Why are you posting something back from 2011 here? Anyway, the answer is generally no one is allowed to bring Holy Communion home, unless specifically authorized to do so by the parish pastor.

no, i just gave some catholic inactive users to your thread, hopefully when the person login, he can look at the notice sign that there is catholic thread now.

The Devil's Tactics
Satan is the most cunning creature ever created by God. He has been studying you and me ever since we were born, and he knows what we have said, what we have done, and what we do when we think no one is looking. He has assigned his best demons to us, choosing them based on our personal weaknesses and their greatest strengths. The purpose of this webpage is to discuss some of lucifer's tactics, based on real life experiences.




First off, the devil uses ridicule and personal attacks from the educated and so-called "intellectual" class to camouflage his existence. Just bring up the subject of "the devil" at a party or at work, and you are bound to hear something like, "Oh, come on. This is the 21rst Century. No one believes in that medieval stuff anymore. The Catholic Church just made up a bogey man to enrich themselves. Only idiots believe in ghosts and demons and such." So be prepared to be ridiculed and made fun of if you bring up the topic of the reality of the devil. The so-called "enlightenment" of the 18th Century which replaced faith in God with faith in science and reason in the material world is still a very strong mind-set to a lot of people. In reality, The Enlightenment is that false light that the Bible says that satan can disguise himself as (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). If the devil isn't real, then the Bible is lying to us, because in the desert, Jesus physically talked to satan, and was even carried by satan to the high point overlooking the world's kingdoms. And Jesus performed exorcisms as well. So if you are confronted with ridicule, then ask the ridiculer why the Bible is lying about the reality of satan, who appeared in the Garden of Eden from day 1.

Secondly, the devil will use your own strengths against you, as some of the martial arts do in self defense. For instance, if you like helping down-and-out people, he will send you a member of the opposite sex who really appeals to your physical senses, and who will regale you with tales of personal woe, all in an attempt to win your heart. And because you really do want to help him/her because of your Christianity, you reach out to them. But be forewarned, the goal of this person is to ruin your life, and if you fall for the trap, you will soon be in a state of mortal sin, either through fornication or adultery. This is one of his oldest and best traps, because he will spring it on you when you are at your weakest, say, after a divorce, after the death of a loved one, or after a huge personal loss of some kind, when you feel all alone and unloved. The person satan will send into your life at your weakest point will tempt you with your main weakness, and will confuse you with his/her seeming goodness and his/her very apparent dark side at the same time. The wonderful side is the bait to draw you in; the dark side is the trap that will spring shut after you capitulate. DON'T BE FOOLED. The way to recognize this person is that you will feel very good when he/she is around you, and you will feel very guilty when he/she is not around you. And you will have lots of sleepless nights as a result.

Another cunning tactic of the evil one is spiritual pride. This occurs when he sees that he is losing you to Jesus and he knows he can't stop you. So then he goes to Plan B, which is to instill in you the thought that since you know so much more than everyone else about the bible, about the sacraments, about the catechism, etc., then you are somehow better than everyone else who isn't as knowledgeable about God. Being knowledgeable is a wonderful thing, but in no way does it ever make you better than the great unwashed out there in the world who don't take the time to study theology. Pride is the devil's great sin, because he thinks he is equal to God, as do a lot of people today. But satan is only a created creature, like you and me, and he is only opposite to Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Virgin Mary, not God. So don't fall for this trap - we are servants of God, no matter how much we know or don't know. And remember - satan will ALWAYS outwit us with his knowledge, because he has a superior intellect, no matter how smart we think we are. BUT, since satan doesn't have a heart and is full of pride, if our thoughts and actions come from our heart and our humility, we will beat him every time, in Christ Jesus. Mother Mary is the epitome of what we should be, and the more we attach ourselves to her Immaculate Heart, the more satan fears us.

One of satan's greatest ploys is the occult. So many people read their daily horoscope, or play with ouija boards, or have their fortunes told at the rundown shacks of "psychics" in town. DON'T DO THESE THINGS! This is akin to playing with fire. These things are NOT harmless fun and games, but demonic gateways for satan and his minions to attach themselves to your soul. The only way to get out of this trap once you get involved with it is to confess it to a priest, and push back against it. Sprinkle any occultic object with holy water and burn it. Your life will be a living hell if you do not.

