You state that Mary was “preserved, saved from the stain of original sin” which “makes her unique in all of God’s creation” and then go on to state that “she is a created person, a child of God.” We who believe are all “children of God” are we not.
As for being the “perfect model for us of Christian love”, how can you say she is a perfect model for us – “normal” human beings - (meaning not “unique” as you describe Mary as having been) if she was already “unique” (by no means of her own) – what kind of example is that for us to attain too…by your definition…she had a “head start”.
We believe this is possible because, mary, like us was daughter of our Lord. But because of His grace (not of her own doing) He chose to save her, from the moment of her conception from the stain of original sin. Mary shows us perfectly what it means to live a life of holiness, working and cooperating with God through faith, in her salvation.
Do you doubt the power of God? Even the angel declared that mary was 'full of grace." How could she have been thus, if she hadn’t already recieved salvation? There are also signs pointing to this attribute of our blessed mother, pre dated in the old testament. When we see Mary, as the ark of the new covenant (Christ.)
Her “humanity” was what God desired to bring into fulfillment the plan of Jesus being both human and God while He walked this earth.
The Catholic church teachings have all but stripped her of that “humanity” that God so wanted and in place has taught that Mary herself was ‘holy’ before she was born – in the “dogma” of the “Immaculate Conception”.
On the contrary, the catholic church teaches us that Mary was a perfect model for us, of how to love our Lord. She said “yes” to God’s plan for her. She continued to say “yes” to Christ “do whatever he tells you.” And she shared with Christ’s sufferngs on the cross “And your heart a sword will pierce.” Just as we should unite our sufferings to the cross of Christ.
The “dogma” of the immaculate conception was not officially proclaimed as dogma until it was contested by heresies. Often in church history, tradition will continue without an official document, and when the need arises to “re-state” what the church’s position has always been on a subject, the pope will proclaim it as dogma. Again, our marian doctrines are not essential for salvation…I think you confuse the Traditions we practice as means of working out our salvation, with those smaller traditions we hold dear as optional ways of growing in faith and love.
As any normal, human mother would.
Any, normal human mother, would not be carrying the perfect, fully human, fully divine child Christ. As the perfect, loving creator, would it not stand to reason that Christ would also perfectly obey all of God’s/his commandments? One being that we are to honor our mother and father? We are to emulate Christ and honor his mother as he would. And he truly did, give us mary. As the mother of Christ, she became the mother of all Christians. “Woman, behold your son. And he gazed at His disciples, 'Behold, your mother.”
Why?
We believe that Mary was perfectly united to Christ, in the flesh. As his mother, she participated with him in his work on earth. She did not share his divine nature, but as Christ is fully human and fully divine, she became forever tied to Christ, the son
But there is no need to do so in the first place.
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Perhaps to some, they would not see a need to do so. But please understand the perspective that has been handed down to us from Christ through the apostles. Christ loved his mother, and God had favor for Mary. We strive to emulate Christ, and what better way to show our love for him, than to honor the mother whom He loved? Mary is the only perfect model in all of history of perfect love for Christ. To understand how to love Christ, as created children of God, we would have a lot to learn from His mother:)
Thank you AshleyBelle, I sincerely appreciate your comments and (name removed by moderator)ut.
