Our Lady is GOD HMMMmmm...
Posted on 10/30/2014 9:46:31 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
The world looks pretty frightening for the Church these days. Christians are being martyred around the world, whether it be by Communists in China or by Islamic radicals in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Western society is becoming ever more anti-religious, and the Church is facing increasing threats by secularists in many countries, including in the United States. As big as these external threats are, yet larger ones exist within the Church. Bad priests and religious educators have led, and continue to lead, untold numbers of Catholics astray; partially as a result, there are large numbers of Catholics who have either left the Church entirely, or who are Catholic in name alone, or who are lukewarm or heretical.
This picture can seem rather bleak. Fortunately, the Church has weathered such storms – and worse – before, and we have the example of our forebears to see how to survive. Consider, in particular, St. Pius X, who died 100 years ago. As I’ve mentioned before, Pius didn’t want to become pope, a fact he made no secret of. In fact, he talked about it openly in his first encyclical, E Supremi, giving two reasons: his own unworthiness, and the grim situation of the society of his day:
3. Then again, to omit other motives, We were terrified beyond all else by the disastrous state of human society today. For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deeprooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is – apostasy from God, than which in truth nothing is more allied with ruin, according to the word of the Prophet: “For behold they that go far from Thee shall perish” (Ps. 1xxii., 17).
Seeing the dismal state of the world, Pius dedicated his pontificate to a single aim: to restore all things in Christ. Since we face many of the same problems today that he faced a century ago, this call remains as relevant as ever. But how do we go about doing that?
1. Look to Jesus: Several years after E Supremi, Pius summarized the encyclical this way: “We stated in Our first encyclical that We would labor without ceasing “to restore all things in Christ.”We begged everyone to turn their eyes with Us to Jesus, “the apostle and high priest of our confession…the author and finisher of faith.”[Heb. 3:1; 12:2]” If you want to restore all things in Christ, live and act like Christ.
2. Take the Virgin Mary as Your Model: Christ isn’t easy to imitate, since He is more than perfect: He’s Divine. We’re not God, so acting like we are isn’t always the best model (that is, what is fitting for Christ might not be fitting for us, given the situation). Pius recognized this, and called upon us to imitate Mary as well:
Since the majesty of that Model may be too much for fallen human nature, God mercifully gave Us another model to propose for your imitation, the glorious Virgin Mother of God. While being as close to Christ as human nature permits, she is better suited to the needs of our weak nature.
3. Imitate the Saints: In addition to Mary, Pius called us to imitate the Saints. This is solid Biblical advice: St. Paul says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Cor. 4:16). The Saints show us how to imitate Christ. We might draw the analogy to early childhood: sometimes, the best way young children can learn to imitate adult behavior (walking, talking, and the rest) is by watching the example of slightly-older children.
For this reason, Pius wrote encyclicals on St. Gregory the Great, on St. Anselm, and on St. Charles Borromeo. He wanted the Saints before our eyes, partly because they had been through these problems before, and triumphed. As he said of Pope St. Gregory:
When Gregory assumed the Supreme Pontificate the disorder in public affairs had reached its climax; the ancient civilization had all but disappeared and barbarism was spreading throughout the dominions of the crumbling Roman Empire. Italy, abandoned by the Emperors of Byzantium, had been left a prey of the still unsettled Lombards who roamed up and down the whole country laying waste everywhere with fire and sword and bringing desolation and death in their train. This very city, threatened from without by its enemies, tried from within by the scourges of pestilence, floods and famine, was reduced to such a miserable plight that it had become a problem how to keep the breath of life in the citizens and in the immense multitudes who flocked hither for refuge.
So Pope Pius X looked to Pope Gregory the Great as a model for the exact same reasons we ought to look to Pope Pius X as a model today: because, guided by Christ, he lead the Church through some dark and troubling times.
4. Be a Saint: Sanctity wins more souls than argumentation. Pius again: “We are of the opinion that the shining example of Christ’s soldiers has far greater value in the winning and sanctifying of souls than the words of profound treatises.” Even if you have the best Catholic apologetics or theology in the world, that won’t matter for much if your life doesn’t reflect the love of Christ. So be a Saint!
