Mary | Blogger Priest

Mary & the Family of God

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 Is God truly our Father and Jesus our brother if we fail to acknowledge Mary as our spiritual Mother? Jesus reveals the face of the Father; but he also directs us to his Mother as our Mother. The analogy of a family is made complete.

One of the greatest challenges and a persistent failure of Christianity is to fully realize the familial nature of the Church. The pattern of a family is stamped upon every level of her structure and reality. God is our heavenly Father. The Pope is called Papa or Father. We call our priests by the title, Father. Similarly, we address both Mary and the Church as Mother. We are kin to Christ and with the saints. Nevertheless, in practice do bishops and priests always manifest the canonical “father-son” relationship? Do pastors really view their parishioners as their spiritual children? Do congregations acknowledge the role of father that belongs to their shepherds? Do we love and care about each another as brothers and sisters? Too often we treat others as strangers who do not matter. Too often pastors allow fatigue to inhibit their work for “the least of the brethren.” Too often gossip and faithlessness leads to disrespect of clergy. Too often dissent or fear of scandal eats away at our solidarity with the Holy Father and the living Church. Mother Mary beckons us to realize our commitment as her sons and daughters, kin to each other.

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The Wonder of the Incarnation

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 God pours himself into Mary and enters the human family. Mary’s free consent offsets the disobedience of the first Eve. The children of Adam and Eve were born in sin. Christ, the new Adam, will assail the forbidden tree (now made into a cross) so that there might be a new birth of sons and daughters, remade in his likeness.

“When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

A secular world or kingdom can make no sense of the Incarnation. It seeks either to ignore it entirely or to displace the truth with a bombardment of romantic sentiment and/or juvenile fantasy. Christmas becomes a time for sales and shopping. Instead of celebrating Christ, we focus upon ourselves. Children sing songs in school about a red-nosed reindeer or a snowman that came to life one day or a merry old elf who brings presents— but next to nothing about a child in a manger, shepherds and wise men or the joyous hymns of angels. Not wanting to offend those with non-Christian beliefs, we end up offending all religion and people of faith.

The message is never happy holidays but Merry Christmas. Keep Christ in Christmas!

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David’s Kingship Enters the Divine Reign

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 Because Jesus is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, he joins the kingship of David to his divine kingship. Mary is the vehicle of this union. Now the kingdom of God will begin to break into the world. We see something of this kingdom in the Church. We speak of Mary as the Mother of the Church. She is also envisioned as one crowned among the saints since she is the Queen Mother. Her “fiat” or yes to God continues in her maternal role for the Church, a nation of prophets and a royal priesthood. As I have often preached, every citizen of the Church or kingdom is more than a subject, but a member of the divine royal family.

Mary is the embodiment of Christ’s kingdom and symbolizes the clash between the values of the world and those of our Lord and his brethren. Earthly kingdoms exploit their subjects for power and profit. But Mary is all about humility and poverty in spirit. Her great treasure is Jesus and she would have us both imitate our Lord and see her Son in all our brothers and sisters. She is the Mother of the Gospel of Life, urging us to defend human dignity and rights. Jesus went out to the poor, the sick, the suffering and the marginalized. Like Jesus and Mary, we must be the voice for the forgotten who have no voice of their own.

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Adam & Eve / Christ & Mary

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 While we regularly give emphasis to Adam and his sin, the actual story seems to highlight Eve. She is the one intimidated and tempted by the serpent or dragon. Adam was merely seduced by Eve into tasting the forbidden fruit. The first father of mankind comes across as a first class wimp. I suspect the biblical author deliberately wanted to communicate this weakness on Adam’s part. His fall is not only a disgrace but an embarrassment to all the men who would follow him. He displays none of the traits which we hold in high regard for men. He is a weakling and a coward. The contrast with Jesus is drastic. Adam runs away and hides in the Garden, taking Eve with him. Christ waits for his betrayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and when he suffers his Cross and Passion, Mary follows him to the bitter end. Adam makes excuses when he is questioned by God. Jesus proclaims the truth when he is interrogated by Caiaphas and Pilate. The parallels are many, including the living tree that brought death in the Garden and the dead tree on Calvary which brought forth the fruit of eternal life. Jesus is God but he is also a man, indeed, he is the most authentic specimen of manhood ever to walk the earth. Mary is entirely a creature of God, and yet as a human person, there is none of higher esteem in the human family. Mary is not simply “a” woman; she is “the” woman.