Depression is the devil's compensation for living for him and not for God. He will whisper to you that you are no good, and you might as well end it all now, because God will never forgive you, since you let Him down so much. Of course, before you sin, he will whisper in your ear that you have had a rough life, and you deserve a little pleasure in life. After all, look at all of the rich people who lead sinful lifestyles all the time with sex and money and pleasure, and nothing bad ever happens to them! And besides, God will always forgive you, and you can go to confession this week anyway. So what's the big deal? So many people fall for this depression trap, and commit suicide as a result. DON'T BE FOOLED. God will ALWAYS forgive you if you repent, and the odds of going to heaven after suicide are pretty slim, although even that can happen, if there is enough time for you to repent after you initiate the act.

And always remember that satan will show you a great physical time, for a while. He will give you money, sex, power, or whatever, to convince you that you have the secret of life, and that the Mother Teresa's of the world who are God's servants are stupid and dumb. But he will ALWAYS pop your balloon after he has blown it up and puffed you up with pride. He will let you get away with your favorite sin time after time after time, but one day, you will not get away with it. Either you will be devastated in this life because of your sinful lifestyle (death of a loved one, jail time, depression, etc.), or even worse, you will die unexpectedly and go straight to hell. The bible says that it IS IMPOSSIBLE to please God if you live in the flesh (Romans: 8:8).

There are many many other tactics of satan, such as allowing you to come in contact with bad influences at work, like the good old boy or the good old girl, who are always joking and kidding around about sex. Another strategy of his is to always upset you, so that you will start to question why God allows these bad things to happen to you. After all, you will start to think, I am a good person, and if God loved me, then He wouldn't let these things happen to me. Well, guess what - none of the saints ever lived perfect and cushy lives either! Read Job chapter 38 if you want the answer to this question! Still another of his demonic methods is to make life so easy and cushy for you with money and good luck, that you will start to question why you need God at all!

There are many other ways he can get us, but these methods mentioned above are some of the ones that are apparent. And remember, the more you commit yourself to Christ, the more demons satan will assign to you to trip you up. Prayer, the Rosary, Adoration, helping the less fortunate, performing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy on a regular basis, reading scripture, praising God, Daily Mass, singing hymns of praise in your car, etc., are all ways to drive these demons nuts. They have no power over us UNLESS we give in to their temptations.

So always remember that you have 2 choices in life:

1. Either your body can drag your soul to hell;

2. OR, your soul can lift your body to heaven.

CHOOSE WISELY!

Are You Saved?
Are you saved? That question is a loaded one, implying that once you confess that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and savior, that's it, you're saved. If that were true, then we wouldn't need to go to Confession, nor would we need the Eucharist at each Mass, because we now have a get-out-of-jail-free card; that is, our professed belief in Jesus as our personal Lord and savior. In other words, they ask you that question to get you to leave the Catholic Church and join their protestant church.



A one-time profession of faith in Jesus Christ is a great start, but there is much more to salvation than that. Jesus said that the Eucharist forgives sin (Matthew 26:28), Confession forgives sin (John 20:22-23, and the Last Rites forgive sin (James 5:14-15). This "I am saved" philosophy of many protestants doesn't require any of these methods of forgiveness, because they believe they are already saved and don't need any sacraments. And that begs the question as to why Jesus instituted these sacraments to aid us in our salvation if all we had to do was profess our belief in him one time.

What does the Bible say about all of this?

Here are some verses that do indicate that salvation occurs in our past:

Romans 8:22-24: We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

Ephesians 2:4-8: But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.

But then here are some verses that indicate that salvation is happening now:

2 Corinthians 2:15: For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Phillipians 2:12: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

1 Peter 3:21: Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

And here are some verses which indicate that salvation occurs in the future:

Romans 5:9-10: Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15: Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Matthew 24:13: But he who endures to the end will be saved.

So what's the answer? The answer is that I have been saved, I'm being saved, and I have the hope that I will be saved, while I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, like St. Paul. In other words, according to the Bible, "being saved" is not a one time event, but rather, an ongoing process. Think of your salvation journey as an airplane trip- "I have been on the airplane since I first got on (baptism), I am now traveling on the airplane (enduring the sufferings of life for Christ), and I will be on the airplane when it lands at my final destination (death and heaven)!"

