Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei, miserere mei, peccatoris.
Showing posts with label end times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label end times. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei, miserere mei, peccatoris.
Monday, May 25, 2009
What is the Immaculate Conception if it is not when Mary conceived Jesus and why did the Church wait until 1854 to proclaim it a doctrine or Dogma? 2
I would like to continue the discussion on the Immaculate Conception with more from the early Church Fathers. I will also add more from scripture. As we look into what St Andrew of Crete said in both a sermon and a canon we see him calling Mary immaculate and sinless (Jurgens Vol. 3, 1970). We also can find St. Germain of Constantinople calling Mary the Immaculate Lady (Jurgens Vol. 3, 1970). So from the earliest times of the Church we find leaders calling Mary Immaculate. This can only be done through a special act of God. This act happened at the time of Mary’s conception. So can we find other areas in scripture where there may be proof that Mary was indeed sinless.
The best place to see one precast for Mary is in Exodus. We see the Ark of the Covenant and how it is to be built. In Exodus 25:11-21 we read “And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold, within and without; and over it thou shalt make a golden crown round about: And four golden rings, which thou shalt put at the four corners of the ark: let two rings be on the one side, and two on the other. Thou shalt make bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them: And they shall be always in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them. And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee. Thou shalt make also a propitiatory of the purest gold: the length thereof shall be two cubits and a half, and the breadth a cubit and a half. Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle. Let one cherub be on the one side, and the other on the other. Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory, spreading their wings, and covering the oracle, and let them look one towards the other, their faces being turned towards the propitiatory wherewith the ark is to be covered. In which thou shalt put the testimony that I will give thee. Thence will I give orders, and will speak to thee over the propitiatory, and from the midst of the two cherubims, which shall be upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command the children of Israel by thee. Thou shalt make a table also of setim wood, of two cubits in length, and a cubit in breadth, and a cubit and a half in height.” Only the purest gold was to be used. If God was so particular about what was going to carry his word written on stone think how much more he would want to have of His Word in flesh.
We also look at some of the common arguments against the Immaculate Conception. The first is from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans 3:23 here we read the “all have sinned and are deprived Gods glory”. This is address by looking at what is meant by St Paul when he says “all”. If we are to that this literally we will have to include children under the age of reason and Adam and Eve before the fall. We then must also include Jesus in this. If God has allowed exceptions to this why could he not have included Mary in the exceptions (Keating, 1988). We could also address St Luke’s Gospel where we find Mary saying “My spirit rejoices in God my savior” LK 1:47. Catholics never state that Mary never needed a savior. We just believe that God (Jesus) gave her a special grave at the time of her conception therefore saving her at that time (Chacon & Burnham, 2003).
Again I ask if you have any questions to please ask. If you would like to comment please do so. I will try to address these as I am able. Thank you for reading and God Bless you.
Resources
Chacon, Fr. F., & Burnham, J. (2003). Beginning Apologetics 6; How to Explain and Defend Mary. Farmington, NM. San Juan Seminars.
Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 1. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 2. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Keating K. (1988). Catholicism and Fundamentalism; The Attack on “Romanism” by “Bible Christians”. San Francisco, CA. Ignatius Press.
Marians of the Immaculate Conception. (2008). The Blue Scapular and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA.
The best place to see one precast for Mary is in Exodus. We see the Ark of the Covenant and how it is to be built. In Exodus 25:11-21 we read “And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold, within and without; and over it thou shalt make a golden crown round about: And four golden rings, which thou shalt put at the four corners of the ark: let two rings be on the one side, and two on the other. Thou shalt make bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them: And they shall be always in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them. And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee. Thou shalt make also a propitiatory of the purest gold: the length thereof shall be two cubits and a half, and the breadth a cubit and a half. Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle. Let one cherub be on the one side, and the other on the other. Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory, spreading their wings, and covering the oracle, and let them look one towards the other, their faces being turned towards the propitiatory wherewith the ark is to be covered. In which thou shalt put the testimony that I will give thee. Thence will I give orders, and will speak to thee over the propitiatory, and from the midst of the two cherubims, which shall be upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command the children of Israel by thee. Thou shalt make a table also of setim wood, of two cubits in length, and a cubit in breadth, and a cubit and a half in height.” Only the purest gold was to be used. If God was so particular about what was going to carry his word written on stone think how much more he would want to have of His Word in flesh.
We also look at some of the common arguments against the Immaculate Conception. The first is from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans 3:23 here we read the “all have sinned and are deprived Gods glory”. This is address by looking at what is meant by St Paul when he says “all”. If we are to that this literally we will have to include children under the age of reason and Adam and Eve before the fall. We then must also include Jesus in this. If God has allowed exceptions to this why could he not have included Mary in the exceptions (Keating, 1988). We could also address St Luke’s Gospel where we find Mary saying “My spirit rejoices in God my savior” LK 1:47. Catholics never state that Mary never needed a savior. We just believe that God (Jesus) gave her a special grave at the time of her conception therefore saving her at that time (Chacon & Burnham, 2003).