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Christ’s Demand & Mary’s Final Work

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 We are all searching for meaning and answers. Mary and Jesus are at the core of this pursuit for Christians. Meditation upon the mysteries of the Rosary helps us to access what we need to know and insures that we do not lose our bearings in a secular society filled with distractions. If the Church is a ship and the Pope is our captain, then we sail as pilgrims by the Mary Star to that Promised Shore where Christ awaits us. While the Bible is a library of inspired books, the Rosary is a collection of prayers. I have often preached upon how Catholicism interprets saving faith as humble obedience or submission to God’s will. Jesus tells John, “Behold your Mother” (see John 19:26-27). Notice that he does not ask a question like, “Please, would you take care of my Mother for me?” Rather, he gives a direct command to John and through him to all mankind who would be redeemed. Further, he attests to her motherhood but leaves the full dynamics of the relationship unspoken. There is a duality in this command. We are being told to cherish Mary as our spiritual Mother, always insuring her rightful place in the lives and hearts of believers. There is also a final summons for Mary. Mary accepted the motherhood of Christ in the Annunciation. At Calvary, she embraces her new role as the Mother of Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church. She cooperates in the redemptive work of her Son and becomes our chief intercessor among the saints.

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Mary & the Apparitions

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 Furor accompanied a negative verdict against phenomena at Garanbandal. Nevertheless, many still make pilgrimages. Most if not all of the messages in themselves may be orthodox or neutral. But the Church withholds approval for either seeing nothing supernatural or for detecting a deceptive spiritual agency. The faith of God’s people comes first and it must be protected. People can easily be deceived.

Critics of Medjugorie argue about the event’s duration and problematical messages. Translation issues and fumbles by seers might account for these difficulties. Content was questioned where reprobate priests were supposedly praised and religious relativism was poorly skirted. Somewhat befuddled by the arguments, I do not want to take sides against good Catholics. If such things cause factions in the Church then I would see this as a bad mark. But we see many good fruits. The Holy Spirit brings unity to the Church body, not division. If people experience genuine healings and rediscover their Catholic faith, then it would be hard not to see Mary’s maternal hand seeking to aid her children in the Church. In any case, we do not have to join the pack running around seeking the supernatural. Speaking for myself, my relationship with God is real and I find him here at home and in the sacraments. It may take tremendous patience, but I am comfortable with a “wait and see” policy about all the rest.

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Mary Preserves the Value of Womanhood

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Father Joe

mary.mother.of.jesus.01 The place of Mary in Catholic values and on behalf of safeguarding human dignity is incalculable. Not only do we have the more familiar pro-life themes, but she is a wonderful corrective to those who would devalue the dignity and contributions of women. Those who dismiss her importance are guilty of the same sexism we see in secular society where women are used and discarded.

Yes, even today, in our so-called more liberated and open society, women are objectified and are the chief casualties of commercialism and pornography. Treated as a commodity, the female body is coveted but the human person that it images is often regarded as unimportant and/or interchangeable. Strangely, many radical feminists errantly buy into such attitudes. Instead of challenging exploitation, they want their own share of victimizing others and engaging in debase behavior. They would retool the sexual desirability of the female form as a weapon in their arsenal for empowerment. But they work to cross-purposes. These same attitudes reduce men to the bestial where there is little in the way of responsibility, self-sacrifice and respect for persons.

Men should model themselves on good St. Joseph and embrace the sacrificial love of Jesus. We should see something of the Blessed Mother in all women, giving them respect and valuing their presence and contributions. The woman’s body is the very locus for the mystery of human life and creation.

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Responding & Praying for a Critic of Catholicism

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Father Joe

PAUL:

You know Father Joe, you sound a lot like the secular scientist Richard Dawkins who if you don’t just take his word as fact without any REAL evidence, then “you’re stupid!”

You have only church practices to back your claim about Mary’s holiness.

If I’m not wrong, doesn’t God say, “There is none righteous, not a single one”? Doesn’t he say, “All have fallen away”? Doesn’t he say, “All have fallen short of the glory of God”? Now I’m sure you’ll have a very convincing argument for Mary’s not being included there but is that based on biblical teachings or the churches practice?

What did Christ day about the teachers of the law? Be careful to judge others Father Joe lest you be judged likewise!

There’s only 1 Judge I know. I’d appreciate you not praying for me thanks as you’ll probably go in front of a statue of Mary to do so. It’s no wonder Jesus called the teachers hypocrites!

