Today is the Feast Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[Wittenberger]

Today, Sunday August 12, 2012, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans honor Mary, the Mother of our Lord, with a feast day, a day of celebration.

Since the second century, the Chrisitian Church has observed Feasts in honor and veneration of the role Mary played in the Gospel story. As the "most blessed among women" she conceived, carried, birthed, nursed, and reared our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The above Churches believe and teach, that Mary, as mother of Christ---who is not only the Son of God, but IS God--- is therefore the Mother of God and the "Theotokos", literally Bearer of God. This sentiment was expressed and affirmed in the Council of Ephesus (431 AD).

The only recorded quote of Mary speaking to ordinary people, is this statement at a wedding feast: "Whatever he (Jesus) says to you, do it."

This we Lutherans take to be the summation of her message to the world. If we listen to her, she will tell us, "Listen to Him. Listen to my Son. Do what He tells you."

When we see Mary we see her pointing to her Son. If our regard for the Blessed Virgin does not have the immediate effect of turning our attention from her to the One whom she carried in her womb for nine months and suckled at her breast, to the Incarnate God, the Word made flesh, then we may be sure that it is not the kind of regard that she seeks.

A right regard for Mary will ALWAYS direct us to Him Who found in her His first earthly dwelling-place.

Lutherans deeply respect Mary as probably the most noble of all humanity, for God chose her to be the Mother of Christ. However we do not pray to her (or to any other saint in heaven). Why?

We do not argue the possibility of whether or not the saints in heaven can hear us. What Lutherans say is this: We reject the concept that Christ gives more attention to a Christian's prayer brought to him by his Blessed Mother, than the prayer of a Christian directed directly to Christ.

The concept that states that Mary has more "pull" or influence with Christ than you or I is a belief based on a human weakness: partiality to one's mother.

Jesus is God. He shows no partiality. He hears your prayer and my prayer just as intently as he would a prayer brought to him by his Mother.

Protestants of all stripes need to honor and respect the Mother of our Savior, the Mother of God, Mary of Nazareth.

Prayer for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord

O God, who chose the blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of Your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Chst our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

O God, who have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we , who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

[DHK]

Prayer for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord

O God, who chose the blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of Your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Chst our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

O God, who have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we , who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Perhaps you need to read the other thread:

Congratulations! You are all evil sinners!

Mary was too: an evil, wicked, depraved sinner. Eight days after Christ was born she took Jesus to be circumcised and she presented a sin offering for herself, thus demonstrating to all that she was a sinner. In her own prayer to the Lord, she said: "I rejoice in God my Savior," again, admitting her need for a Savior and her admission that she is a sinner. In Acts chapter one, we find her as one out of 120, just one of them, an equal, no greater than any, praying to the Lord. They were all sinners praying to the Lord. This time they were sinners saved by grace, but sinners nevertheless.

God used Mary as a vessel for his purpose for one point in history, and that is all. He used his apostles for different purposes as well. And throughout history he has used others.
Mary is now dead. We don't pray to dead people. That is spiritism, an occult the delves into the paranormal. It is condemned in the Scriptures and is often connected with necromancy.

The suggestions that you make are blasphemous, anti-Biblical, and lauded by Satan.

 

[Walter]

That is a beautiful prayer! Let me say that although Catholic devotion to Mary may have gone overboard in the past, they do not worship Mary (neither do the orthodox, Lutherans or Anglicans for that matter). I will say it again, CATHOLICS DO NOT WORSHIP MARY!

This can be made abundantly clear by just attending one Mass. From the crucifix above the altar, to the "praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ," recited by the congregation after the reading of the Gospel, to the bread and wine that are consecrated to become the body and blood of our Lord, Catholic worship is focused totally on Christ. Indeed, except for the Penitential rite (where we ask Mary and the saints to pray for us) and the Creed (where we acknowledge Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary), Mary is hardly mentioned at all in the Mass.

I know that the Lutherans at the Lutheran Benedictine Monastery at Oxford, Michigan celebrated a Eucharist today in honor of the Virgin Mother of God. There are Protestants that attack Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and the Orthodox for honoring Mary, saying she resembles the 'Queen of Heaven' worshipped by pagans. However, many non-Christians attack Jesus Christ in the same manner, saying that that the Gospel accounts resemble pagan Gods who died and came back to life (like Adonis, Osiris, etc.). However, both criticisms can be disarmed by the same argument. G. K. Chesterton wrote:

"If the Christian God made the human race, would not the human race tend to rumors and perversions of the Christian God? If the center of our life is a certain fact, would not people far from the center have a muddled version of that fact? If we are so made that a Son of God must deliver us, is it odd that Patagonians should dream of the sudden God? When learned skeptics come to me and say 'are you aware the Kaffirs have a sort of incarnation?' Speaking as an unlearned person, I don't know. But speaking as a Christian, I should be very much astonished if they hadn't."

