Help a Protestant out

[zarthan]

Perhaps this will help you understand some of the Catholic Church’s teachings on the Virgin Mary…

St. Paul says that “Adam … was a type of the one who was to come,” i.e. the disobedient man Adam was a type of the obedient man Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:14)

Since anyone who has read the story of the fall of man in Genesis can hardly think of the disobedient man Adam without also thinking of the disobedient woman Eve, the notion that the disobedient man Adam was a type of the obedient man Jesus Christ immediately begs the question, Was the disobedient woman Eve similarly a type of an obedient woman who was to come? Was there an obedient woman, a handmaid of the Lord, as closely related to and associated with the obedient man Jesus Christ, God’s holy servant, and the restoration of mankind as the disobedient Eve was with the disobedient Adam and the fall of mankind?

Well, Christians early on recognized that disobedient Eve was a type of the obedient Virgin Mary:

St. Justin the Martyr, writing about A.D. 155, contrasted the disobedience of Eve with the obedience of the Virgin Mary, in his Dialog with Trypho, chap. 100.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons, writing about A.D. 189, succinctly said:
And thus also it was that the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith. (Against Heresies, book 3, chap. 22)
The symmetry and beauty of God’s plan is revealed, namely, in human terms, mankind was restored in a manner similar to how it was ruined. The first man and woman, Adam and the virgin Eve, of the same flesh and bone, both created with sinless human natures, sinned through a tree (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) and brought ruin to mankind; later, in the fullness of time, another man and woman, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, of the same flesh and bone, both conceived with sinless human natures, remained sinless throughout their lives and brought restoration to mankind through a tree (the Cross).

Also, because the man Jesus Christ, God’s holy servant and the last Adam, was obedient throughout his life, God did not permit his body to undergo the corruption of the grave. For consistency’s sake, it certainly makes sense that God would likewise not permit the body of the Virgin Mary, the handmaid of the Lord and the last Eve, who was obedient throughout her life, to undergo the corruption of the grave.

Note: The above discussion of “the man Jesus Christ” purposely focuses just on his human nature but this is not meant to deny his divine nature, which gives the actions of his human nature infinite merit and makes his sacrifice on the Cross easily sufficient to ameliorate all the sins of mankind, past, present and future.

“For consistency’s sake, it certainly makes sense that God would likewise not permit the body of the Virgin Mary, the handmaid of the Lord and the last Eve, who was obedient throughout her life, to undergo the corruption of the grave.”

Not to disagree with this assumption (no pun intended), but should not the bride of Christ, known as the body of Christ have the **primary place **in the symmetry of God’s plan? Was it not the bride of Christ, (the new Eve) that was formed out of the pierced side of the new Adam, while he lay asleep in the grave?

Is not heavenly Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, the mother of us all? Is not this woman’s (heavenly Jerusalem’s) offspring the one(s) who are in a spiritual battle with the spiritual offspring of the serpent? Are they not the one(s) who bruise or crush the serpent’s heel?

The apostle Paul speaks about the church in Rome crushing satan (Rom.16:20).
One will find in Book VIII of the Apostolic Constitutions that every baptized person is spoken of as bruising the head of the serpent.

Yes, primarily our Lord Jesus Christ crushed the serpent’s head on Golgotha, yes Mary by her obedience crushed the serpent, but more importantly, every individual in the body of Christ, which is the new Eve is in spirtual battle with the enemy of our souls.

 

[RosaryFan]

One particular thing I realized a little while ago about Mary’s perpetual virginity is that it’s basically the least insane thing that I am asked to believe as a Catholic

Of course, that’s not a sound logical argument…but I would invite you to consider what it means that Mary is the spouse of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit overshadowed her, and in that act, she conceived, and so was wed to God Himself. If I found that my (hypothetical) wife had conceived solely by the power of God, I would not even consider going to her in the marital embrace, because she has been set aside for Someone higher than me.

That’s a beautiful way of putting it! I suppose that is part of the reason why St. Joseph is a saint. Also, consider this, the womb that held our dear Savior is sacred and should not be then used to hold another baby. Therefore, there could be no other children for Mary. Mary’s womb is a Tabernacle for our Lord and no one else. It would be unfitting for her womb to be used again and again for regular children.

 

[clmowry]

People died for touching the Ark of the Covenant.

“All” it held were some tablets, some manna and a stick.

Chuck

That’s a beautiful way of putting it! I suppose that is part of the reason why St. Joseph is a saint. Also, consider this, the womb that held our dear Savior is sacred and should not be then used to hold another baby. Therefore, there could be no other children for Mary. Mary’s womb is a Tabernacle for our Lord and no one else. It would be unfitting for her womb to be used again and again for regular children.

 

[zz912]

If you attend and want to go up in line at Communion time, just cross your arms over your chest when you get to the priest so you can have a blessing, since I’m sure you’ll appreciate that Communion is reserved for Catholics.

The rest of your post was spot on, but this NOT the correct thing for a visitor to do. For the OP and any others visiting a Mass, when it comes time for Communion/Eucharist (Eucharist means “thanksgiving”), just stay in your pew, or stand and let others get past you and then re-sit in the pew. But don’t go up in the Communion line. The priest gives a blessing after Communion.

The idea to have everyone come up during Communion either to receive our Lord or a blessing was to make everyone feel okay, but this is NOT supposed to be done.

 

[zz912]

To answer the original post, I was raised Baptist and didn’t understand Marian beliefs. But after reading Scott Hahn’s book, it opened up my eyes to WHY it is important b/c Mary was the NEW Ark of the NEW Covenant.

Remember this, the woman was healed of her bleeding when she touched Jesus’ CLOAK. She didn’t even touch Him, she touched His clothing. Imagine the graces and purifying love given to His mother as He grew for NINE months in her womb.

Also remember what Mary said, her soul MAGNIFIES the Lord. Think about that statement.

 

[tommee]

If you are looking for the history of Mary and her life and relationship within the Catholic church from day one I recommend a book written by a Nun in the 1500’s, The Venerable Mary of Agreda,The Mystical City Of God, The writings took her more than 10 yrs. and was given to her word for word by Mary herself, it is a complete writing on Mary and Jesus from the conception to her coronation. It comes in a hardcover 4 volume or abridged volume…She has answered all of my questions plus given me more insight as to how, why, and where the True church is going. Check it out on line and let me know what you think,In Christs Love Tom