P.S. If you can’t reply without so much anger in you, maybe it’s time for you to shut down your blog eh? FATHER and LEADER of the flock!

FATHER JOE:

Ignorance is not the same as stupidity, or at least it need not be. We can be properly informed and grow in the truth. Dawkins negates any philosophy or religion that falls outside of his limited scope for truth. Dawkins does not deny all evidence, but he does throw out much of the richness that belongs to human culture and genius. I throw nothing out. We can be informed through science, philosophy and religion. We can be edified by mathematics or a poetic sonnet. We can learn from dissertations or from fanciful myths. I believe that God speaks to us in natural law and in his revealed Word. How is it then that I am like Dawkins? Indeed, would you not be the one to show him essential agreement and kinship in discounting Sacred Tradition and the teaching role of the Magisterium?

Actually, in regard to Mary’s holiness, we have the testimony of Scripture, as I have earnestly attempted to demonstrate to you. You are the one who would question Mary’s divine election as the immaculate Mother of our Savior. Why would you question God’s providence or his power to give his Son a pure vessel through which to enter our world? Original sin was passed to us through human generation. It would make no sense for Christ as the All Holy One to take his humanity from sinful flesh. The privilege of the Immaculate Conception was not simply to honor Mary but to protect the divine dignity of Jesus Christ. Mary is hailed by an angel as “full of grace.” She is the most favored daughter of God chosen to be the holy Mother of the Messiah.

Yes, all have fallen short of the glory of God. Yes, we are sinners. It was precisely for this reason that Mary calls Jesus her Savior. However, in her case there is prevenient grace. Mary is preserved from sin by the same saving Cross that transforms us through faith and baptism. Mary does not save herself. Jesus does for her what he will do for us who believe in him.

The testimony of Scripture comes to us through a living Church. It must be understood within the context of the tenets and worship of that faith community. Your rejection of the Church and her traditions results in numerous false interpretations. However, I doubt you will appreciate how the disjointed interpretations you give are severed from any kind of logical or authentic hermeneutics.

Our Lord criticized the Pharisees and Scribes as blind guides and hypocrites, but he did not deny that they received their authority from God.

“The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice” (Matthew 23:2-3).

The Pope sits in the cathedra or chair of St. Peter, to whom our Lord gave the keys of the kingdom and renamed as the ROCK upon which he would establish his Church. The Magisterium is composed of those bishops who teach in unity with him. Priests are also given apostolic orders and are charged to teach what the Church teaches. Thus, you may not think much of me, but if you were consistent, you would take seriously to observe what the Catholic Church teaches. Instead, you ridicule the messengers and reject the message. If you do so from ignorance then you may still be open to Christ’s mercy. If you do so from enmity, then the warning about judgment also applies to you.

Christ will judge souls, but the teaching Church and her ministers are charged to proclaim the truths of faith.

Why would you reject my offer of intercessory prayer for you? Is it just because of an expressed malice against Mary? I fear that a proper discernment of spirit would disclose a poorly disguised diabolical oppression. On this account I will redouble my efforts.

“Dear Lord Jesus, you made yourself a slave so that men might be free. You were renounced by the crowd so that we might be claimed by God as his children. You were mocked by the soldiers and crowned with thorns all so that we might be made members of your kingdom. You suffered the scourging and passion so that a broken world might be healed. You died on the Cross so that we might live. Dear Jesus, you are the SAVING NAME, and we ask you to open the eyes and to soften the heart of Paul who has commented on this Blog. Let him know the love you have for him. Forgive his sins and join him ever closer to the family of faith. We offer this prayer in Jesus’ Name, the one who is the Son of God and the Son of Mary. Amen.”

Again, I will extend to you the Peace of Christ.

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Jesus, Mary & the Apostles

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Father Joe

A discussion with Paul on some matters about which he has a dispute.

PAUL: What is the true meaning and definition of being an Apostle of Jesus?

FATHER JOE: There are varied definitions given but Catholicism would tend to restrict the term to the chief Disciples of Christ. The Church is apostolic in the succession of Holy Orders through the “laying on” of hands, in the perpetuation of Jesus’ ministry and in our constant teaching from the deposit of faith revealed to the early Church and passed down to us.

PAUL: Doesn’t it mean walking with and following the actual person you are trying to emulate?

FATHER JOE: Yes, but that is a generic dictionary definition of the word apostle, not a theological or doctrinal distinction.

