Thank you for that my friends. I will certainly read that I do have a book on the apostolic fathers based on Lightfoot s work. That is what led me back to catholicism.
There a few newer book coming out this year which place the ECFs writtings in chrono-order. As stated “never” has has there been a question to St Marys Perpetual Virginity. And as you see NO EVIDENCE has surfaced on this thread. Actually, very contrary. And it never will because it does not exist until the “reformation” and wrong at that. Prayers, Homilys and writting exist from the death of Christ till today. Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431 A.D) proclaimed the dogma of Mary, Mother of God. Such a proclamation did not affirm a new doctrine, but rather affirmed what was the common belief of the Christians. When Elizabeth said, “the mother of my Lord,” while filled with the Holy Spirit, she clearly meant that Mary was the mother of God. Through Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit revealed the truth to mankind.
The “doctrine” of the perpetual virginity of Mary expresses the Virgin Mary’s,
“real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to Jesus the Son of God made Man”.
According to the doctrine, Mary was ever-virgin (Greek ἀειπαρθένος, aeiparthenos) for the whole of her life, making Jesus her only biological son, whose conception and birth are held to be miraculous.
By the fourth century, the doctrine had been widely supported by the Church Fathers, and by the seventh century it had been affirmed in a number of ecumenical councils. The doctrine is part of the teaching of Catholicism and Anglo-Catholics, as well as Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, as expressed in their liturgies, in which they repeatedly refer to Mary as "ever virgin. Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431 A.D) proclaimed the dogma of Mary, Mother of God. Such a proclamation did not affirm a new doctrine, but rather affirmed what was the common belief of the Christians. When Elizabeth said, “the mother of my Lord,” while filled with the Holy Spirit, she clearly meant that Mary was the mother of God. Through Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit revealed the truth to mankind.
And if you actually read St John Chrysostom a Doctor of the CC, you will not find this loosey goosey, fairy tale were Mary was simply a creature who sinned. Again show us the writtings suggested on this thread and were they could found and the page as I have done. This is ALL TALK. And bad at that in the KIngdom of God.
“It is truly just to proclaim you blessed, O Mother of God, who are most blessed, all pure and Mother of our God. We magnify you who are more honorable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim. You who, without losing your virginity, gave birth to the Word of God. You who are truly the Mother of God.”
Those are “St. John Chrysotom” actual words quoted by Bl JP-II in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater (On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church) March 25, 1987, Par #32!!!
Marian Vow:
St. John Chrysostom
"Let us gather oil for our vessels while yet we live, for leaving this life we can no longer buy it, nor procure it elsewhere, save at the hands of the poor. Let us while we are here gather it abundantly, if we wish to enter in with the bridegroom; if we do not we must remain outside the Bridegroom’s chamber. “I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“Thanks be to God for graces received”
Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers, (Preservation Press: 1996), Volume I, 268.
This was added by Pope Benedict in his Homily towards the end. “Deacon John” added these comments this week.
St John Chrysotoms clearly give you the Aposlolic Teaching that the Mother of God is above all the Saints, Cherubim and Seraphim in accord with the Saints teachings and the CC.
This creature which is alluded to in comparison is the Mother of God, is the ONLY creature who conceived Jesus Christ through the incarnation, unless someone here knows another creature who accomplished this? So “we” are NOT on the level of the Mother of God as creatures, that is a fairy tale. And very “protestant” late theological theology based on no evidence but Sola Scriptura reading, and you will never hear such a statement in an Apostolic Church where YOU are placed on equal footing with the Mother of God Theotokos, St Mary or you preference of title for Her as creature. That is an “opinion” a bad one, and cannot be supported by “evidence” as WE SEE. None has arrived.
The Catholic Church and the Coptic church, consisder Mary the Gate, the Neck which leads to the head of the Mystical Body of Christ, thus Christ. That is the theological understanding of a great number of the Saints. Apparently St John Chrysotom also since he places above Our Lady above the Cherubim and Seraphim which is consistant with Queen of the Angels and CC teaching.
Marys intercession leads YOU to perfection in your walk to Christ. While regular Church/Eucharist are the path, the way to better know Christ in Love is through Prayer in other words to talk to Him. And the prayer suggested is the Rosary/Mysteries. When you do desire a deeper prayer life than you enter into the Hours.
And you can read all this reading the lifes of the Saints. In the last 40-years Bl-JP II, Bl Mother Teresa, St Maximillian Kolbe, St. Josemaría Escrivá, all followed the teachings of St Loius DeMontfort and Conseceration to Mary in his book “True Devotion to Mary”. at time’s his prose writing is flowery due to his literary style, reason it is to be used as prayer recitation. The perfect path to walk to Christ is the Mother of God. Numerous Saints in their works have stated this Theological, Spiritual/Mystical and Apostolic.
Does all this mean the bottom line isn’t Christ on the Cross as redeemer? Of course not but thats not what are discussing either.