 

[mandym]

That is a beautiful prayer! Let me say that although Catholic devotion to Mary may have gone overboard in the past, they do not worship Mary (neither do the orthodox, Lutherans or Anglicans for that matter). I will say it again, CATHOLICS DO NOT WORSHIP MARY!

The op shows otherwise.

 

[Walter]

Perhaps you need to read the other thread:

Congratulations! You are all evil sinners!

Mary was too: an evil, wicked, depraved sinner. Eight days after Christ was born she took Jesus to be circumcised and she presented a sin offering for herself, thus demonstrating to all that she was a sinner. In her own prayer to the Lord, she said: "I rejoice in God my Savior," again, admitting her need for a Savior and her admission that she is a sinner. In Acts chapter one, we find her as one out of 120, just one of them, an equal, no greater than any, praying to the Lord. They were all sinners praying to the Lord. This time they were sinners saved by grace, but sinners nevertheless.

God used Mary as a vessel for his purpose for one point in history, and that is all. He used his apostles for different purposes as well. And throughout history he has used others.
Mary is now dead. We don't pray to dead people. That is spiritism, an occult the delves into the paranormal. It is condemned in the Scriptures and is often connected with necromancy.

The suggestions that you make are blasphemous, anti-Biblical, and lauded by Satan.

As a Baptist, I considered that the Catholic doctrines regarding Mary gave her attributes that I felt belonged to Jesus alone. However, I never took the harsh anti-Mary attitude taken by some Baptists who regard her as nothing more than some 'packing crate' for the Messiah. Indeed, I was appalled when I read of certain apostate/heretic/infidel scholars or 'theologians' who wrote that Mary was simply an 'unmarried woman' or even a prostitute! As I am just becoming Catholic, it is taking some time for me to accept dogmas like the Immaculate Conception. However, I am now coming to believe that the Church's teachings on Mary are not only right and true, but downright necessary for the preservation of Christianity.

 

[Alive in Christ]

Maryolatry, which the OP is promoting, is a despicable practice that is promoted by the reprobate Roman Catholic false church and some ultra liberal groups.

True christians will not participate for obvious reasons. :tear:

 

[Walter]

The op shows otherwise.

Could you point to what in the op demonstraes that which you believe shows that she is 'worshipped' instead of honored?

 

[DHK]

As a Baptist, I considered that the Catholic doctrines regarding Mary gave her attributes that I felt belonged to Jesus alone. However, I never took the harsh anti-Mary attitude taken by some Baptists who regard her as nothing more than some 'packing crate' for the Messiah. Indeed, I was appalled when I read of certain apostate/heretic/infidel scholars or 'theologians' who wrote that Mary was simply an 'unmarried woman' or even a prostitute! As I am just becoming Catholic, it is taking some time for me to accept dogmas like the Immaculate Conception. However, I am now coming to believe that the Church's teachings on Mary are not only right and true, but downright necessary for the preservation of Christianity.

Then you have been brain-washed. It is true that some of the anti-Mary things you heard were wrong, but not all of it. Mary was no different than any one of us. We all have a purpose to perform in this life. It is our duty to find out what that purpose is and do it to the best of our ability. Mary's purpose was special indeed. But that doesn't exalt her as a human above every other human. She was human, and as such awaits the resurrection, as all other dead people do. She is no different.

 

[mandym]

Could you point to what in the op demonstraes that which you believe shows that she is 'worshipped' instead of honored?

Sure:

Today is the Feast Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary is neither a virgin (anymore) nor should there be a feast to her, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John or anyone else in scripture. She is not above them in any manner or form. She, like us, was just a lowly servant. Raising her above that status is heretical.

 

[Wittenberger]

Perhaps you need to read the other thread:

Congratulations! You are all evil sinners!

Mary was too: an evil, wicked, depraved sinner. Eight days after Christ was born she took Jesus to be circumcised and she presented a sin offering for herself, thus demonstrating to all that she was a sinner. In her own prayer to the Lord, she said: "I rejoice in God my Savior," again, admitting her need for a Savior and her admission that she is a sinner. In Acts chapter one, we find her as one out of 120, just one of them, an equal, no greater than any, praying to the Lord. They were all sinners praying to the Lord. This time they were sinners saved by grace, but sinners nevertheless.

God used Mary as a vessel for his purpose for one point in history, and that is all. He used his apostles for different purposes as well. And throughout history he has used others.
Mary is now dead. We don't pray to dead people. That is spiritism, an occult the delves into the paranormal. It is condemned in the Scriptures and is often connected with necromancy.

