Posted on 11/20/2009 9:29:10 PM PST by GonzoII
You don't. The text does not contain any disapproval of the woman's act. Note, too, that she did not just remarked calmly, that Mary is blessed; she lifted up her voice. It was also a reaction to a miracle and the solemn proclamation "But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you". We have the primary elements of veneration: praise and love. We do not have a request for intercession and we do not have an expressed desire to imitate. But intercession we get from other scripture (especially, John 2:1-11 and John 19:26-27) and by directing the woman to the virtue of obedience, Christ urges her to also imitate Mary.
do not worship God by focusing on the created
Really? Don't we worship God as creator of all, primarily? Remember that "How great thou are" hymn; does it not accord with your manner of worship?
Here is what the text says, per the NAB - a Catholic approved translation:
“While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’
He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’”
If someone claims those verses TEACH veneration of saints and hyper-veneration of Mary, then nothing I write will help them - except, “Repent!” Jesus wasn’t rude to the woman, but someone who reads what Luke wrote and Jesus said as approval cannot be helped by human words - those who deny the words of God will deny anything a human pens as well.
I post the words again so anyone reading this thread can decide for themselves what Jesus taught:
”While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’
He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’”
Why are you looking at translations — that don’t prove your point anyway — when I read and can explain the original?
There is no disapproval of the woman except in the broadening of the focus to all saints. There is no exclusion of veneration of Mary.
More reading, less spinning. That’s the Catholic way.
I use translations because a little Greek can be worse than no Greek. A simplistic reading of word meanings, apart from grammar and context - to include context from how words are used both in classical Greek and in translating the Septuagint - can lead to error in translating.
Jesus did not attack the woman, but neither did he commend her. “RATHER” indicates she was missing the point, not spot on.
“More reading, less spinning. That’s the Catholic way.”
Not spinning. I’ve cited the verses, and added footnotes from Catholic translations and other texts making the same point - that it isn’t a physical relation that we need to focus on, but spiritual, and that Jesus also said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Let any who read this thread decide for themselves who is paying attention to the text, and who is not. It only has two sentences:
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
“I wish I could come some day to understand this drive among protestants to deprecate the Mother of God.”
Don’t worry. Someday you will know why we don’t call her “Queen of Heaven”, or “Spouse of the Holy Spirit”! Hopefully that day will come while repentance is still possible...
I have no need to repent from disagreeing with your own personal interpretation of Scripture.
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