In the above analogy, keep in mind that the airplane can crash at any time, and you can lose your salvation. This "flies" in the face of what many protestant pastors preach - The doctrine of "once saved, always saved". The Bible does not preach that doctrine; in fact, it even says in 2 Peter 2:20 :

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first."
In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul says the following about the possibility of even himself losing his salvation:
"but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
In 1 Corinthians 10:12, Paul warns us all about smug overconfidence regarding our salvation:
"Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall."
If "once saved, always saved" was a true biblical doctrine, then why would the Bible say just the opposite? Paul says to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12, which really implies that no one is truly saved until they die and are safely in God's hands.

And one important thing to remember as well- We are forbidden to judge people, from Matthew 7:1, which includes ourselves! When people say "I am saved", they are judging themselves, which is solely the job of Jesus Christ at the final judgment.

The Bible Alone?


One of Martin Luther’s invented theories from the 16th century was that “The Bible Alone” is all that is necessary to understand God’s Holy Word – No Pope, no Magesterium, no man, no woman, no university, etc., is necessary to understand what God meant to say in scripture. A scholar, a milkmaid, a janitor, a slave, a freeman, etc., can all grasp the complete meaning of scripture without any other aid or person. Why? Because in Luther’s mind, the Holy Spirit comes to each of us to impart the truth, whether we are scholars or not, whether we understand Latin and Greek or not, or whether we are holy or not. But we all know that this isn’t true. For starters, there is the King James Study Bible, complete with “doctrinal footnotes.” Doctrinal footnotes “explain” the meaning and context of certain parts of the bible that the average reader may not know about. But if “the Bible Alone” is all we need, then why are “Doctrinal footnotes,” which are NOT scriptural, added to scripture to explain it? Is the Holy Spirit asleep or something? Why are man-made footnotes even needed if “The Bible Alone” is all we need?

And if “the Bible Alone” is indeed a true philosophy, then why do some Lutheran Churches like the ELCA say that practicing homosexual ministers are OK, and other Lutheran Churches like the Missouri Synod say that they are not? Both Churches are descendants of Martin Luther, and they both use “the Bible Alone” as their method of studying scripture. There are approximately 33,000 different protestant denominations today, all using “the Bible Alone” as their tradition. But they all interpret the bible differently, or they wouldn’t be a different denomination. Is the Holy Spirit divided?

Just for fun, let’s use the King James Bible and the tradition of “The Bible Alone,” and see what we come up with. We won’t use any other reference sources, because to do so is to admit that “The Bible Alone” is not true.

Numbers 24:8: The Lord brought him out of Egypt; he hath the strength of a UNICORN.

-- Using “the Bible Alone” theory, we can conclude that unicorns are real creatures, not imaginary.

2 Thessalonians 2:15: Therefore brethren, hold fast to the traditions ye have been taught, by word or by epistle.

-- Using “The Bible Alone” theory, we can conclude that traditions are good, whether they are written or whether they were orally taught.

James 2: 20: But will you know, o man, that faith without works is dead?

-- Using “the Bible Alone” theory, we can conclude that good works are a necessary component of our faith, and are not “useless.”

Romans 2:6: For God will render to every man according to his deeds.

-- Using “the Bible Alone” theory, we can conclude that God will judge us according to our deeds.

Revelation 20:13: And the sea gave up the dead in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that the dead will be judged according to their works.

Luke 1:5-6: There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that there are indeed righteous people in the New Testament besides Jesus.

Hebrews 10: 26-29: For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour them. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much worse punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

2 Peter 2:20-22: For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter is worse with them than the former. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog returned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that people can indeed lose their salvation after having been “saved,” and the “once saved, always saved” philosophy is unbiblical and a tradition of man.

Acts 8: 26-31: And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” And he said, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that scripture is hard to understand, and we need someone from the Church to explain it to us.

Romans 11:26: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,” There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that every Israeli ever born, including Caiaphas and Judas, will be saved. All means all, after all!

1 Corinthians 3:13-15: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall disclose it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that on our judgment day, some will be saved after undergoing a trial by fire, and some will go directly to heaven with no purifying fire.

Acts 7:2: And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that it is OK to refer to men as a “father."

2 Corinthians 1:1:Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

2 Corinthians 2:13: I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that Timothy and Titus were the blood brothers of Paul.

