All believers are holy, i.e. set apart for God. I guess that means that everyone should call me "Holy MEGoody."
This intrigues me a lot. Is it fair to say that it's a Baptist notion that everyone in heaven is equal in all respects? Not that were identical or the same, but we're all certainly holy to the same degree? So star may differ from star in brightness, but this little light of mine is no dimmer or brighter than that of, say Holy Joseph or of some martyr?
So you are agreeing that he has been involved with the Catholic and/or Orthodox church for some time. That was my point.
Darn, this is so vague as to be hard to disagree with - or agree with. "Some time", of course. But whether that "some time" is a couple of months, of years, or of decades I wouldn't presume to say.
Then I have to wonder why I never hear Catholics or Orthodox go on about the 'intercession' of the next door neighbor the way they do the 'intercession' of Mary. Of course, it is because they view her 'intercession' as something other than just asking someone to pray for them.
"Of course"?
I'd guess there are two possible areas of difference, I would guess. There could be something different about Mary or something different about what or how one asks her v. what or how one asks the guy next door. Certainly, the "prayers of the people" in the Mass are referred to as "intercessions" and qualified as "intercessory". You may have been hanging out around Catholics "for some time", but maybe the "some" wasn't enough to learn how we think.
And one of the things we think is that, after Jesus, Mary is a pioneer of Faith, that she already realizes and in a very great degree what is promised to all the Faithful. And then we believe that on the basis of personal conviction or of a sho' 'nuff offishul declaration that we can be confident that folks like Catherine Laboure or Dominic or Mary are in a somehow stronger position than our neighbor next door to intercede for us.
So the difference arises from matters of degree both in the the quality of intercession and in the persons making the intercession, but there is no difference in the essence of the act of asking someone to pray for us - or even, as we sometimes do - asking God to use the intercessions of others to help us.
And again, I think a lot of Protestant data about RCs may be skewed in that some things stick out like a sore thumb. Yesterday I spent maybe 40+ minutes in "reading my office", 20 minutes saying the rosary, 35 minutes (almost exactly) at Mass during which two mentions was made of our Lady. Bunches of other saints were mentioned as well.
What sticks out is the rosary, I'm sure, but at least in terms of time spent, it's a minor part of my total devotional, uh, package.
If you define 'holy' as set apart for God, yes, because HE does the setting apart. If you have some other definition of holy, my response might change.
So star may differ from star in brightness, but this little light of mine is no dimmer or brighter than that of, say Holy Joseph or of some martyr?
Depends on what you mean by 'light'. Jesus is the Light of the world, so in that respect, yes it is the same for all believers. If you are refering to the rewards we get in heaven for our works, no, it is not the same for all.
But whether that "some time" is a couple of months, of years, or of decades I wouldn't presume to say.
"Some time" means one has been attending regularly for awhile (could be months or years), not that one has visited once or twice in a mix with visiting other churches.
There could be something different about Mary or something different about what or how one asks her v. what or how one asks the guy next door.
Yes, there is a difference. Mary has passed on to eternity while the guy next door hasn't. I don't see anything in the bible that says one person praying for you versus another is any different except where the bible says "the prayer of a righteous man availeth much".
that she already realizes and in a very great degree what is promised to all the Faithful.
Yes, as do all believers who have passed on. As to the effectiveness of intercessory prayers said by Mary as opposed to faithful believers currently living on earth, it seems to be a belief that is different between Protestants and Catholics.