Again I ask if you have any questions to please ask. If you would like to comment please do so. I will try to address these as I am able. Thank you for reading and God Bless you.
Resources
Chacon, Fr. F., & Burnham, J. (2003). Beginning Apologetics 6; How to Explain and Defend Mary. Farmington, NM. San Juan Seminars.
Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 1. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 2. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Keating K. (1988). Catholicism and Fundamentalism; The Attack on “Romanism” by “Bible Christians”. San Francisco, CA. Ignatius Press.
Marians of the Immaculate Conception. (2008). The Blue Scapular and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Was Mary Assumed Body and Soul into Heaven?
Introduction
The Assumption of Mary is a topic often proposed to Catholics, accompanied by the challenging question: where is it in the Bible? Addressing this, many struggle to find a straightforward answer, often relying on tradition. In this exploration, I will delve into the biblical roots of the Assumption, drawing from scripture and Church Tradition to shed light on this doctrine.
Biblical Precedence for the Assumption
Contrary to the belief that Mary ascended to heaven under her own power, Catholic doctrine holds that Jesus, in His divine nature, assumed Mary's body and soul into heaven. This concept finds resonance in biblical instances. Genesis 5:24 speaks of Enoch, "taken" by God, and Hebrews 11:5 narrates Enoch's ascension due to his faith. Similarly, 2 Kings 2:11 depicts Elijah's fiery chariot ascent. Moreover, after Christ's death, saints were resurrected, suggesting their bodies might have gone to heaven.
The Symbolism of the Ark
To understand the Assumption, considering Mary as the Ark of the Covenant is essential. In Revelation 11:19-12:1, the heavenly temple reveals the Ark, representing Mary. Just as the Ark carried the Word of God in imperishable form, Mary bore the incarnate Word. Just as the Ark was preserved, Mary, being sinless, wouldn't undergo corruption.
Theological Insight from Early Church Fathers
Early Church Fathers, like St. Gregory of Tours and St. John Damascene, provide valuable insights into the Assumption. St. Gregory's Eight Books of Miracles elucidates the event, while St. John Damascene's homilies affirm Mary's bodily assumption into heaven. These perspectives bolster the theological basis for this doctrine.
Conclusion
In essence, the Assumption of Mary finds biblical support through analogies, symbols, and early Church writings. Exploring these facets not only deepens our understanding of this doctrine but also strengthens the connection between biblical teachings and Catholic traditions. For further discussions or queries, feel free to engage, and I'll gladly provide more insights backed by research and Church teachings.
References
Catholic Answers. (2005). The Essential Catholic Survival Guide. San Diego, CA: Catholic Answers, Inc.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Universal Living Rosary Association
A special message from Father Daniel of Tanzania stationed in Australia
Dear Fellow Members of the Living Rosary Association,
I wanted to share with you some thoughts about our commitment as Christians to keeping Christ at the center of our lives. If Jesus is not the foundation of our lives, we have no foundation and we have no life worth living. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do we want Jesus? If we are determined to be like everyone else in our community then we will not sense any need for Christ. We live in a society that focuses heavily on self-interest. For example, when someone is asked to help another, the question that many respond with is, "What do I get in return?" This is not the way of the Christian. The only concern of a Christian is Jesus Christ and striving to be more like Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He must be the Cornerstone of our lives. It's all about You, Jesus.
There is a cost, however. Sure, when we preach the good news and stand up for Jesus, we are often joined by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who also wish to change the world for the better. But we are also often rejected by many who want nothing to do with Jesus, His Way, or His Life. Have others asked you to join them in something that is against the life of Jesus? Have you ever had to say, "No" -- no to drugs, no to alcohol, no to sex outside of marriage, no to gossip, no to destroying someone's reputation, no to excluding someone, no to cheating, no to stealing, etc. And when we do say "No," what happens? Quite often, we are rejected by others. We need to lift these individuals up in prayer for they are not just rejecting us. They are rejecting Our Lord. The stone that is being rejected is Jesus. We live for Jesus. We share His Life and His Love. We also share in His rejection and His crucifixion. We also share in His recreation of the world into the Kingdom of God.
This is reflected in the gospel of the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the good and most faithful shepherd. He offers Himself up completely for His people. He and He alone is our life and our salvation. In the name of Jesus Christ, the world is healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are healed.