Hebrews 13:10: We have an altar, that they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that a church must have an altar and a tabernacle, which provides sacred food that unbelievers do not have a right to eat.

1 Corinthians 10: 16-21: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

-- Using “the Bible Alone,” we can conclude that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ and not symbolic, and it is a sacrifice akin to the altar sacrifices of the Jews and the Gentiles. Otherwise, Paul would not have compared it to them.

This is just a sampling of what “the Bible Alone” theory offers. Most protestants will tell you that what YOU have come with using “the Bible Alone” is erroneous, while what they came up with using “the Bible Alone” is of course infallible. But that argument fails on two counts – first, if “the Bible Alone” is true, then whatever one comes up with is true, since the Holy Spirit is guiding that person, and second, if no person is infallible, like they claim about the Pope, then how can what they come up with be infallible?

Latin:

Dum transisset Sabbatum,
Maria Magdalene et Maria Jacobi et Salome
emerunt aromata ut venientes ungerent Jesum.
Alleluia.
Et valde mane una sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentum orto iam sole ut venientes ungerent Jesum.
Alleluia.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
Alleluia.

English:

And when the Sabbath was past,
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome
had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Alleluia.
And very early in the morning, the first day of the week,
they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun that they might come and anoint him.
Alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Alleluia.

Text: from Mark 16:1-2. Source of text: Third response at Matins on Easter Sunday

yeeck, when you laid out things or theories please be aware that there are others who is reading this too, athough we protestant and catholics alike have a different view about the doctrine of christianity but never the less we all serve the same Lord which is Triune God.
by putting up this arcticle u might hurt other peoples feeling indirectly.........

Those are not theories but facts which are consistent with the teaching of Catholicism which is presented in this thread. If anyone disagrees with the points in the article, by all means, object with valid reasons in a mature way. As Christians we should not be afraid of the truth. In no way is that article against anyone else personally (it didn't even mention Martin Luther's personal life and morals) but only against the false teaching of 'Bible Alone' (Sola Scriptura).

Hi!
Noobie here. Great thread.
I remember reading that our Catholic church now no longer condemns other religions or denominations. Sadly, this used to take place a lot in the past (until quite the recent past in fact). The church recognizes that every religion or denomination has differing levels of truth, and the Catholic church has the highest level (but not yet the complete truth). Some of the church's teachings are doctrines pronounced officially by the pope and these are not changeable. Other teachings may be modified over time.
Many from other religions or denominations who seek the full truth do gravitate towards the Catholic teaching over time. However that is not something for Catholics to gloat about, rather to be humbled that we have been chosen at an earlier time.
God bless

I don't see any gloating in that article. Just because the Catholic Church is more politically correct nowadays doesn't mean that the Church has to stop teaching its doctrines. The Church is after all the pillar and bulwark of Truth. (1 Tim. 15-16). This is no way denies that there have been bad members in the present and the past, and yes, even bad popes and clergy in her history.

The Blessed Virgin Mary



The Blessed Virgin Mary is the one woman in the entire Bible who makes the claim, “All generations to come shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). And why is that? Well, Catholics believe it is because she was preserved from all time from sin by a special privilege of God. God got to create His own mother on earth.

Since original sin (The sin of Adam) is passed down through the womb from one generation to the next, God made Mary free from original sin so that Jesus would also be free from it. This Catholic dogma is called the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This doctrine does not mean that Mary doesn’t need a Savior; in fact, in her Magnificat speech, she says that “her soul rejoices in God my savior” (Luke 1:47). All this means is that she was prevented from falling into the snake pit of sin by the grace of God, rather than being saved from it after sinning, like the rest of us. Catholics believe that this was prefigured in Genesis 3:15, where God told Adam and Eve that He “Will put enmity” between the devil and “THE WOMAN”. Since Eve was in compliance with the devil, and not at enmity, THE WOMAN could not refer to her, but rather a future “WOMAN” who would have enmity (lifelong hatred) with Satan. The entire Genesis 3:15 verse reads as follows from the RSV:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."


