood by non-Catholics. However, they are both very scriptural. In Psalm 143:5 we read, "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all that thou hast done, I muse on what thy hands have wrought." Thirteen of the fifteen Mysteries are meditations on the life, passion and death of Jesus Christ.
As for the Hail Mary, we begin by recognizing the uniqueness of Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." In doing this we are not exaggerating, as we use the words of God as spoken by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:28. Next we utter the first recorded words of praise for Jesus in the New Testament. They come from Luke 1:42. Mary has gone to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Upon her arrival, Elizabeth proclaims, "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Jesus). Finally we ask Mary's intercession. In short, we address Mary as God does, we praise Jesus, and we ask Mary to pray for and with us.
That those in heaven are connected to us is illustrated in 1 Corinthians 12:26: "If one member suffers, all suffer together; If one member is honored, all rejoice together." And in Romans 12:5: "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Does Jesus have one body in heaven and one body on earth? Of course not, and that is why 1 Timothy 2:1 applies to all members of the body, "That supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men."
Consider Revelation 5:8 where heavenly intercession is spoken of: "The four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." The word "saints" refers to believers. In Revelation 8:3-4 we see the same thing, "Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God." So the prayers of the saints are identified as incense, and an angel is adding incense (his prayers) to that which the saints have offered and then he offers it all up to God.
In 2 Maccabees 4:34 Onias the High Priest is murdered. Later, in 15:11-16, we are told that he appeared in a vision to Judas Maccabeus along with the prophet Jeremiah, who had died centuries earlier. In verse 14 we learn that the saints in heaven can and do pray for those of us still on earth. "And Onias spoke, saying, 'This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah the prophet of God.'"
Because the Rosary is repetitious, Matthew 6:7 is often used in an attempt to refute it. The KJV words it this way: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Jesus did not condemn repetition-He condemned vain repetition. "Praise God" or "Amen" can be vain repetition if not said from the heart. Was Paul wrong in telling the Ephesians to "Address one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (5:19)? Are we to believe that psalms can only be recited once and that songs can only be sung once? Did God violate his own principals in Psalm 150, when in a short span of six verses we read "praise the Lord," "praise God" or "praise him" thirteen times (150:1-6)? Of course not! Look at verses 5-6 of Matthew 6. Here Jesus seems to be condemning praying aloud in public. However, a close examination reveals that He is not condemning public prayer but hypocritical public prayer. Likewise, in verse 7, He does not condemn repetitious prayer but hypocritical repetitious prayer.
Are you playing the straight man today? :)
BigMack
Can anything good come from Iowa? :)
BigMack
Yes. We all take turns:-)
Does Catholicism teach the the Catholic Church is one groups of people out of many that are members of Christ's Church?
Iowans are one group of many that are Americans.
Now your getting close. Matthews gospel very clearly tells us he established a Church. Which Church do you say it is?
LOL...it does get worn out after a couple of years, are you getting tired of all this as I am? I think we ALL should quit, what has not been talked to death in the religion forum?
BigMack
Have you seen the size of some of our deer? Corn fed giants!
sorry about tom "dung heap" harkin...and Iowegen for that matter ;)
I take periodic sabbaticals to refresh the battery but yes, it does get tiresome.
I think we ALL should quit, what has not been talked to death in the religion forum?
I thought you did stop posting. Are you a Freepaholic?
Respectfully...you are still off.
Would Christ have been unhappy with Paul or Peter when they opposed the false teachers in the early Church?
From 2 Peter:
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Should Peter have said, "Try to work out a compromise with these false teachers, accepting some of their damnable heresies."
PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER
1. For a Particular Grace: The Salvation of the Soul of Onelifetogive
MOST BLESSED and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand generously beneath the cross, beholding the agony of thy dying Son; by the sword of sorrow which then pierced thy soul, by the sufferings of thy sorrowful life, by the unutterable joy which now more than repays thee for them; look down with a mother's pity and tenderness, as I kneel before thee to compassionate thy sorrows, and to lay my petition with childlike confidence in thy wounded heart. I beg of thee, O my Mother, to plead continually for me with thy Son, since He can refuse thee nothing, and through the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy own sufferings at the foot of the cross, so to touch His Sacred Heart, that I may obtain my request:
At this time of year, Holy Mother, when you gave birth to our Saviour, we ask that you help Onelifetogive overcome the hate and bitterness in his heart. We know that his sins and blasphemies against your most Immaculate Heart wound you and our Lord greatly. We ask forgiveness and make restitution in his name.
For to whom shall I fly in my wants and miseries, if not to thee, O Mother of mercy, who, having so deeply drunk the chalice of thy Son, canst most pity us poor exiles, still doomed to sigh in this vale of tears? Offer to Jesus but one drop of His Precious Blood, but one pang of His adorable Heart; remind Him that thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope, and thou wilt obtain what I ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In a sense yes, but, that those outside the Church are in error. This doesn’t deny your Christianity, it just says yer' 'doin it wrong.
And to head off the inevitable " no salvation outside the Church" citation I believe will make it's appearance in one of your future posts I will direct you a very simple explanation on the subject here
I cut off the internet in my office, and I don't post that much anymore, its like watching re-runs on tv, I mean really how many ways can I say I don't agree with you? :)
BigMack
Ok on harkin, but Iowegian is a good guy. :)
BigMack
This is the same kind of word twisting that leads to absurdities as Transubstatiation, etc.
Was Paul confused about death: From Acts:
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
It is absurd to say that no Christian has ever died.
Christ and the Apostles used imagery to explain many things: sleep for death; earthly death for spiritual death; eating His Body; He was a Vine, a Shepherd, a Fortress, a Door, a Rock, a Cornerstone, a Temple...
Catholicism has become comical by selectively taking certain of these literally.
My very bad...
I have learned that no Catholic teaching has a certain enough meaning that it cannot be denied as needed.
I have learned that no Catholic teaching has a certain enough meaning that it cannot be denied as needed.
You really think so???
Cool
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