With love,
Father Daniel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United with Heaven's Plan for Peace
Dear Devoted Apostles of the Living Rosary Association,
Today we faithfully remember and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and Her important messages to the world regarding the need for prayer and penance. It was in Our Lady's messages more than 90 years ago that She warned God's children to amend their lives in order to prevent further suffering and wars.
In 1916, three shepherd children Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta (ages seven to nine), of the mountain village of Fatima, Portugal, were visited by the Angel of Portugal prior to Our Lady's appearances. The Angel told them to pray constantly to the Most High, and to accept and endure the sufferings sent to them by the Lord.
A beautiful gift of Our Lady's messages was the reminder to all, of the spiritual triumph that is achieved when the Rosary is prayed with great devotion. Our Lady said, "Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war…if they do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace…But if they do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI."
Before the child Jacinta died in 1920, she revealed one of the messages she had received from Our Lady: "Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary…and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to Her."
Our Lady of Fatima requested the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays.
She proclaimed to Lucia, the eldest of the three children to whom She appeared, "Jesus wishes to make use of you to have me acknowledged and loved. He wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God."
Pope Pius XII issued an Encyclical in 1948 to the whole world calling upon every family and every diocese to make the consecration. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, wrote that, although God was pleased with this act, it was incomplete.
We will know that the Immaculate Heart of Mary has triumphed, just as She promised, when the Holy Father united with all of the Bishops gather in Rome to define the fifth Marian dogma - that Our Blessed Mother is the Mediatrix of All Graces And Co-Redemptrix of the World. This will be the outward sign of the Triumph of her Immaculate Heart.
Through the Fatima revelations, Our Lord made it known that the sacrifice He requires of each person is the faithful accomplishment of their daily duty through prayer and sacrifice.
Our Lord said, "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." (Mark 12:24) The daily Rosary increases our faith, hope and charity. It enhances our belief, adoration, trust and our love for Jesus and Our Blessed Mother. It sanctifies us and helps us avoid sin.
Sister Lucia wrote, "Jesus wishes that it be made clear to souls that the true penance He wants and requires consists first of all in the sacrifice that each one must make to fulfill his own religious and temporal duties."
My love and prayers are with all of you and your families always.
Your fellow servant and sister in Christ, together we labor for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Bon courage, dear Child of Mary,
Patti Melvin, ULRA Director
Please pray for me as I will pray for you all the days of my life!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Spiritual Communion with Mary
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every Grace! I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul.
O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One Who has already come and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
Sister Lucia helped write the Fatima Morning Offering. As soon as we awaken, we should give our thoughts to God and consecrate the day to Him by praying the Morning Offering:
O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss the Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, joining with it my every thought, word and action of this day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Note of Gratitude
We want to offer our heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation to Thomas Nelson of TAN Publishingfor his most generous donation of more than 100,000 books to the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA). Nelson, who is a strong devotee of St. Philomena, gifted our missionary work with sacred books ranging from catechisms of the Catholic Church, to Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Philomena and many other saints, and more. Each one is such a treasure of our faith and is so needed in the remote areas of the world where Christ's most vulnerable people are starved for His sacred word.
We would also like to thank one of our members, who wishes to remain anonymous, for funding the entire cost to have the books loaded and delivered by truck to our Texas residence. As the old adage goes, give a person a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime. With the help of these books souls will learn their faith and be able to explain and defend it for the remainder of their lives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Mission
The Living Rosary's purpose is accomplished by helping bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the world. Our Blessed Mother is our direct way to Jesus Christ and her holy Rosary is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons to bring about the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is the fountain of grace which is poured out upon us through the Most Holy Rosary and the Scapular of Mt. Carmel.
We need your continued strong commitment. God knows what is necessary for the current spiritual battle and he will inspire souls to fulfill these needs. But it is our duty to make known to you these needs. Each month hundreds of 'mission parcels' loaded with spiritual treasures for our poor missionaries are carefully and lovingly packed. The Priority box from the post office is 12x12x6 and can be loaded with up to 20 pounds of materials. We include Rosaries, miraculous medals, Scapulars, leaflets, newsletters, two TAN books, large color prints, the blessed cords and holy oil of St. Philomena, decade cards and registration lists for the leaders and priests. Each box costs $53.95 to send. Our very mission is united to the plan for peace that Our Lady delivered at Fatima. Make it part of your "Daily Duty" to encourage the faithful to take up a decade in the Living Rosary and help reach the missions with the tools they need to know and live the message of Our Lady at Fatima. Through this work we have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith to as many souls as possible.
It is Our Lady who summons us to Her service in this sacred work of souls – souls for whom Our Lord shed His Blood on Cavalry. We must join the children of Fatima and consecrate our hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus. Everything else will fall into place according to Our Lord's plan.