THE Woman
Since women don’t have “seeds”, but eggs, this is very peculiar wording. Most biblical scholars believe that “the seed” is Jesus Christ”, and that He bruised satan’s head at the place of the skull, called Golgotha, at the crucifixion. If that is so, then Catholics believe that “THE WOMAN” could only refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, her “seed”. This is why Jesus always referred to Mary as “Woman”, rather than Mom or Mother. Mary can be viewed as a parallel to the Tabernacle of the Lord, as constructed by Moses in Exodus 40 and Luke Chapter 1. In Exodus 40:34-35, when the Tabernacle was completed, we learn the following:

"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud overshadowed it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

" In Luke 1:35, the Bible says:

"And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;therefore the child to be born will be called holy,the Son of God."

In both cases, the word used to "overshadow" is "episkiasei".

Catholics also view Mary as the New Testament Ark of the Covenant. The Old Testament Ark of the Covenant contained three items – The Word of God in the form of stone tablets (the 10 Commandments), manna (bread) from Heaven, and the rod of Aaron that resprouted and came back to life (Hebrews 9:4). Just so, the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary contained Jesus Christ – The living Word of God (John 1:1), the bread of life (John 6:48), and the ruler with a rod of iron who also came back to life (Rev.12:5). At the Annunciation of Mary, Gabriel told her that the power of the most high would “overshadow” her (Luke 1:35). The term “overshadow” is significant, because it was also used to refer to the cherubim “overshadowing” the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:5). The Ark was made with pure gold (Exodus 4ff), and was very holy, which parallels the Catholic teaching that Mary is also pure and holy. The Ark of the Covenant was so holy, that no ordinary person could even touch it. Uzzah reached out to steady it, and was instantly struck dead (2 Samuel 6:7). There are many parallels between the mention of the Ark in 2 Samuel 6 and Mary in Luke 1:

David heads to the hills of Judah in 2 Samuel 6:2-3; Mary heads to the hills of Judah in Luke 1:39.
David dances for joy in front of the Ark (2 Samuel 6:14); the unborn fetus John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the sound of Mary’s voice (1 Luke 44).
David says “How can the Ark come to me”? (2 Samuel 6:9); Elizabeth says, “How is this that the Mother of my Lord has come to me”? (1 Luke 43).
David and the Ark stayed for 3 months (2 Samuel 6:11); Mary stayed for 3 months (1 Luke 56).
So if Jesus is “The Word Made Flesh”, then Mary is “The Ark Made Flesh”. All of these parallels between the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the New Testament is a branch of scripture study known as “typology”. In other words, events and people in the New Testament are prefigured by events and people in the Old Testament.

One such typology revolves around Revelation 12 and Genesis 37:9. In Genesis, Joseph says,

"Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

In Revelation 12:1, the scripture reads,

“And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

The obvious parallel is that the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars in Joseph’s dream represent his 11 brothers and all of Israel, while THE WOMAN in Revelation is adorned with these symbols of Israel. So who is the “WOMAN”? The first clue is the term “a great portent”. In Isaiah 7:14 in the Old Testament, it says,

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.”

The great portent of Revelation and the sign of Isaiah are one and the same – A Virgin who will give birth to the leader of Israel, Jesus Christ. That woman is the Blessed Virgin Mary. The writer of the book of Revelation, St. John the Apostle, was given by Jesus on the cross to Mary as her son, and Mary was given to John as his Mother, in John 19:26-27. This means that John knew Mary better than anyone, except for Jesus, and he is trying to tell us all something about her status in heaven. In the preceding verse, Revelation 11:19, John tells us that he sees the Ark of the Covenant. In the next verse, Revelation 12:1, he describes the Ark for us as “A woman clothed with the sun”, a term that could only mean the immaculately conceived Virgin Mary. The rest of Revelation 12 talks about the enmity prefigured in Genesis 3:15 between the devil and THE WOMAN, and how satan can’t get to her. In Revelation 12:17, it says that we are her children if we follow the commandments and bear testimony to Jesus.

Mary is also seen as the new Eve. Whereas Eve listened to the devil Lucifer and obeyed him, bringing sin and damnation into the world, Mary listened to the angel Gabriel and obeyed him, thus bringing grace and salvation into the world in the form of Jesus Christ. Mary and Jesus are forever linked together, just as Adam and Eve are. Eve came forth from the side of Adam; Jesus came forth from the womb of Mary. Eve was created immaculately and sinned; Mary was created immaculately and stayed sinless. Thus Mary and her obedience to God overcame Eve’s disobedience to God. And while Mary's parents, Anna and Joachim, were not immaculately conceived, Mary was, so that she would not pass on original sin (the devil had NO dominion over Jesus, ever) through the womb. How can this be? Well, God is God, and he can create anything from nothing, merely through His Word at any time He so chooses. Eve was the first woman immaculately created and sinned; Mary was the second woman immaculately created and did not sin.