5. Sanctify Your Family and Your Work, and Help Restore Christian Civilization: Restoring all things in Christ is even bigger than evangelization. It’s also about building a truly Christian culture, “not only for the sanctification of his own soul, but also for the extension and increase of the Kingdom of God in individuals, families, and society.” Every field of work, every aspect of daily life, should be filled with Christ, since the “light of Catholic revelation is of such a nature that it diffuses itself with the greatest brilliance on every science.” For this reason, Pius explains:
To restore all things in Christ” includes not only what properly pertains to the divine mission of the Church, namely, leading souls to God, but also what We have already explained as flowing from that divine mission, namely, Christian civilization in each and every one of the elements composing it.
6. Pray for Priests and Seminarians: One of the chief ways that people encounter Christ is through His priests: in the Sacraments, in the proclamation of the Gospel, and in the priest himself. This is why holy priests are so important. Pius instructed the world’s bishops to make the formation of good priests a chief concern:
This being so, Venerable Brethren, of what nature and magnitude is the care that must be taken by you in forming the clergy to holiness! All other tasks must yield to this one. Wherefore the chief part of your diligence will be directed to governing and ordering your seminaries aright so that they may flourish equally in the soundness of their teaching and in the spotlessness of their morals.
Odds are, you’re not a bishop. But you can still do your part by supporting priests and seminarians, chiefly by your prayers. Holy priests are indispensable for the laity.
7. Do Not Be Afraid: That’s a phrase more associated with another saintly pope, it’s also a good summary of St. Pius X’s reminder that the Church gains the most from these dark times:
When vice runs wild, when persecution hangs heavy, when error is so cunning that it threatens her destruction by snatching many children from her bosom (and plunges them into the whirlpool of sin and impiety) – then, more than ever, the Church is strengthened from above. Whether the wicked will it or not, God makes even error aid in the triumph of Truth whose guardian and defender is the Church. He puts corruption in the service of sanctity, whose mother and nurse is the Church. Out of persecution He brings a more wondrous “freedom from our enemies.” For these reasons, when worldly men think they see the Church buffeted and almost capsized in the raging storm, then she really comes forth fairer, stronger, purer, and brighter with the lustre of distinguished virtues.
We haven’t been abandoned by God: He’s still in control, and He permits these situations for the good of the Church. Let’s not forget that.
8. Trust in Christ, Rather than Yourself: It’s easy to imagine that the last seven points can be accomplished by your own strength. They can’t, and Pius was quick to acknowledge this, reminding the bishops:
But, Venerable Brethren, we shall never, however much we exert ourselves, succeed in calling men back to the majesty and empire of God, except by means of Jesus Christ. “No one,” the Apostle admonishes us, “can lay other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (I. Cor.,iii., II.) It is Christ alone “whom the Father sanctified and sent into this world” (Is. x., 36), “the splendor of the Father and the image of His substance” (Hebr.i., 3), true God and true man: without whom nobody can know God with the knowledge for salvation, “neither doth anyone know the Father but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal Him.” (Matth. xi., 27.) Hence it follows that to restore all things in Christ and to lead men back to submission to God is one and the same aim.
If your attempts to win over souls are causing you to pray less, or miss Mass, or behave in an un-Christlike way, those are signs that you’re trying to do it on your own strength, rather than trusting in Him. Submission to Christ starts with us.
9. Be Catholic! If restoration of all things in Christ is submission to Christ, how can we reach Christ? Pius has an answer for that:
Now the way to reach Christ is not hard to find: it is the Church. Rightly does Chrysostom inculcate: “The Church is thy hope, the Church is thy salvation, the Church is thy refuge.” (Hom. de capto Euthropio, n. 6.) It was for this that Christ founded it, gaining it at the price of His blood, and made it the depositary of His doctrine and His laws, bestowing upon it at the same time an inexhaustible treasury of graces for the sanctification and salvation of men.
So there you have it. While things might look dark sometimes, remember that Christ is in control, and that our mission is clear: to be Catholic Saints, to draw others to Christ, and to sanctify our daily lives. If we do this, everything will be more than fine.