In John 7:37, Jesus said, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink." Our united work and prayers of the most Holy Rosary will continue to help spread God's message of hope and peace and quench the spiritual thirst of His lost sheep.
O Blessed Mother, make us live in God, with God, and for God and "May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands!" (Psalm 90:17)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Share Your Gift of Faith
For centuries, our cherished Catholic faith has been passed from person to person, parent to child, etc. Each of us carries in our heart a special memory of how God first graced us with the knowledge of the faith and how Our Blessed Mother, St. Philomena, Venerable Pauline Jaricot and other saints changed our lives and brought us closer to Christ.
In our work in the Universal Living Rosary Association, we see first hand how millions of souls are currently living without that knowledge of God and are living outside of His grace. We have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith and blessings to others who would otherwise never be introduced to Our Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Just as we pray for the souls in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them, we should also make it a part of our life's mission to pass on our faith to as many souls as possible who have no one else to pass it on to them, who don't know Our Lord and His promise of salvation.
The Living Rosary Association was founded by Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot at Lyon, France in 1826, at the age of 27. She first founded the Propagation of the Faith at the age of twenty. Pauline as a close friend of Saint Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars. It was approved and richly indulgenced by Pope Gregory XVI, and accorded official canonical status on January 27, 1832.
The Living Rosary Association began its revival on December 8, 1986, with 30 local members. Blessed 1000-fold by Our Lady and under the powerful patronage of St. Philomena, the membership is now 11,320,018 and has been planted in every continent of the world. Over 3/4 of the membership lies in foreign and Third World countries. Each member is asked to voluntarily give a small monthly donation. There is no other financial support other than from its members. The funds received are placed directly back into the work of our Missionary Centers around the world. For those who are unable to contribute a monetary donation, we ask for your fervent prayers that our material needs are met.
Click here to become a member
Click here to sign up to receive future issues of our ULRA NewsFlash email
The Holy Rosary according to the Method of St. Louis de Montfort
Patti Melvin, Director
Universal Living Rosary Association
P.O. Box 1303, Dickinson, Texas 77539, U.S.A.
Fax: (281) 337-3722 / (281) 309-9821
E-Mail: Filomena@Philomena.org
Web: www.Philomena.org
(Pakistan) www.ULRAPak.com
(UK) www.WaysideAudio.com
(Ukraine) www.LivingRosary.org.ua
web site by richard donley fox
Dear Fellow Members of the Living Rosary Association,
I wanted to share with you some thoughts about our commitment as Christians to keeping Christ at the center of our lives. If Jesus is not the foundation of our lives, we have no foundation and we have no life worth living. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do we want Jesus? If we are determined to be like everyone else in our community then we will not sense any need for Christ. We live in a society that focuses heavily on self-interest. For example, when someone is asked to help another, the question that many respond with is, "What do I get in return?" This is not the way of the Christian. The only concern of a Christian is Jesus Christ and striving to be more like Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He must be the Cornerstone of our lives. It's all about You, Jesus.
There is a cost, however. Sure, when we preach the good news and stand up for Jesus, we are often joined by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who also wish to change the world for the better. But we are also often rejected by many who want nothing to do with Jesus, His Way, or His Life. Have others asked you to join them in something that is against the life of Jesus? Have you ever had to say, "No" -- no to drugs, no to alcohol, no to sex outside of marriage, no to gossip, no to destroying someone's reputation, no to excluding someone, no to cheating, no to stealing, etc. And when we do say "No," what happens? Quite often, we are rejected by others. We need to lift these individuals up in prayer for they are not just rejecting us. They are rejecting Our Lord. The stone that is being rejected is Jesus. We live for Jesus. We share His Life and His Love. We also share in His rejection and His crucifixion. We also share in His recreation of the world into the Kingdom of God.
This is reflected in the gospel of the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the good and most faithful shepherd. He offers Himself up completely for His people. He and He alone is our life and our salvation. In the name of Jesus Christ, the world is healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are healed.
With love,
Father Daniel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United with Heaven's Plan for Peace
Dear Devoted Apostles of the Living Rosary Association,
Today we faithfully remember and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and Her important messages to the world regarding the need for prayer and penance. It was in Our Lady's messages more than 90 years ago that She warned God's children to amend their lives in order to prevent further suffering and wars.
In 1916, three shepherd children Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta (ages seven to nine), of the mountain village of Fatima, Portugal, were visited by the Angel of Portugal prior to Our Lady's appearances. The Angel told them to pray constantly to the Most High, and to accept and endure the sufferings sent to them by the Lord.
A beautiful gift of Our Lady's messages was the reminder to all, of the spiritual triumph that is achieved when the Rosary is prayed with great devotion. Our Lady said, "Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war…if they do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace…But if they do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI."
Before the child Jacinta died in 1920, she revealed one of the messages she had received from Our Lady: "Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary…and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to Her."
