Split: Another Marian Debate

[hoosierdaddy]

Hey guys, how do you guys handle this passage from Luke 11:27,28?

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

 

[rr1213]

I was hoping for some discussion, somewhere, by an Anglican or Episcopalian on the founding of their denomination: the nationalistic urge to divorce and sire a male heir (or was it to bed a younger woman?)

Nah, I’m not going to defend Henry VIII with respect to his marital troubles. However, I don’t think that the issues relating to his need for a male heir are as cut and dry as some people might think. Too bad he did not realize that his daughter Elizabeth had “the right stuff”.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Someone mentioned Mary in Revelation 12. I don’t see her. One could seemingly make the case from the first five verses but when you come to the sixth verse she’s just not there.

It mentions the woman fleeing into the wilderness. Then a battle in heaven erupting which satan loses. Then the dragon going after Israel. When he cannot touch Israel because of God’s protection, he turns his attacks against the Church. I believe Revelation 12 to be talking about Israel/the Church and not Mary.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Hey guys, how do you guys handle this passage from Luke 11:27,28?

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Amen!

But Mary did that AND nursed him!

Was she chosen randomly, Hoosier?

Forgive me for sounding blasphemous, but do you think the Holy Spirit just blew into town and impregnated the first Jewish girl He could find?

 

[hoosierdaddy]

No, I don’t believe that at all Randy. I believe Mary is blessed and I believe also what Jesus said.

 

[Randy_Carson]

No, I don’t believe that at all Randy. I believe Mary is blessed and I believe also what Jesus said.

Hoosier-

I’m certainly not going to press you on this point. I’m a convert to Catholicism, and while I understand and agree with the Marian doctrines, I have never had any appreciation for Marian devotions. We have no statues of Mary in our home, and only one small picture of Mary holding the baby Jesus which my wife really likes.

However, I have begun praying the rosary (only since December) with my family every night but the rosary is a meditation upon the events of the life of Jesus.

My point is this - Catholicism is a big tent, and you can be happily Catholic without saying a rosary or a novena to the Blessed Virgin.

Focus on the big stuff first.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Thanks Randy.

I have a rosary myself though I’ve never used it yet. But my fiancee helped me make a more “Protestant-friendly” way of doing it and leaving the prayers to Mary out.

I do honour Mary. I just try to keep the right order and put her below Jesus instead of on the level with him. I look at her as a very favoured woman but still just one of us. God bless.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

Hoosierdaddy,

I appreciate your interest in the
Rosary. From what I read Protestants are showing more and more interest in Mary these days, a wonderful thing.

I think I’d like to offer a little grist for your mill:

1. Catholics do not put Mary on the same level with God. Catholics worship God and venerate Mary. To venerate means to hold in deep respect; revere.
2. When you pray the rosary you are actually praying the Gospel. Think of the Sorrowful Mysteries:

• Agony in the Garden
• The Scourging at the Pillar
• The Crowing with Thorns
• Carrying of the Cross
• The Crucifixtion

Mary was a witness to these events and suffered accordingly [think about the words of Simeon when Joesph and Mary presented Jesus at the Temple].

1. When I pray the rosary I reflect on the
   mysteries and offer my prayers to Jesus through Mary. I ask her to intercede on my behalf, pray for me and present my petitions to God for consideration.
2. It is a common misunderstanding by people of other faiths that Catholics worship Mary, this is simply not true.
3. Catholics to not pray to statues. Having statues of Jesus, Mary or saints in the home simply helps ones mind focus on them during prayer.
4. There’s nothing wrong with venerating Mary because she is, after all, the Mother of God.

Iowa Mike

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Hey Mike, thank you very much.

I don’t believe in praying to Mary but I don’t see anything wrong with having a statue. I have a hard time with the worship/veneration distinction as I was lead to believe they are the same thing. I do honour Mary though. I tend to do in passing though; I don’t make it an active intentional thing every day. The rosary does interest me though as I was told it is useful to aid in meditating and prayer. There is nothing wrong with that. God bless.