CRAIGBENNO1 SAID:
Regarding the issue of Mary and the saints... )which btw I'm not defending), A catholic theologian once said to me that the whole issue depends on what you mean by asking someone to pray for you?
In their theology they don't see any difference in asking someone who is alive here to pray for them... and asking someone who is dead in this world to asking them...Its to do with how they perceive the state of the dead..
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2010/08/idols-idolatry.html#4121282480311067322
Look at this prayer (see below); when you ask a friend to pray for you, is this how you frame your request?
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Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, according to the heart of God, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, organ of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Divine Trinity, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, tabernacle of God Incarnate, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, immaculate from thy creation, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, full of grace, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, most humble, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, holocaust of Divine Love, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, fastened to the Cross with Jesus Crucified, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, Pray for us. Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us.
Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart: R. Make our hearts according to the Heart of Jesus.
Let us pray. O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ: grant that we who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart may, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, merit to be found according to the Heart of Jesus. Through the same Christ, Our Lord. R. Amen.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1121
Seems obvious to me.
ReplyDelete"Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us."
ReplyDelete“And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28
"Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us"
“This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.” Psalm 119:50
"Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us."
“God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy (propitiation) where God's approval is given through faith in Christ's blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.” Romans 3:25
"Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us."
“O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge”
Psalm 62:8
I had the unfortunate experience of listening to a Catholic friend explain to me that God intended that Mary would act as a mediator to THE Mediator, Jesus Christ. I wonder if that was him just trying to justify his position or if it was in fact a point that is grounded in their theology. Anyone know?
ReplyDeleteThis is very typical Catholic argumentation, really sort of a bait and switch. The language is not merely asking for prayer by the saint, but it is of a worshipful and praising nature.
ReplyDeleteLook how many times Mary's name is mentioned vs. Jesus/Christ. It steals from his glory and the praise and worship we should be directing to him.
I don't know where to find it but James White had a copy of a RC prayer written by the man who would later become the current pope. In that quote the petitioner asked for Mary to save him, wait for it, from the wrath of Jesus!!! I almost threw my shoe at the screen. I guess we need to rewrite the children's song.
ReplyDeleteGo to virtually any RC church in the third world -(i have seen many in the Philippines and see in just the art alone who is more important. Mary dwarfs Jesus both literally and figuratively.
Its a whole different religion that has nothing to do with God's word. Very sad.
Bill
Yep and yep.
ReplyDeleteMan, are you kidding? I ask people to pray for me like that all the time. "Heart of Peter Pike, Pray for us. Heart of Peter Pike, according to the heart of God, Pray for us..."
ReplyDeleteDunno who this "Mary" character is, though...
Yeah, we are asking Mary to go to Jesus to ask for us, because He won't deny her any request.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing the main nun on EWTN say she was really confused for a while because things were a little off at the convent. Then the Holy Spirit reminded her that she had stopped praying to Joseph, the patron saint of the family, for he is the father in the "Holy Family".
Way too much adding to the Scriptures with Catholics. Not that Protestants don't do it.
Thanks for the good post.
I have a lot of nuns (Sacred Heart of Mary nuns BTW) I have befriended, and it's quite nice to have knowledge and understanding, when I get into debates with them.
More problems with the RC/EO argument of comparing asking friends in this life to pray for you, and saints in hereafter:
ReplyDeleteWould any Christian be so servile that he would approach a person in this life by BURNING CANDLES to him as an offering, praising - nay, uncritically flattering - him with liturgical tones while asking for his prayers?
We would call that un-Christian, guruistic idolatry, following apostle Peter who rejected Cornelius' "PROSKYNESIS" - see Acts 10:25-26:
http://www.greeknewtestament.com/B44C010.htm#V25
Why on earth should we think that true saints would be more eager to receive the adulation of men in heaven than they were on earth, detracting from the glory of one great mediator Christ?
Well, the cult of saints largely developed and advanced in tandem with monasticism and monkery. Within monasteries, personality-cults often arose where ascetics learned to worship their various spiritual leaders in uncritical, works-exalting spirit.
In my opinion, there has always been something Hinduesque, that is guruistic, about this hero-worship that RC/EO asceticism cultivates. Instead of seeing the venerated abbots and ascetics as sinners saved by grace, they are seen more like semi-angelic Übermenschen that became spiritual giants through their own "striving."
It was in THIS unhealthy atmosphere that the argument of comparing intercession on earth and intercession in heaven began to "make sense" to people. After all, monks were said be "terrestial angels" already in their earthly condition.