Our Lady of Fatima requested the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays.
She proclaimed to Lucia, the eldest of the three children to whom She appeared, "Jesus wishes to make use of you to have me acknowledged and loved. He wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God."
Pope Pius XII issued an Encyclical in 1948 to the whole world calling upon every family and every diocese to make the consecration. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, wrote that, although God was pleased with this act, it was incomplete.
We will know that the Immaculate Heart of Mary has triumphed, just as She promised, when the Holy Father united with all of the Bishops gather in Rome to define the fifth Marian dogma - that Our Blessed Mother is the Mediatrix of All Graces And Co-Redemptrix of the World. This will be the outward sign of the Triumph of her Immaculate Heart.
Through the Fatima revelations, Our Lord made it known that the sacrifice He requires of each person is the faithful accomplishment of their daily duty through prayer and sacrifice.
Our Lord said, "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." (Mark 12:24) The daily Rosary increases our faith, hope and charity. It enhances our belief, adoration, trust and our love for Jesus and Our Blessed Mother. It sanctifies us and helps us avoid sin.
Sister Lucia wrote, "Jesus wishes that it be made clear to souls that the true penance He wants and requires consists first of all in the sacrifice that each one must make to fulfill his own religious and temporal duties."
My love and prayers are with all of you and your families always.
Your fellow servant and sister in Christ, together we labor for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Bon courage, dear Child of Mary,
Patti Melvin, ULRA Director
Please pray for me as I will pray for you all the days of my life!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Spiritual Communion with Mary
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every Grace! I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul.
O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One Who has already come and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
Sister Lucia helped write the Fatima Morning Offering. As soon as we awaken, we should give our thoughts to God and consecrate the day to Him by praying the Morning Offering:
O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss the Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, joining with it my every thought, word and action of this day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Note of Gratitude
We want to offer our heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation to Thomas Nelson of TAN Publishingfor his most generous donation of more than 100,000 books to the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA). Nelson, who is a strong devotee of St. Philomena, gifted our missionary work with sacred books ranging from catechisms of the Catholic Church, to Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Philomena and many other saints, and more. Each one is such a treasure of our faith and is so needed in the remote areas of the world where Christ's most vulnerable people are starved for His sacred word.
We would also like to thank one of our members, who wishes to remain anonymous, for funding the entire cost to have the books loaded and delivered by truck to our Texas residence. As the old adage goes, give a person a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime. With the help of these books souls will learn their faith and be able to explain and defend it for the remainder of their lives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Mission
The Living Rosary's purpose is accomplished by helping bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the world. Our Blessed Mother is our direct way to Jesus Christ and her holy Rosary is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons to bring about the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is the fountain of grace which is poured out upon us through the Most Holy Rosary and the Scapular of Mt. Carmel.
We need your continued strong commitment. God knows what is necessary for the current spiritual battle and he will inspire souls to fulfill these needs. But it is our duty to make known to you these needs. Each month hundreds of 'mission parcels' loaded with spiritual treasures for our poor missionaries are carefully and lovingly packed. The Priority box from the post office is 12x12x6 and can be loaded with up to 20 pounds of materials. We include Rosaries, miraculous medals, Scapulars, leaflets, newsletters, two TAN books, large color prints, the blessed cords and holy oil of St. Philomena, decade cards and registration lists for the leaders and priests. Each box costs $53.95 to send. Our very mission is united to the plan for peace that Our Lady delivered at Fatima. Make it part of your "Daily Duty" to encourage the faithful to take up a decade in the Living Rosary and help reach the missions with the tools they need to know and live the message of Our Lady at Fatima. Through this work we have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith to as many souls as possible.
It is Our Lady who summons us to Her service in this sacred work of souls – souls for whom Our Lord shed His Blood on Cavalry. We must join the children of Fatima and consecrate our hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus. Everything else will fall into place according to Our Lord's plan.
In John 7:37, Jesus said, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink." Our united work and prayers of the most Holy Rosary will continue to help spread God's message of hope and peace and quench the spiritual thirst of His lost sheep.
O Blessed Mother, make us live in God, with God, and for God and "May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands!" (Psalm 90:17)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Share Your Gift of Faith
For centuries, our cherished Catholic faith has been passed from person to person, parent to child, etc. Each of us carries in our heart a special memory of how God first graced us with the knowledge of the faith and how Our Blessed Mother, St. Philomena, Venerable Pauline Jaricot and other saints changed our lives and brought us closer to Christ.
In our work in the Universal Living Rosary Association, we see first hand how millions of souls are currently living without that knowledge of God and are living outside of His grace. We have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith and blessings to others who would otherwise never be introduced to Our Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Just as we pray for the souls in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them, we should also make it a part of our life's mission to pass on our faith to as many souls as possible who have no one else to pass it on to them, who don't know Our Lord and His promise of salvation.
