Mary's Immaculate conception

[seabird3579]

She, of all people, has taught me to be compassionate and forgiving. Usually when I’ve convinced myself that someone deserves the “wrath of hell” for something they’ve done to me or against God, it is she who tells me to be merciful and forgiving. If the person is genuinely bad and dispicable, she says pray for him, pray everyday, beg God’s mercy, but forgive. We can be assured when we’ve even given up on ourselves, Our Mother is still interceding and begging God’s mercy for our pitiful souls. She truly is a “gift” to each of us. I’m so glad you were able to experience in this life the blessing that she is.

 

[MonicaC]

Kendy:

I am a protestants. I think it’s ok to have traditions. Human beings naturally have traditions. I can accept catholic traditions that I are not unbiblical or problematic. I don’t feel the need to reject everything that happens to be catholic. I also am not convinced that I need to accept something because it happens to be a catholic tradition.

I would reject a catholic tradition if I thought it was obviously unbiblical. I would reject a catholic tradition if I thought it would lead to a behavior that are potential sinful or lead to problematic conclusion.

In the case of Mary, the bible does not say that she was born sinless or not. However, the bible does say that Jesus was the only without sin, which makes me think that Mary cannot be included. But what really bothers be about this view of Mary is that it has been used to raise her to something of a demi-godess whether intentional or not. I think it is right to honor Mary…however, and I grew up catholic, Marian devotion seems to exceed that.

I do understand that some people feel this way. But I also think that some protestants tend to use their own opinions on deciding what Marian devotion really is. A true Marian devotion will only led you to Jesus. Mary wants non of the attention she only wants you to be with her son. Now most catholics know this. Now lodgically speaking who would know Jesus best me or Mary. I love Jesus with all my heart and soul but I certainly did not share his most intimate moments with him. His mother did. So lodgically she would know best how to led us to him. It is through her intercision that this is possiible.

Now I have heard protestants say that God could of easly just have popped into the world with out Mary. Yes I toltally agree with this but the fact is that he didn’t. He used Mary so that we could also use her. Everything that he did here on earth was to help us understsnd what it was that we need to be with him. Now yes I know alot of you will say he did this with his death. Well, yes this is very much true, he did die for us to gain enterance into heaven. But that is not the only thing we need to gain gain enterence into heaven. We are most likely going to fail again and again. Now when Jesus was a child we can all asume that Jesus need help just like every child needs help with something. So who do you think he asked? His mother. So when he was dying on the cross he asked us to do the same.

Mary can only led us to her son. Plain and simple. And for that I am for ever greatful to her for. And what a wonderful God we have to know that we creatures could use another creature for help. He really knows what he is doing!

Monica

 

[seabird3579]

Most of the negative comments that I hear Protestants say regarding Mary’s immaculate conception have more to do with their judging God and whether or not they believe God should or would do such a thing.

For example, they will say something to the effect of – if God did this with person A in scripture than there is no way He would create person B to do such a thing, or besides when He created person C, that was it, He will never repeat what was done (one time only I presume they mean) with person C again. He *only * does A and B now, not C.

Oh Really? Since when was anyone given permission let alone knowledge of God’s decision making process to be able to judge His plan of salvation?

Since when do we mere mortals put ourselves in a place of judgment over God’s creative plans and mode of operation?

Do you mean to put a “straightjacket” on God, and give credence only to those things that fit within the parameters of this staightjacket?

God will not be bound by your puny understanding of Him.

It takes great humility to realize that God is capable of far more than we are able to comprehend or understand.

Our mortal minds cannot comprehend, although they may catch a glimpse now and then, of the marvelous works of God, nor begin to understand the mind of God.

 

[Vaughn7107]

If Mary is in fact sinless…that’s cool…but she didn’t die for our sins. If Mary did sin…that’s cool too. No matter how it happened…God was sovereign and provided Jesus (who was sinless) for us and saved humanity. That’s the coolest thing ever!!!

