Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: cms@dragon.uucp Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Martin Luther Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 90 03:58:32 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computer Projects Unlimited Lines: 91 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu A few remarks from a great (in some circles) theologian: Mary sang, "My soul doth magnify the Lord" -- not herself, but the Lord. She was Queen of Queens, Virgin of Virgins, Mother of Mothers, but she despised no man. "True it is," she said, "I am blessed, but I don't magnify myself, my soul doth magnify the Lord. What I am, I am through his grace, which he has bestowed upon me, unworthy as I am." Here we have the highest joy and still humility; honor and subjection not only toward God but also toward men. ....... Mary praised God because he had done for her great things. Today there are many who do not praise God's goodness because they do not have as much by way of good things as Saint Peter or a saint or somebody else on earth. They think that if they had as much, then they also would praise God and love him. They despise and do not recognize the gifts with which they have been showered, such as body, life, reason, goods, honor, friends, and the services of the sun and all creatures. If they had all the gifts of Mary, they would not see therein the hand of God, nor praise him. Martin Luther Luther's Meditations on the Gospels The Coming of the Redeemer; Magnificat Elsewhere: The whole value of the meditation of the suffering of Christ lies in this, that man should come to the knowledge of himself and sink and tremble. If you are so hardened that you do not tremble, then you have reason to tremble. Pray to God that he may soften your heart and make fruitful your meditation upon the suffering of Christ, for we of ourselves are incapable of proper reflection unless God instill it. But if one does meditate rightly on the suffering of Christ for a day, an hour, or even a quarter of an hour, this we may confidently say is better than a whole year of fasting, days of psalm singing, yes, than even one hundred Masses, because this reflection changes the whole man and makes him new, as once he was in baptism. Martin Luther Luther's Meditations on the Gospels The Crucifixion A brief comment on the above: Luther was *very* devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and preached one of his most eloquent sermons on her near the end of his life. Praying the Rosary is an extremely effective method of meditating on the suffering and glorification of Christ. In this sense, it might be said that praying the Rosary is "better than a whole year of fasting, days of psalm singing, yes, than even one hundred Masses, because this reflection changes the whole man and makes him new, as once he was in baptism." Last one: We have heard how the resurrection happened, and now we come to the way in which it is to be received. The resurrection should be impressed upon the whole Christian life. This is the power of faith in works. Those who faint need indeed to be told that Christ has done it all, and there is no need for us to do anything. At the same time no one is under grace who continues in sin. If you are free from sin and subject to sin, you should not sin. Otherwise, you give proof that you are not free from sin. Justification by faith corresponds to the divine nature of Christ and good works to the human nature. They must become one person, just as in Christ divinity and humanity are conjoined. Martin Luther Luther's Meditations on the Gospels The Resurrection In Luther's belief, there were only three sacraments: Baptism, Confession, and Communion. Net.Lutherans (general) may correct me here. Luther held many beliefs that many Protestants reject today. If Protestants become aware of Luther's beliefs, do you think that this will help Protestants to rediscover their Christian heritage and engage in such Lutheran practices as veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary and receiving the Sacrament of Penance (Confession)? -- Sincerely, _///_ // SPAWN OF A JEWISH _///_ // _///_ // <`)= _<< CARPENTER _///_ //<`)= _<< <`)= _<< _///_ // \\\ \\ \\ _\\\_ <`)= _<< \\\ \\ \\\ \\ <`)= _<< >IXOYE=('> \\\ \\ \\\ \\_///_ // // /// _///_ // _///_ // emory!dragon!cms <`)= _<< _///_ // <`)= _<< <`)= _<< \\\ \\<`)= _<< \\\ \\ \\\ \\ GO AGAINST THE FLOW! \\\ \\ A Real Live Catholic in Georgia Cindy Smith emory!dragon!cms cms@dragon