A Warning from Simeon...

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LUKE 2:25-35 (NAB)

*25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. **26 It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.**27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,*28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." 33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted35 (and you yourself (MARY) a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
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*“…so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." *

Why is it that so many who claim to be “Christian” grimace at the mere mention of Mary’s name? There exist many non-Catholic Christians, whose jaws tighten and who get agitated when taking about Mary, the Mother of our Lord.

These same “Christians” are not bothered by Peter’s denial of Christ, the disciples scattering and abandoning Jesus at the beginning of His Passion or Paul’s (Saul’s) behavior prior to his conversion…They don’t even mention Judas’ role in the Gospels.

However if a non-Catholic Christian enters into a religious dialog with a Catholic, the attack on Mary is immediate.

Why do some feel compelled to attack or minimize Mary?

These same Christians will also expend a tremendous amount of energy and effort to argue and try to minimize the person of Mary and here role in Salvation to try to show how the Roman Catholic belief is “wrong”.

Jesus said, “(For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark (NAB) 3-35: See also Matthew 12:48).

The Disciples or “followers of Christ” are those who do “His will”. Mary: did God’s will, completely surrendering herself, from the moment Jesus entered the world, for his entire life, to the foot of His Cross and in the upper room at Pentecost.

**
The Catechism of the Catholic Chuurch states (149):
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*“Throughout her life and until her last ordeal(15) when Jesus her son died on the cross, Mary’s faith never wavered. She never ceased to believe in the fulfilment of God’s word”… *
**
 
Continued from first post -

Mary is the Mother of God **and **a loyal Disciple. There exist no fault in Mary anywhere in the Bible; So why all the anger?

One must ask themselves; Why?

In the Gospels, specifically, Luke 2:35, we as Christians are warned by Simeon to look for a person’s response to Jesus’ mother and are told that we can identify a person’s heart and thoughts, by their response.

The great contradiction reveals itself and according to Simeon, this contradiction will lead to the “fall of many”.

The response we are to looking for; is a response to Mary’s suffering, her having been “pierced”.

I would like to see a response from a non-Catholic Christian, explaining, Luke 2:35… (Be careful not to show your “heart” in “contradiction” to Christianity or the Gospels)

This verse is very important, in light of the fact that most anti-Catholic arguments that I read or hear, involve Mary.

Our ‘thoughts and hearts” as Roman Catholics are known by our love and respect for Mary.

We do not worship Mary, we love Mary.

This is distinctly different from many of our Protestant and “Born again” friend’s.

Your Thoughts?
“St. Bernard does not hesitate to affirm in one of his sermons, that the sorrow our Lady felt at the crucifixion was a martyrdom of the heart, according to the prophecy of Simeon “A sword shall pierce through thy own soul.” (Lc 2,35).And since the martyrdom of the heart is more bitter than the martyrdom of the body…our Blessed Lady carried a most heavy cross, and endured most poignant grief, from the sword of sorrow which pierced her soul, but she stood near the Cross the very model of patience, and beheld all His sufferings without manifesting a sign of impatience, because she sought the honour and glory of God rather than the gratification of her maternal love… She loved her Son vehemently, but she loved the honour of God the Father and the salvation of mankind…”(Robert B. The 7 words 42)
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Other non-Catholic Christians will preach; “Love thy neighbor” but thy will stop at love for their “neighbors” (including their brothers and sisters in Christ past and present); if it includes; Mary, the Apostles, the Martyrs or Early Church Fathers.

Other non-Catholic preachers will go on and on about a person who turned from a life of sin and became “Born Again” or converted…That’s great but why won’t they use the example of Mary obeying God’s will?

Some Christians will say that they love (or loved) relatives who have passed on but they will not say; they *Love Mary (*The Mother of God).

Where is the Love?

See the problem? Doesn’t this mindset appear a little schizophrenic?

It’s the sign from Simeon, we were warned in Luke 2:35

It is ok to love Mary…She is Jesus’ mother.

I love Mary, I am glad she said, “Let your will be done onto me”. Where would we be today if she had said, “NO”? Mary had feel-will, didn’t she? She did.

Thank you Mary!

Ok, now you know what my thoughts are and how my heart feels for Mary and her suffering.
Where do you stand?

I defy anyone to show me where it is written in the Bible that we as Christians cannot love Mary.

I defy anyone to show me where it is written in the Bible that Mary failed to do God’s will.

If you are a non-Catholic Christian and your religion does not preach; Love for all those who “do” and “have done” God’s will, including, Mary, there might exist error in that belief, which is in conflict with the Gospels.

Read Luke 2:25-35 and think about what God is trying to tell us here…
**
LUKE 2:25-35 (NAB)
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*25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. **26 It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.**27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." 33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted35 (and you yourself (MARY) a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." *

The focus of Catholicism is Christ! I’m addressing Mary here because it seems to be such a stumbling block for so many non-Catholic Christians…**
 
**Mary is the Mother of God and a loyal disciple who obeyed God and did His will… **

Other non-Catholic Christians will preach; “Love thy neighbor” but thy will stop at love for their “neighbors” (including their brothers and sisters in Christ past and present); if it includes; Roman Catholics, Mary, the Apostles, the Martyrs or Early Church Fathers.

Are not Roman Catholic your neighbor?

Does you Church teach you to love Cathoilcs or do they teach you to argue with Cathlics?

Other non-Catholic preachers will go on and on about a person who turned from a life of sin and became “Born Again” or “converted”…That’s great but why won’t they use the example of Mary obeying God’s will?

Some Christians will say that they love (or loved) relatives who have passed and talk about how “great” there were but they will not say; they *Love Mary (*The Mother of God).

Where is the Love?

See the problem? Doesn’t this mindset appear a little schizophrenic?

It is the sign from Simeon, we were warned in Luke 2:35

It is ok to love Mary…She is Jesus’ mother.

I love Mary, I am glad she said, “Let your will be done onto me”. Where would we be today if she had said, “NO”? Mary had free-will, didn’t she? She did.

Thank you Mary!

Ok, now you know what my ***thoughts are and how my heart feels ***for Mary and her suffering.

Where do you stand?

I defy anyone to show me where it is written in the Bible that we as Christians cannot love Mary.

I defy anyone to show me where it is written in the Bible that Mary failed to do God’s will and by definition failed to be remembered as (also) a desciple of Christ and loyal follower of God’s will?

If you are a non-Catholic Christian and your religion does not preach; Love for all those who “do” and “have done” God’s will, including, Mary, there might exist error in that belief, which is in conflict with the Gospels.

Read Luke 2:25-35 and think about what God is trying to tell us here…
"Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
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**35 (and you yourself (MARY) a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." *
**
**
Note; the Focus of Catholicism is alwasy on Christ! I am addressing Mary here in Luke 2, because I believe Luke 2:35 is an important and often overlooked passage. There seems to be a lot of “narrow-mindedness” and such an obstacle when it comes to Mary in Catholicism and how we feel about Her… Hopefully Luke 2:35 will ease the thoughts of some…One can not think of the Holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, without instantly thinking about Jeses.
**Try to think about the Virgin Mary and not think of Jesus our Lord, it’s impossible!
**
 
"Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted35
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  • (and you yourself (MARY) a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:35 NAB)**
What does thsi mean? Your Thoughts?
 
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