The Living Rosary Association was founded by Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot at Lyon, France in 1826, at the age of 27. She first founded the Propagation of the Faith at the age of twenty. Pauline as a close friend of Saint Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars. It was approved and richly indulgenced by Pope Gregory XVI, and accorded official canonical status on January 27, 1832.
The Living Rosary Association began its revival on December 8, 1986, with 30 local members. Blessed 1000-fold by Our Lady and under the powerful patronage of St. Philomena, the membership is now 11,320,018 and has been planted in every continent of the world. Over 3/4 of the membership lies in foreign and Third World countries. Each member is asked to voluntarily give a small monthly donation. There is no other financial support other than from its members. The funds received are placed directly back into the work of our Missionary Centers around the world. For those who are unable to contribute a monetary donation, we ask for your fervent prayers that our material needs are met.
Click here to become a member
Click here to sign up to receive future issues of our ULRA NewsFlash email
The Holy Rosary according to the Method of St. Louis de Montfort
Patti Melvin, Director
Universal Living Rosary Association
P.O. Box 1303, Dickinson, Texas 77539, U.S.A.
Fax: (281) 337-3722 / (281) 309-9821
E-Mail: Filomena@Philomena.org
Web: www.Philomena.org
(Pakistan) www.ULRAPak.com
(UK) www.WaysideAudio.com
(Ukraine) www.LivingRosary.org.ua
web site by richard donley fox
Thursday, April 30, 2009
What is the Immaculate Conception if it is not when Mary conceived Jesus and why did the Church wait until 1854 to proclaim it a doctrine or Dogma?
How can the Church change its teaching or add new teaching after 1800 years? This is a good question and again the fast answer is it didn’t. I do plan to address this from the view point of scripture and Tradition. This is a difficult question to answer so please bear with me I try to explain the Church’s view point and as always please feel free to ask any questions or add something you think I may have missed. If you do add something please state the references for the research that you used.
As a starting point I would like to address what the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of December 8th 1854 from Pope Leo IX states. This was what defined the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. It pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin" Holweck, F. (1910). This is about Mary been conceived with out the stain of original sin. Ok, so this did not start until the 19th centenary. How can a church change its doctrine or core its beliefs. The easy answer is that it can not. The full truth was given to the church at time of Christ’s death. There has been no new revelation given. So when did Catholics start to believe in the Immaculate Conception? We can look into this and also address where in scripture we can see references to the possibility of an Immaculate Conception.
I would like to point out just one reference that would show that Catholics did not make this doctrine in the 19th century. We can look back 400 years eairler to the year 1484 When St Beatrice de Silva Menesses founded the order of Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the requirements of this order was to wear the Scapular of the Immaculate Conception beneath there habits. Again in 1583 the Venerable Servant of God founded the Congregation of Oblates of the Immaculate Conception. This order then developed the Blue Scapular after Sister Ursula received a vision of the Blessed Mother (Marians of the Immaculate Conception. 2008). So we can find evidence of this teaching much earlier the 1854.
We can also look at the writings of the early Church Fathers. I will start with St Ephraim from his Nisibene Hymns These were written about 370 A.D. [27,8] “You alone and Your Mother are more beautiful then any others; For there is no blemish in you, nor any stains upon your Mother. Who of my children can compare in beauty to these (Jurgens Vol. 1, 1970)? By stating that there are no blemishes on Mary, St Ephraim is stating that she had no sin. Who else stated that Mary had no sin? We can look at St Ambrose of Milan’s Commentary on Psalm 118; 397-399A.D. Here we find St Ambrose saying “Come, then, and search out Your sheep, not through Your servant or hired men, but do it Yourself. Lift me up bodily and in the flesh, which is fallen in Adam. Lift me up not from Sara but from Mary, a virgin not only undefiled but a virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin (Jurgens Vol.2, 1970).
When we look into scripture we can find inferences to the fact that Mary was with out sin. To start we can look at the Gospel of Luke. Here we find the passages of the announcement to Mary. It states; ”And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-28 Douay-Rheims). The question to ask here is how someone is “full of grace”, if they are in a state of sin? We can not be in a state of grace if we have sin on our soul. The only way to achieve this is either through baptism or the sacrament of reconciliation or confession. Mary received neither of these prior to Jesus enacting these sacraments. The only way to be free of sin at that time was by a special grace from God. This grace was given to Mary at the time of her conception (which occurred in the normal fashion) so she could become the Ark of the Covenant carrying God’s Word.
This is just a start of this discussion it will need to be added to in the future. Again please ask any questions or make any additions to this. I will address them as they are posted.