The suggestions that you make are blasphemous, anti-Biblical, and lauded by Satan.

Could you please be specific, Brother, what did I say exactly that was so heretical?

Lutherans do not believe in the Immaculate Conception. Mary was just as much a sinner as you and me, in need of a Savior.

Lutherans do not believe that Mary was sinless during her life.

Lutherans do not believe in the Assumption of Mary. Mary died just like every other human being who has ever lived.

However, Lutherans do believe that Mary had to be one remarkable human being, servant of God, for her to be chosen out of millions if not billions of women to be the Mother of God.

You Baptists are so rabidly anti-Catholic that when you hear the words "Virgin Mary" you start frothing at the mouth.

She was the Mother of God! Show her a little respect!

 

[Wittenberger]

Maryolatry, which the OP is promoting, is a despicable practice that is promoted by the reprobate Roman Catholic false church and some ultra liberal groups.

True christians will not participate for obvious reasons. :tear:

You are frothing at the mouth, dear Baptist brother. Today in my Lutheran Church we honored the Mother of our Lord. We said no prayers to her.

She is the Mother of God. That's it.

She was born a sinner and died as a sinner. She needed a Savior just like you and me. She is not our mediatior to Christ, but she is his Blessed Mother.

Where exactly in the OP did I say something contrary to Scripture.

The angel called her "blessed". We orthodox didn't make that up ourselves.

 

[mandym]

However, Lutherans do believe that Mary had to be one remarkable human being, servant of God, for her to be chosen out of millions if not billions of women to be the Mother of God.

Please show me in scripture where this is.

She was the Mother of God! Show her a little respect!

Did she give birth to God the Father? God the Holy Spirit?

 

[Wittenberger]

Sure:




Mary is neither a virgin (anymore) nor should there be a feast to her, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John or anyone else in scripture. She is not above them in any manner or form. She, like us, was just a lowly servant. Raising her above that status is heretical.

If you Baptists are so against keeping "catholic" feast days, why on earth do you celebrate the "mass of Christ", Christmas???

Jesus wasn't even born in December! Christmas is a catholic Christian tradition. To be true to your principles, stop celebrating Christmas and give your children a lump of coal on the 25th of December!

 

[mandym]

If you Baptists are so against keeping "catholic" feast days, why on earth do you celebrate the "mass of Christ", Christmas???

Where did I say anything about Catholics keeping feast days?

Jesus wasn't even born in December! Christmas is a catholic Christian tradition. To be true to your principles, stop celebrating Christmas and give your children a lump of coal on the 25th of December!

Nope. He sure wasn't but celebrating the birth of Christ is not an equivalent comparison to Mary.

 

[Wittenberger]

Please show me in scripture where this is.





Did she give birth to God the Father? God the Holy Spirit?

So you believe that Jesus must be referred to as "1/3 of God", not "God".

Jesus Christ is God.
Mary of Nazareth was the mother of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, she is the mother of God!

You insistence on referring to her as "the mother of 1/3 of God" is heresy and a denial of the Trinity: three persons but one.

God the Father is God.
Jesus Christ is God.
The Holy Spirit is God.

You sound like an Arian heretic.

 

[mandym]

So you believe that Jesus must be referred to as "1/3 of God", not "God".

Please answer my question. Did Mary give birth to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit?

 

[Alive in Christ]

Whittenberger...

You accused me of...

...frothing at the mouth

What?

Nobody on this thread is "frothing at the mouth"

It apears to me that we are all commenting calmly and rationally.

But we ARE speaking the truth regarding Maryolatry.

We have no part in Maryolatry because it is inapropiate and in some cases EXTREMELY cultic.

This is simply the truth.

 

[Wittenberger]

Please answer my question. Did Mary give birth to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit?

Of course she didn't.

Does that mean she did not give birth to God? No!

Jesus Christ IS God. If you don't believe that then you, Sir, are more like the Mormons than I originally thought!

 

[Wittenberger]

Whittenberger...

You accused me of...




What?

Nobody on this thread is "frothing at the mouth"

It apears to me that we are all commenting calmly and rationally.

But we ARE speaking the truth regarding Maryolatry.

We have no part in Maryolatry because it is inapropiate and in some cases EXTREMELY cultic.

This is simply the truth.

That was a form of expression to indicate "simmering anger". If you think I was really referring to you as a dog, then I sincerely apologize.

 

[MichaelNZ]

I don't see anything wrong with feast days in and of themselves. Anglicans have a calendar of saints as well as Roman Catholics.

Mary is not the Mother of God because God existed forever - long before Mary was even born. The only title that can be applied to her is Mother of Christ.