Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: wagner@karazm.math.uh.edu (David Wagner) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Mary and Scripture (was: Fatima, Portugal, 1917) Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 90 04:19:14 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Houston -- Department of Mathematics Lines: 43 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article emory!dragon!cms@gatech.edu writes: > This is how Merton suggests we should imitate Mary: First, we tell God >what our problem is ('we have no wine') and then we submit ourselves to the >will of God. Theologically, we tell God, we have no wine, no blood to redeem >us from our sins; Christ gives us his wine, his blood, and redeems us from our >sins. Thank you Jesus Christ, for giving us your blood, and thank you, Mary, >for reminding us that, before we can be redeemed, first we have to ask. My understanding is that Christ has already redeemed all people. We don't have to ask (I wouldn't suspect a Catholic of teaching 'decision theology'! :-) But maybe this is an end result of 'faith conjoined with works'.) We need only believe in the redemption Christ has already won for us. It may be just my Lutheran prejudice, but I think you read too much into this passage. But then the practice of seeing allegory in most passages of the Bible has been a Catholic passion since Ambrose. I think the best use of Mary as an example is based on her acceptance of the Annunciation. When Gabriel makes his rather stunning announcement, she only asks 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?' This is in pointed contrast to Zehariah's "How can I be sure of this?" > > Father Merton expressed the hope that Mary would become the "bridge between >the waters" that would unite Protestants and Catholics. I sincerely hope and >pray that this comes about. Russia is on the verge of conversion; the more >people we have praying the Rosary now for the conversion of Russia the closer >we'll become to seeing a free world and peace. Frankly, I don't expect a lasting world peace in this world. God does not promise it. Rather he promises to destroy this world which we have contaminated with and by our sin, and to create a new one. (2 Peter 3, Rev 21,22). Until then, Jesus tells us, there will be wars and rumors of wars. I don't hate peace, but I don't put my hope in the things of this world, either. David H. Wagner 'I'm but a stranger here, Heav'n is my home;' Earth is a desert drear, Heav'n is my home. Danger and sorrow stand Round me on ev'ry hand; Heav'n is my fatherland, Heav'n is my home. (T.R. Taylor, 1836) My opinions and beliefs are not likely to coincide with any held by The University of Houston.