Resources
Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm
Marians of the Immaculate Conception. (2008). The Blue Scapular and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 1. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 2. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.
As a starting point I would like to address what the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of December 8th 1854 from Pope Leo IX states. This was what defined the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. It pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin" Holweck, F. (1910). This is about Mary been conceived with out the stain of original sin. Ok, so this did not start until the 19th centenary. How can a church change its doctrine or core its beliefs. The easy answer is that it can not. The full truth was given to the church at time of Christ’s death. There has been no new revelation given. So when did Catholics start to believe in the Immaculate Conception? We can look into this and also address where in scripture we can see references to the possibility of an Immaculate Conception.
I would like to point out just one reference that would show that Catholics did not make this doctrine in the 19th century. We can look back 400 years eairler to the year 1484 When St Beatrice de Silva Menesses founded the order of Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the requirements of this order was to wear the Scapular of the Immaculate Conception beneath there habits. Again in 1583 the Venerable Servant of God founded the Congregation of Oblates of the Immaculate Conception. This order then developed the Blue Scapular after Sister Ursula received a vision of the Blessed Mother (Marians of the Immaculate Conception. 2008). So we can find evidence of this teaching much earlier the 1854.
We can also look at the writings of the early Church Fathers. I will start with St Ephraim from his Nisibene Hymns These were written about 370 A.D. [27,8] “You alone and Your Mother are more beautiful then any others; For there is no blemish in you, nor any stains upon your Mother. Who of my children can compare in beauty to these (Jurgens Vol. 1, 1970)? By stating that there are no blemishes on Mary, St Ephraim is stating that she had no sin. Who else stated that Mary had no sin? We can look at St Ambrose of Milan’s Commentary on Psalm 118; 397-399A.D. Here we find St Ambrose saying “Come, then, and search out Your sheep, not through Your servant or hired men, but do it Yourself. Lift me up bodily and in the flesh, which is fallen in Adam. Lift me up not from Sara but from Mary, a virgin not only undefiled but a virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin (Jurgens Vol.2, 1970).
When we look into scripture we can find inferences to the fact that Mary was with out sin. To start we can look at the Gospel of Luke. Here we find the passages of the announcement to Mary. It states; ”And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-28 Douay-Rheims). The question to ask here is how someone is “full of grace”, if they are in a state of sin? We can not be in a state of grace if we have sin on our soul. The only way to achieve this is either through baptism or the sacrament of reconciliation or confession. Mary received neither of these prior to Jesus enacting these sacraments. The only way to be free of sin at that time was by a special grace from God. This grace was given to Mary at the time of her conception (which occurred in the normal fashion) so she could become the Ark of the Covenant carrying God’s Word.
This is just a start of this discussion it will need to be added to in the future. Again please ask any questions or make any additions to this. I will address them as they are posted.
Holweck, F. (1910). Immaculate Conception. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm
Marians of the Immaculate Conception. (2008). The Blue Scapular and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 1. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 2. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Jurgens, W.A. (1970). The Faith of the Early Fathers Volume 3. MN: The Liturgical Press.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Are your beliefs found in the bible?
The fast answer to this is a resounding yes! But we are not looking for the fast answer are we. We want to see where in the bible our beliefs are. This is a difficult topic to cover because there are so many beliefs that need to be covered. I will be adding to this post as time goes on. Please look over it from time to time to see and additions you may have missed. Also, if you have any questions please post them so I way address them for you. For this we can turn to scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church for all the answers we need. You are going to say I don’t believe that a book written by the Catholic Church has the authority to or ability to change my understanding of what the Church believes. I want to use the Catechism as a reference point show the Church actually teaches. The Catechism is simply a book of reference for Catholics or anyone that matter to see in writing what the Church actually teaches of any given subject.
I feel the best place to start with the beliefs of The Catholic Church is to start with the creed. We use two different creeds the first being the Apostles’ Creed and the second being the Nicene Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, The Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Profits. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
I feel the best place to start with the beliefs of The Catholic Church is to start with the creed. We use two different creeds the first being the Apostles’ Creed and the second being the Nicene Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, The Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Profits. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Why Do You Worship Mary?
The first thing I want to get across is that I have never personally worshiped Mary, nor has any true Catholic that I know of. I think that the best place to start to address this by asking a quick question. Have you ever tried to emulate a person in your work or personal life? When you did this, did you worship that person? As a Catholic I see Mary as a person I would like to be like. She is truly the very first Christian. She had a very deep love for Christ and Christ would have done anything for his mother. Although I do not worship Mary, I do pray to Her and I will cover this also.
I am going to start with praying to Mary. To begin I will ask what was Jesus’ first miracle and why did he perform it? Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. The reason he did this was because his mother asked him. Jesus can not sin because of his divine nature therefore he must honor his father and mother. What better way to receive something in prayer then to have Mary ask Jesus for it, if she asks Jesus he can not refuse.