Joe Heschmeyer is a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, a former attorney, a Royals fan, and a Catholic blogger at Shameless Popery. God willing, he will be ordained a priest in 2018.
What are your reasons for quoting Matthew 23 in this post? I’m asking because I can imagine a few possibilities, and I’d want to understand your intent before I reply further.
(For one thing, the Religion Moderator profile uses Mormon-based examples that are parallel to Protestant-based and Catholic-based examples.)
[Elsie wrote,]
HMMMmmm...
I've missed these.
Could you copy and paste THOSE here?
Here's one place (the original indents these examples and emphasizes all four uses of "never"):
It is never within the bounds on the Religion Forum for a Freeper to express his hatred of people who hold a particular belief when any Freeper is part of the belief group.
For example:
It is ok to express hatred towards MormonISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Mormons because some Freepers are Mormon.
It is ok to express hatred towards CatholicISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Catholics because some Freepers are Catholic.
It is ok to express hatred towards ProtestantISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Protestants because some Freepers are Protestant.
It is ok to express hatred towards SatanISM and Satanists both because no Freeper is Satanist.
A few more examples follow:
"Protestants are heretics" is not making it personal. "You are a heretic" is making it personal. "Catholics worship Mary" is not making it personal. "You worship Mary" is making it personal. "Mormons worship many gods" is not making it personal. "You worship many gods" is making it personal.
However, when a poster paints with a brush that accuses an entire religion of criminal behavior - his post will be pulled as flame bait. For example, posts that say "Protestants kill babies" or "Catholics molest children" or "Mormons kill non-Mormons" will be pulled. However, if the post is specific about a non-Freeper, I will not pull it. For example "Rev. Doe says abortion and infanticide are not sin" or "Father Doe was convicted for molesting those kids" or "Mormons killed non-Mormons at Mountain Meadows" would not be pulled.
(I may suppose that these examples are like this for a reason.)
“Jesus rebuked His mother”Are you aware of the rules of the Religion Forum?You actually think that Jesus dishonored his mother...
A statement like that is mindreading and personal.
You need to stop making up things about other posters and posting them as if they are facts.
Yes, Jesus rebuked ["checked", the definition you posted and the meaning of my use of the word] Mary.
He was telling her it wasn't time for her to reveal what she was revealing.
You have called Jesus a sinner?
The absolute absurdity of a statement like that, which by the way your just posting it is very DISHONORING to Jesus and is a low blow to both Christianity and Jesus. You should experience massive shame for that IMO[He is more important than Mary whether you believe it or not]
More of your words mangling scripture:
What Christ is saying then is “Mother, if I do this miracle for you and for this couple, thus manifesting my identity as the Messiah, my...road to Calvary will begin. Knowing that, do you really want me to do this?" In response, Mary tells the servants, "Do whatever he...[Jesus] tells you" (John 2:5).Amazing.
What a thing to hang on his mother, the Mary revered by Catholicism as the central figure in it's belief system.
Your "interpretation" of scripture seems to be saying that Mary saw that she was putting on fast track her Son's pain, suffering, and crucifixion, and wanted to have her way even at that cost?
And posters imbedded in Catholicism say non Catholics disrespect Mary? And she was without sin her whole life?
Non Catholics would never say anything even close to what you have stated.
We love and respect Jesus, and we love and respect Mary.
And you think I should be slapped.
Jesus (the Truth) warned us followers about that type of reaction so I am not surprised a bit.
Interesting what “pesters” you.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21; 27-31King James Version (KJV)18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
I guess it was to show howing 'turning the other cheek' is not universally applied; as some folks would have it done.
"Let this mind be in you...
Phillipians 2:5
We've made NOTHING up!
We've investigated the incident at Fatima and found it quite true!
--Wannabe_Catholic_Dude(Hail Mary! Appear again!!!)
{Not on toast this time...}
Just trying to help you understand Christianity and bring you around to the Truth.
your first post to me was in that category.
In your first post to me you accused me of calling some one a liar, you were wrong but my post back to you was civil, I said any one can be mistaken, and you were mistaken.
