Lo and Behold... a debate

[mortify]

Peace,

You guys have given some wonderful responses. I'm not so technical but I've always found the teachings on Mary reasonable. If God planned on saving mankind by dawning our flesh and rescuing us from sin and death personally He would certainly plan His entrance into the world. His flesh was from the flesh of a Woman already living. Even before Christ was in the womb she was already full of grace! The most blessed among women. All of His beauty, His complexion, the color of His eyes and hair came from her. She nursed the infant God, taught Him to speak, and with her He grew in wisdom. Ordinary woman? Just a vessel? Impossible.

Now I suspect those who diminish the role of Mary do so out of sincere reverance for God. Perhaps they think honoring this wonderful Woman is nothing short of diverting attention from Christ. The reality is, we are honoring God by honoring what He did to that special woman. Think of God as an artist, and people calling his most magnicificent painting "ordinary," wouldn't you please Him by acknowledging His awesome work? Or think of Him like a loving Parent, who smiles and gets happy when His daughter is praised.

We do nothing other than please God and asking for intercession pleases Him, says so in the bible! Now, if Christ is the mediator, why would we pray for eachother? Why would I ask you to pray for me? Wouldn't i be making you out to be a mediator? And yet, this pleases Christ because we are acting out of fraternal love for one another. We are acknolweding our weakness and need for help. When I ask Mary, and this is what prayer to a saint really is, nothing more than asking them to pray for you, I'm telling God that I am unholy and so I ask someone who IS Holy to pray for me. I can assure you, our prayers here on earth are nothing like those who pray to God in His presence.

Don't be afraid to ask those who are Holy to pray for you. We're all part of the communion of saints. A big family of brothers and sisters helping eachother get to heaven, even those who passed on are helping us, the battle never ends.



Peace in Christ

[jswranch]

Christians [u]need and use [/u] devotions to the BVM today in the same way the Jews needed and used the Ark of the OT.

[desertwoman]

[quote name='jswranch' post='1007243' date='Jun 17 2006, 06:16 AM']
Christians [u]need and use [/u] devotions to the BVM today in the same way the Jews needed and used the Ark of the OT.
[/quote]


Besides Catholics, who else does this?

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='desertwoman' post='1006766' date='Jun 16 2006, 09:14 AM']
So is this the reason why Tradition is important instead of sola scriputra?[/quote]
yes Tradition helps us to interpret Scripture. Afterall, Scripture came out of the Tradition of the Church and continues to rest in it. Tradition also helps us to discern what is true where Scripture is silent, or speaks only implicitly.


[quote name='desertwoman' post='1007264' date='Jun 17 2006, 09:46 AM']
Besides Catholics, who else does this?[/quote]
the Eastern Orthodox venerate Mary. some High Anglicans may as well. believe it or not, traditional Protestantism did too (the initial Reformers all venerated Mary), but the majority of Protestantism today has forsaken that particular bit of their heritage. Muslims also hold Mary in high esteem, which has actually effected the conversion of many of them to Catholicism.