“Did you think I came up with this on my own? Ha! Did you see my post #49? “
What do I care when you have no respect for the scripture? But incase you think your fiction has always been held, here are the true quotes from Augustine on the matter (there are a few fakes floating around!):
” It is written in the Gospel, of the mother and brethren of Christ, that is, His kindred after the flesh, that, when word had been brought to Him, and they were standing without, because they could not come to Him by reason of the crowd, He made answer, “Who is My mother? Or who are My brethren?” And stretching forth His Hand over His disciples, He says, “These are My brethren: and whosoever shall have done the will of My Father, that man is to Me brother, and mother, and sister.” What else teaching us, than to prefer to kindred after the flesh, our descent after the Spirit: and that men are not blessed for this reason, that they are united by nearness of flesh unto just and holy men, but that, by obeying and following, they cleave unto their doctrine and conduct. Therefore Mary is more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ, than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. For to a certain one who said, “Blessed is the womb, which bare You,” He Himself made answer, “Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the Word of God, and keep it.” (Augustine, On Holy Virginity)
“But rather were those disciples brethren; for even those kinsmen would not be brethren were they not disciples: and to no advantage brethren, if they did not recognize their brother as their master. For in a certain place, when He was informed that His mother and His brethren were standing without, at the time He was speaking to His disciples, He said: “Who is my mother? Or who are my brethren?” And stretching out His hand over His disciples, He said, “These are my brethren; and, Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, the same is my mother, and brother, and sister.” Matthew 12:46-50 Therefore also Mary, because she did the will of the Father. What the Lord magnified in her was, that she did the will of the Father, not that flesh gave birth to flesh. Give good heed, beloved. Moreover, when the Lord was regarded with admiration by the multitude, while doing signs and wonders, and showing forth what lay concealed under the flesh, certain admiring souls said: “Happy is the womb that bare You:” and He said, “Yea, rather, happy are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:27 That is to say, even my mother, whom you have called happy, is happy in that she keeps the word of God: not because in her the Word was made flesh and dwelt in us; but because she keeps that same word of God by which she was made, and which in her was made flesh. Let not men rejoice in temporal offspring, but let them exult if in spirit they are joined to God.” (Augustine, Tractate 10)
What do I care when you have no respect for the scripture?I respect Holy Scripture. And what you have printed out and what I have printed out both explain, to me anyway, that Mary brings people to Jesus. Why do you think so many Catholics credit Mary for their return to the faith, their deepening of the faith, their love of the faith? Because she leads them to her Son.