Account: Pope's Last Word Was 'Amen'

CNN ^ | Sunday, April 3, 2005

[CyberAnt]

Well .. I was upset when CNN said that Amen meant - "may it be so" .. which is so incorrect.

When the Angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to be the mother of Jesus .. She said, "BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD".

You notice Mary didn't say - MAY it be unto me - instead, she made a declaration that she had FAITH in what the Angel from GOD was saying to her, even though she couldn't see anything in the natural. Mary had great faith.

So .. after we pray GOD's Word - it is a natural thing to say, "AMEN" - or Lord, be it unto me according to your Word.

[myprecious]

I get your point, but there is a useage of "may" that is a declarative. I think it is using the word "may" like the word "thus" to convey the fact that this is to occur from now to the future. I understand your concerns, however. You have given this a lot of thought and I appreciate that.

Like I said, most people use the word without ANY thought to it's meaning. It is often just a way to hang up on God.

[foreshadowed at waco]

I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan (NYC) on March 17th this year and this icon was hanging there at a side altar...is it visiting NYC or was I viewing a reproduction?

[CyberAnt]

Well .. the word "may" is considered in the English language to be "permissive" - as in: you may do it. Meaning the person has a choice to do it or not.

To me AMEN is declarative - not permissive.