PAUL: I think that we have been called disciples and based on the true meaning of apostle, no one on earth, at least present day earth, can be called an apostle.

FATHER JOE: The Catholic Church believes the authority of the Apostles is passed to the Bishops of the Church. Pope Francis is singular among the Bishops because he is viewed as the Successor of Saint Peter (and for that matter, Saint Paul).

PAUL: So if Jesus, as the Catholic Church says, interchangeably meditates/intercedes for us to the Father then why do we also need Mary to pray/intercede/meditate for us? In regard to Jesus this is biblically based as is the fact that the Holy Spirit speaks to the Father in groans that words cannot express. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are in full nature also God.

FATHER JOE:

(I think by “meditates” you actually mean “mediates.”)

The problem with your statement is that it does not sufficiently express Catholic teaching. The Word became flesh and in his mortal life Jesus revealed to us the face of God, how to pray and how to live out our discipleship. He prayed in his humanity because it is an essential element to the incarnation and our humanity. However, after his Paschal Mystery (suffering, death and resurrection), Jesus the Lord ascended to his place at the right hand of the Father. He transforms and facilitates our approach to the Father. We do not ask Jesus to pray to God for us because he is God. We address our prayers to the Father in Jesus’ name.

Jesus is a divine Person, as is the Father and Holy Spirit. There are three eternal generations in the Blessed Trinity. Remember the classical definition from the councils of the Church: there are three divine Persons but one divine Nature in God. God is still one.

We can intercede and pray for each other. Indeed, Mary and the saints in heaven can do so for us still in earthly pilgrimage. God is still the direct object of all prayer, even intercessory. Asking others to pray for us does not displace God from his dais. We are all creatures, even the angels, although they are spiritual and not composites like ourselves. The saints of heaven share in our Lord’s risen life and continue to love us and to pray for us

The mediation of Christ is not interchangeable with sanctoral intercession. Christ is the Mediator, Lord, Redeemer and Savior. We approach him both individually and with a communal faith. The latter is very much the purpose for which he instituted the Church. We do not approach God alone. Just as God called to himself an Old Testament people— so too does he claim the Church as a new People of God. Church membership includes the faithful on earthly pilgrimage, the souls in purgation and the saints of heaven.

We offer our prayers to the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. If it were not for the Holy Spirit there could be no faith and no prayer. We could not say “Jesus is Lord” if it were not given us by the Holy Spirit.

PAUL: By the way, I find NO biblical reference to Mary being our spiritual mother. Thank you.

FATHER JOE: I have already written at great length about the Blessed Mother and would invite you to search the pages of my site. Mary is given to us as our Mother at the Cross through our emissary Saint John. A phrase I repeat again and again is that “the Mother of the Redeemer becomes the Mother of all the Redeemed.” Mary will always be the Mother of Jesus. Believers are members of the Mystical Body of Christ (which is extremely biblical). Mary is the Mother of Christ where ever he should be found. If we are grafted to Christ and have been transformed by grace into his likeness then she sees something of her Son alive in us. We imitate Christ’s filial relationship of love to Mary. We are made members of the royal household of God. Through faith and baptism we are made adopted sons and daughters of the Father. Thus, Christ the King becomes our elder brother in faith and Mary assumes her crown as the Queen Mother. Peace!

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Clarfication on Intercessory Prayer & Salvation

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Father Joe

Praying to Mary
Intercession of Mary & the Saints
How is Praying to a Saint NOT Like Praying to God?

BUIMIRA: Here is a crucial point which should be clearly understood. With respect to the older posts, if we have a good relation with Jesus, and pray ONLY to Christ, and not to any saint, angel, or even to Mary, then we can count ourselves still confidently saved! This is the point that you missed, or did not make it clear. You shouldn’t have missed it in your articles.

FATHER JOE: No, this is not Catholic teaching. While all prayer is directed to almighty God, we do invoke Mary, the angels and the saints to assist us and to intercede before God. This is reflective of a “corporate” relationship we have with each other and God. Certain Protestant sects wrongly privatize or overly personalize faith. We are called to both a personal and communal relationship with the Lord. As for being saved, Catholics do not subscribe to the Protestant understanding of Blessed Assurance which flows from a rigorist Lutheran view of justification by faith. Such relies upon a notion of juridical imputation while Catholicism insists upon being born again as a new creation. While there is life, we can abide in the sure and certain hope of our salvation. The problem is that genuine faith can sour. We pray that we will faithful endure until the race is over. This is different from the presumption which you seem to espouse.

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