 

[Vaughn7107]

MonicaC:

He used Mary so that we could also use her. Everything that he did here on earth was to help us understsnd what it was that we need to be with him. Now yes I know alot of you will say he did this with his death. Well, yes this is very much true, he did die for us to gain enterance into heaven. But that is not the only thing we need to gain gain enterence into heaven. We are most likely going to fail again and again.
Monica

Are you telling us Christ’s death wasn’t suffiecient?:ehh:

 

[CheesusPowerKid]

Vaughn7107:

Are you telling us Christ’s death wasn’t suffiecient?:ehh:

hey ryan,

I think that instead what she was trying to say was that WE’RE the ones who are not sufficient. Christ’s death and resurrection saved the world, all of us…He opened the gates of Heaven for us, He saved lost souls, He paid for each and every one of our sins…but that by no means means that we can just sit back and wait for our salvation to be handed to us. We must constantly strive everyday to draw ourselves near to Him, to purify ourselves for Him…we’re all sinners, I know no one here would deny that, and those sins tear us constantly away from Him. But Mary, the first and most incredible Christian, came as close to Christ as any of us, any human, could ever strive for. God wanted His vessel, His womb, to be perfect for the perfection of Himself, of Christ…Mary is the new ark of the covenant. And so God saved her from sin, not only to bear God Himself through a perfect womb but also to be Christ’s perfect mother, perfect disciple, to stay with Him and support Him as He took on the weight of the world…but even more than that, God knew that Mary, as the mother of God, of Christ, who is our Holy Brother, was also to become the mother of Christians everywhere, our mother, and the queen of Heaven. She, as a human, no more divine than the rest of us, was both freed of sin at conception and then restrained herself from it for her entire life…and that is why she is so holy, so loved, because she is the perfect Christian. She loved Christ as her savior and son, giving her life, her purity soley to Him and no one else, and she came as close to Him as anyone on this earth could ever strive for…and we honor and model ourselves after that because Mary shows us with her life and her intercessions everyday how to follow and submit our lives to Christ by her example. We fall short so much, it sometimes seems so hard to look to, to seek Christ in His perfect glory, but when we fall, we can remember and look to the example set Mary, knowing that she faced the same temptations and longings that we do and still remained sinless for her son and Lord. Christ loved His mother dearly, and so do we.

 

[MonicaC]

CheesusPowerKid:

hey ryan,

I think that instead what she was trying to say was that WE’RE the ones who are not sufficient. Christ’s death and resurrection saved the world, all of us…He opened the gates of Heaven for us, He saved lost souls, He paid for each and every one of our sins…but that by no means means that we can just sit back and wait for our salvation to be handed to us. We must constantly strive everyday to draw ourselves near to Him, to purify ourselves for Him…we’re all sinners, I know no one here would deny that, and those sins tear us constantly away from Him. But Mary, the first and most incredible Christian, came as close to Christ as any of us, any human, could ever strive for. God wanted His vessel, His womb, to be perfect for the perfection of Himself, of Christ…Mary is the new ark of the covenant. And so God saved her from sin, not only to bear God Himself through a perfect womb but also to be Christ’s perfect mother, perfect disciple, to stay with Him and support Him as He took on the weight of the world…but even more than that, God knew that Mary, as the mother of God, of Christ, who is our Holy Brother, was also to become the mother of Christians everywhere, our mother, and the queen of Heaven. She, as a human, no more divine than the rest of us, was both freed of sin at conception and then restrained herself from it for her entire life…and that is why she is so holy, so loved, because she is the perfect Christian. She loved Christ as her savior and son, giving her life, her purity soley to Him and no one else, and she came as close to Him as anyone on this earth could ever strive for…and we honor and model ourselves after that because Mary shows us with her life and her intercessions everyday how to follow and submit our lives to Christ by her example. We fall short so much, it sometimes seems so hard to look to, to seek Christ in His perfect glory, but when we fall, we can remember and look to the example set Mary, knowing that she faced the same temptations and longings that we do and still remained sinless for her son and Lord. Christ loved His mother dearly, and so do we.

Thank you,

This is exactly what I am saying just better.

 

[seabird3579]

Vaughn7107:

If Mary is in fact sinless…that’s cool…but she didn’t die for our sins. If Mary did sin…that’s cool too. No matter how it happened…God was sovereign and provided Jesus (who was sinless) for us and saved humanity. That’s the coolest thing ever!!!

Jesus Christ is the *only One * who has or can die for our sins, and no other statements or inuendos have ever been made by Catholics as far as I’ve seen.

Any misperceptions to the contrary belong completely to the beholder.

Education is a wonderful thing.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

Vaughn7107:

Are you telling us Christ’s death wasn’t suffiecient?:ehh:

Of course Christ’s death was sufficient. In fact St. Faustina’s prayer goes: “O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners.”

What is not a sure thing is OUR fidelity. So we ask all the saints, who are not dead but alive in the body of Christ, to pray for us for increase in grace and faith. And since Scripture tells us that the “prayers of the righteous availeth much”, the saints are great companions to have on our side.