There are many biblical types of Mary in the Old Testament. Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1 is very similar to Hannah’s canticle in 1 Samuel 2. Judith cutting off the head of the Army General Holofernes in Judith 13:8 to save Israel reminds us that Mary will help to bruise the head of the serpent.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is also seen as the Queen Mother. In the Old Testament, the Kings' mother was the queen. The Kings in the Old Testament, like Solomon, had so many wives that it would have been hard to choose one over the other, so the mother of the King became the Queen. Bathsheeba, David's wife, was King Solomon's Queen Mother. In 1 Kings 2, Adonijah approaches the Queen Bathsheeba to ask her to intercede on his behalf with King Solomon. When she asks her son for Adonijah's favor, King Solomon says "Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you". This is a parallel to the New Testament, John 2, when Mary intercedes on behalf of the wedding couple to Jesus about the wine that has run out. Solomon didn't refuse his Queen Mother in the Old Testament, and Jesus didn't refuse his Queen Mother in the New Testament. Neither does he refuse her now.

Catholics believe that saints in Heaven, and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, are still active in their roles to assist mankind in spiritual warfare. We know from James 5:16 that the prayers of the righteous are powerful, and we know from Matthew 22:32 that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. In Revelation 5:8, it says that 24 elders in heaven present our petitions to God in the form of incense, which means that there are intermediaries in heaven who hear and present our prayers to God. If the dead rich man in hell can intercede for his brothers on earth with Abraham (Luke 16:27-28), how much more can Mary in heaven intercede for us here on earth with her son Jesus! Mary said in Luke 1:46 that her soul magnifies (To magnify means to enlarge, to make clearer, and to bring into focus) the Lord (her soul is still very much alive, as are all souls ever created by God). And looking at Jesus through the magnifying glass of Mary's soul is analogous to focusing the sun through a magnifying glass - IT CREATES FIRE, only with Mary and Jesus, it creates the fire of the Holy Spirit on earth. to And since no one on earth was ever closer to Jesus in body, heart, and mind (Jesus got his flesh and blood from Mary), who better to intercede for us on our behalf than Mary? Giving honor and devotion to Mary (not worship) actually magnifies the Lord. To give honor to an artist's greatest creation (Mary) honors the creator (Jesus) !

The prayer, The Hail Mary, combines the words of Gabriel and Elizabeth with a petition at the end to pray for us. “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee” are the words of Gabriel. These words indicate that Mary was full of grace BEFORE Jesus was in her womb. And no one can be full of grace and have any room left over for sin; otherwise she wouldn't be “full” of grace (Romans 6:14: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.). And in the bible, the term "Hail!" is term only used for royalty, as in "Hail Caesar" or "Hail King of the Jews!" Since Mary IS the Queen Mother of the King of Kings, it only makes sense that God's messenger, Gabriel, would use a term like that when addressing her. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus” are the words of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. These words from scripture indicate that Mary is blessed more than any other woman, because Jesus is inside of her. Jesus said that you shall know a tree by its fruit, and since Jesus is the fruit of her womb and is sinless and holy, so must Mary be, since she is the tree which bore the fruit (Jesus), although she certainly is not God. Luke 6:43 says that a bad tree cannot bear good fruit! The last part of the prayer is a petition to Mary to “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death”.

Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:1-

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men.”

So asking for intercessory prayer is a very biblical thing to do, especially from a holy person like Mary (James 5:16).

So how can Mary hear thousands of prayers said to her daily from all over the world? Isn’t she just a human being and not God? Catholics believe we share in God’s divinity when we are in heaven. Why? Because of the words of Peter, in 2 Pet.1:3:

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence 4: by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature."