Why do we pray to Mary, because she is dead and can not help us? This is the next question you will ask. To answer this we need to turn to the bible and see if praying to the dead will help us on earth. I will begin by looking at Romans 15:30 “I urge you, (brothers,) by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf,” Paul is clearly asking for the prayers of the faithful here. Now take a look at Luke 16:19-30 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent'”. How can Abraham intercede for this man if he is dead? Jesus himself stated that this could be done. I want to add Joshua 5:13-15, “While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of us or of our enemies?" He replied, "Neither. I am the captain of the host of the LORD and I have just arrived." Then Joshua fell prostrate to the ground in worship, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the host of the LORD replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy." And Joshua obeyed”. Joshua fell down and worshiped the angle of the Lord. Did anyone else do this? What about Daniel? Look at Daniel 8:17 “and on the Ulai I heard a human voice that cried out, ‘Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.’ When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. But he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the end time.’” We can also see that Tobiah and Tobit fell to the ground to worship Raphael in Tobit 12:16.
This shows that others have venerated someone else other then God and as a Catholic we do not worship Mary we Venerate her. If you look in the bible does Mary not state that “All the nations will call me blessed” Luke 1:48? When Catholics venerate Mary we are fulfilling this prophesy. When you look at The Hail Mary you will see that it is also biblical.
Hail Mary Full of grace the lord is with you
Blessed are you among woman
and blessed if the fruit of your womb Jesus
Holy Mary Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.” Luke 1:39-48. This is the discourse between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. You will see that all of the prayer is contained with in this discourse. You will also note that Elizabeth made the statement of, “how is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me”. I the time of this when a Jew used the statement Lord it meant God because Jews would not say the name of God. Mary did not correct her and she went on to say how all ages or generations would call her blessed.
With Mary being the Mother of our Lord (God) and that it was and is ok to venerate someone why not choose Mary. If I can imitate her in the smallest regard why would I not try? I also think that for the reason I stated above about how Jesus will respond to Mary, we should pray to her and ask for her intersession when ever possible. I also know there are many other questions about Mary that non-Catholics will ask. I do plan to answer them also. Each should receive their own posting.
I am going to start with praying to Mary. To begin I will ask what was Jesus’ first miracle and why did he perform it? Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. The reason he did this was because his mother asked him. Jesus can not sin because of his divine nature therefore he must honor his father and mother. What better way to receive something in prayer then to have Mary ask Jesus for it, if she asks Jesus he can not refuse.
Why do we pray to Mary, because she is dead and can not help us? This is the next question you will ask. To answer this we need to turn to the bible and see if praying to the dead will help us on earth. I will begin by looking at Romans 15:30 “I urge you, (brothers,) by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf,” Paul is clearly asking for the prayers of the faithful here. Now take a look at Luke 16:19-30 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent'”. How can Abraham intercede for this man if he is dead? Jesus himself stated that this could be done. I want to add Joshua 5:13-15, “While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of us or of our enemies?" He replied, "Neither. I am the captain of the host of the LORD and I have just arrived." Then Joshua fell prostrate to the ground in worship, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the host of the LORD replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy." And Joshua obeyed”. Joshua fell down and worshiped the angle of the Lord. Did anyone else do this? What about Daniel? Look at Daniel 8:17 “and on the Ulai I heard a human voice that cried out, ‘Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.’ When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. But he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the end time.’” We can also see that Tobiah and Tobit fell to the ground to worship Raphael in Tobit 12:16.
This shows that others have venerated someone else other then God and as a Catholic we do not worship Mary we Venerate her. If you look in the bible does Mary not state that “All the nations will call me blessed” Luke 1:48? When Catholics venerate Mary we are fulfilling this prophesy. When you look at The Hail Mary you will see that it is also biblical.
Hail Mary Full of grace the lord is with you
Blessed are you among woman
and blessed if the fruit of your womb Jesus
Holy Mary Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.” Luke 1:39-48. This is the discourse between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. You will see that all of the prayer is contained with in this discourse. You will also note that Elizabeth made the statement of, “how is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me”. I the time of this when a Jew used the statement Lord it meant God because Jews would not say the name of God. Mary did not correct her and she went on to say how all ages or generations would call her blessed.
With Mary being the Mother of our Lord (God) and that it was and is ok to venerate someone why not choose Mary. If I can imitate her in the smallest regard why would I not try? I also think that for the reason I stated above about how Jesus will respond to Mary, we should pray to her and ask for her intersession when ever possible. I also know there are many other questions about Mary that non-Catholics will ask. I do plan to answer them also. Each should receive their own posting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)