Instead of admitting you were mistaken you just continued the attack.
I think it is a mistake to start taking sides in an argument unless you know for sure what the contention is about.
Then give your opinion on the issue, not start trashing some one.
Any one is welcome to give their point of view of scripture to me, but this had nothing to do with scripture.
Some one making an assumption that I was lying is what started it.`
Well if that is what I did, I was mistaken.
Mea Culpa.
What it was actually an accusation that a poster called you a liar: "maybe you should read it and then you can call James a liar instead of me"
Clearly cleverly stating that you were called a liar.
Against the rules, apology still needed.
All of my posts to you have been civil.
Nothing ever said can be a literal physical slap.
That's pretty obvious, but it was still a slap even if with a 50 cent word as a qualifier.
Some one making an assumption that I was lying is what started it.`
Yes, in my haste I got it turned around, explained in my last post to you.
It seems you saw someone calling you a liar.
All of my posts to you have been civil.
Yes, in my haste I got it turned around, explained in my last post to you
Clearly cleverly stating that you were called a liar.>>>>>>
Against the rules, apology still needed.
Any one can be wrong, I was wrong myself once when I thought I was wrong and then found out that I wasn’t.
Oh my you’re are a bit mixed up there.
It is you that broke the rules of the RF.
Clever of you to attempt to project it on others.
Yes I know you won’t make it right, never thought you would.
Which is why I was trying to help you accept Christianity.
It’s a free gift that costs you everything.
Clever of you to attempt to project it on others.
Thank you very much.
It's important to preserve the integrity of the Religion Forum, just doing my part.
Study the Rules (<----link) now that the thread has slowed down a bit.
Changing your name won’t help, Silly Sue.
I guess it was to show howing 'turning the other cheek' is not universally applied; as some folks would have it done.
Here I have a few thoughts.
One element of those thoughts is that the contexts differ. In other words, we're not playing Matthew 23 against Matthew 5:39--"...but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
The Religion Moderator profile does give the context of "[turning] the other cheek" concerning how we are to behave in the Religion Forum (emphasis in the original).
The demeanor of the poster says more about his own confession than the post says about yours. When he is being rude or mean it drives people away from his confession and towards yours. That is of course if you can resist the urge to meet fire with fire, in which case neither confession is appealing to the lurkers. The poster who “turns the other cheek” wins every single time.
I also don't suppose that Jesus was intending to be "rude or mean." Although I'm no expert here, I've also read explanations that such language, which may shock some of us in the 21st-century United States, had more of an acceptable place in 1st-century Jerusalem. A contrast appears in John 8, where the words "before Abraham was, I am" were far more offensive than they'd probably be for most crowds in the United States today, even crowds that know what the words mean.
I also noticed this part of the profile:
Another example, a poster may say on an “open” RF thread that a particular belief, diety, religious authority, etc. is "Satanic." But he must not say "You are Satanic." That would be "making it personal." The Bible is always a legitimate source on the Religion Forum, so a poster might quote the Bible where Jesus called Peter "Satan."
I personally interpret this part as saying, among other things, that we may quote Matthew 23 (your post, unlike others in this thread, has not been removed), but addressing another member here with the words "you hypocrites" would be a bit much.
Again, one difference could very well be that in our culture, "similar" words would be ill-advised as direct address to other people.
Not for nothing does the Religion Forum have detailed guidelines and plenty of missing posts. Now, I am not saying that forum policy is necessarily correct or holy, but look at what gets removed: by their fruits we shall know them.
In particular, the reference to "lurkers" in what I quoted earlier reminds me that the Religion Forum is publicly accessible, and I admit to being reminded sometimes of Romans 2:24. But how should we post? I've had some things in mind, including these:
[Colossians 4:5] Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
[6] Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
[1 Peter 3:13] And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
[14] But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
[15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
[16] Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
[17] For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
[I hasten to add that "meekness and fear" should be understood in its original context: it is not cowering or being "afraid."]
"Let this mind be in you...
Phillipians 2:5
[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
[6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
[7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
[8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
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