We see from these verses of Peter that saints in heaven are partakers in the divine nature, which includes hearing prayers. Saints in heaven have no power of their own. All of their power comes from Christ Jesus, who shares it with them. We know that they witness for us, because of the words of St. Paul, in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” Witnesses testify to a judge on behalf of the accused, and Paul here is saying that the saints in heaven are our witnesses. Notice that Paul didn't say that they were mere spectators; he called them WITNESSES. Asking these witnesses, especially Mary, to help us with our problems is a very good thing to do. Some people make the mistake of thinking that praying to a saint equals worshipping that saint like he/she is a god, but “to pray” simply means “to ask”, not “to worship”. And since all of their power comes from the amazing grace of Jesus Christ, it is not like conjuring up the dead and seeking hidden knowledge, which is expressly forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10-11. After all, Jesus appeared with the very dead Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration (Luke 9:30). Since Jesus never sinned, and conjuring up the dead as an occult practice is a sin, we see here that there is a true distinction between praying to saints for their intercession and calling up the dead to seek arcane knowledge.

Source: Catholic Bible 101

This post has been edited by yeeck: Apr 16 2015, 12:42 AM

Bro, there are a lot of Catholics that are backsliding and GOD is using yeeck's influence to bring HIS people back. Give him space

Neither u nor me can bring those people back to catholic but yeeck can. At what matter in this end time is ... winning soul.

but these soul goes to catholic churches, not protestant church right ? of course...
according to catholic is winning soul
according to protestant is not winning soul.
catholic wrong for reason A,B,C,D, protestant is right for reasons A,B,C,D

for such A,B,C,D reasons... let me share you that GOD's way and GOD's thinking is not always same with de_luffy thinking ...

Since you are protestant: do you know that Martin Luther is guilty for rebellion ? rebellion against church authority ?
1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."

Proverbs 17:11
An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Romans 13:1 (NIV)
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

-- ah but christian saved by grace... typical protestant excuse ? or joseph prince teaching ?...

as i said earlier, and i will put here so to highlight you:
Neither u nor me can bring those people back to catholic but yeeck can. At what matter in this end time is ... winning soul.

This post has been edited by de1929: Apr 16 2015, 08:57 AM

I don't need your nonsense talk, all your wordso are irrelevant to me.

yeeck why are you not mentioning the real truth regarding martin Luther rebel against catholic church? During martin Luther time the corrupted practice of catholic church collecting money from the peoples who wish to see the apostles relics? Isn't it's already corrupted already as stated
In the 10 indulgences by Martin Luther?

I respect you for what you are trying to do here but however the reason that the protestant existed in the first place was to protest against the corrupted practice of the church priests and the high level officials of the Catholic Church, however that is the past, what catholic church need now is to bring in more new believers or to save more peoples which is the great comission by our Lord Jesus Christ before He was ascended to heaven.

We all serve the same God, so let work together and save more peoples that needed to save and wait for the return of Christ Jesus

He already mention in post no 232
This is no way denies that there have been bad members in the present and the past, and yes, even bad popes and clergy in her history.

Catholic did some mistake, ministry of protestant born
Catholic fixed the mistakes, the ministry of protestant should stop

You sow rebellion, you reap rebellion... you sow protest, you reap protest.

If your spouse cheated you, don't divorce. Rebuke your spouse, don't use bible as reason to divorce. Separated for awhile is fine (1 cor 7:5). But i think protestant has been separated from Catholic for too long.

In this thread i have to write protestant should return to catholic.

1 Corinthians 7:5
5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Like I've said before I don't deny that there may have been bad popes and clergy in the past. Luther did protest about abuses regarding indulgences, but he went further and mixed other errors in his protest. Again, that article was about 'Sola Scriptura' (Bible Alone), not regarding Martin Luther himself personally. If you wish, we can now change the topic to focus on Martin Luther himself.

de1929, are you Catholic? If not, why not?

i am. i give you more detail in pm.

He claimed himself as intermediate between man n god, and saying that holy spirit would ask him to kill anyone he already gone astray from the right path

de1929 ... if there are lapsed Catholics, then we are called instruct those who have fallen wayside, but it is not our duty to force nor coerce them to return. That is the job of the Holy Spirit, and remember things happen for a reason. The Lord calls all to His supper, but not all will attend. And He knows it. After all, the Hebrews themselves spent 40 years wondering in the desert.

As for the Proties ... leave them be, if they wanna hero worship Martin Luther, let them. They empowered themselves to do so, all 30,800 denominations.