Helping a Protestant to understand the perfection of Mary

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Now I think I have an understanding of Mary being the Ark of the Covenant but I have no idea how to explain to a Protestant that does not have a Catholic understanding. Is there a way to explain this to her. Are there other things in the bible that can help explain the perfection of Mary? Any help would be much appreciated. God bless!
 
LennyFL said:
Now I think I have an understanding of Mary being the Ark of the Covenant but I have no idea how to explain to a Protestant that does not have a Catholic understanding. Is there a way to explain this to her. Are there other things in the bible that can help explain the perfection of Mary? Any help would be much appreciated. God bless!
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Revelations 11:19 - 12:17 (especially 11:19, 12:1-3, 12:5, 12:13, 12:17)
 
In so far as Mary being “perfect,” you mean in that she did not sin? Orthodox could agree to that (so far as I’m aware). I think i would argue the ultimate sense of salvation is not being “sinless,” but is in being sanctified with a glorified body and becoming perfect. Mankind was created not with the ressurected state already there, but was expected to work with God towards that state, however we fell and here we are now.

Mary might have been sinless (and only then by the power and grace of God), but she needed Jesus Christ as much as everyone needs Jesus Christ. She needed to be saved from this mortality into which we all fell and that was only by Christ.
 
IgnatianPhilo said:
In so far as Mary being “perfect,” you mean in that she did not sin? Orthodox could agree to that (so far as I’m aware). I think i would argue the ultimate sense of salvation is not being “sinless,” but is in being sanctified with a glorified body and becoming perfect. Mankind was created not with the ressurected state already there, but was expected to work with God towards that state, however we fell and here we are now.

Mary might have been sinless (and only then by the power and grace of God), but she needed Jesus Christ as much as everyone needs Jesus Christ. She needed to be saved from this mortality into which we all fell and that was only by Christ.
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I think Lutherans could agree with your explanation. I like the emphasis on Mary’s “passive grace” per Martin Luther. That she became sinless at the conception of the holy Spirit.
 
LennyFL said:
Now I think I have an understanding of Mary being the Ark of the Covenant but I have no idea how to explain to a Protestant that does not have a Catholic understanding. Is there a way to explain this to her. Are there other things in the bible that can help explain the perfection of Mary? Any help would be much appreciated. God bless!
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The Angel Gabriel referred to her as “Full of Grace”, God’s own words to his most perfection creation. If she would have had ANY sin, that greeting would have been impossible.

She was told ALL generations (including ours) would call her “blessed” as a result.

Consider she was the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus. Luke 1:41-44…A good tree can’t bear bad fruit. A bad tree can’t bear good fruit. How can she bear Jesus if she had ANY sin?

We were told in Isaiah 7:14 that the messiah would be born of a virgin.

Further, in Ezekiah 44: 2 that God had entered and therefore, the gate would remain shut, after that.

She was a virgin before and after. She still is a virgin.
 
ClearWater said:
The Angel Gabriel referred to her as “Full of Grace”, God’s own words to his most perfection creation. If she would have had ANY sin, that greeting would have been impossible.
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The only problem with “Full of Grace” is that Protestants usually use a different Bible from Catholics, in which the term, “favored one” or something similar to that, would be used.
 
I have always found that getting someone to understand anything requires a desire on that person’s part to WANT to understand.

Hopefully, your explanation will not fall upon deaf ears! :gopray2:
 
So true!👍

Ps
First time I agreed with a Pats fan on anything.
Go Eagles
 
As a Cowboys fan, I am not fond of either team 😛

Good thing we are Catholics 😃
 
suko said:
The only problem with “Full of Grace” is that Protestants usually use a different Bible from Catholics, in which the term, “favored one” or something similar to that, would be used.
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Ahhh, there’s one other problem then. The Catholic NAB says “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
 
cguerber said:
Ahhh, there’s one other problem then. The Catholic NAB says “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
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Ahh, the new Ignatius Catholic bible has it “Hail, full of grace.” Which is why you need tradition and a magisterium, otherwise you end up with thousands of Popes arguing without resolve.
 
georget said:
Ahh, the new Ignatius Catholic bible has it “Hail, full of grace.” Which is why you need tradition and a magisterium, otherwise you end up with thousands of Popes arguing without resolve.
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The Vatican website uses the NAB. So maybe the magisterium uses it?
 
I learned a lot about the role of our Lady from Scott Hahn. Protestants often require scripture to be able to accept a concept of faith.

Luke 1:28-30 highlights that God found favor in Mary.
Luke 1:42 is a Biblical example of a Marian prayer.

It would make sense that God would want His mother to be sinless.

The case for her ever-virginity is another subject that can be supported by scripture.
 
cguerber said:
The Vatican website uses the NAB. So maybe the magisterium uses it?
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Yeah, for whatever reason the English site is using the NAB, not really sure why to be honest. I get the feeling the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) had something to do with it, with the reason of it being more easy to understand??? Just a guess on my part.

Anyway, the official Bible of the Catholic Church I think would actually be the Latin Vulgate. Now when u look at Luke 1: 28 (using the Latin Vulgate), the verse is:

“Ave, gratia plena, Dominus tecum”.

And if u do a word for word translation:

Ave = Hail
gratia = grace
plena = full
Dominus = Lord
tecum = with
 
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