Sunday, May 11, 2014

Mothers are Closest to God the Creator

by Steve Ray on May 11, 2014

The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral — a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby’s body . . .

The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God’s creative miracle to bring new saints to heaven. Only a human mother can.

Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation . . . What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

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Day 4: Defending the Eucharist, Jesus Ate these Fish, Is Mary an Ark?, Up to Jerusalem

by Steve Ray on May 11, 2014

Unusually wonderful weather, cool, dry and nice breeze. Started by sailing the Sea of Galilee, Mass at Capernaum where Jesus said, “Eat My Flesh,” my talk on Defending the Eucharist. 

Then we ate St. Peter’s Fish just like Jesus and his disciples then the fun ride to Jerusalem. I told my conversion story on both buses. Then we went into the Hill Country of Judea. Everyone was surprised how far Mary walked to visit her relative Elizabeth – over 100 miles.

I told the group why and how I came to understand the doctrines of Mary and I taught them how to defend the Marian dogmas. Then to our majestic Notre Dame Hotel in Jerusalem, owned by the Pope. He will actually visit here for four hours in the next two weeks when he visits the Holy Land.

Great day; enjoy the movie.

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Purgatory? Doesn’t that Deny the Work of Christ?

by Steve Ray on May 11, 2014

What’s the Deal with Purgatory?
by Steve Ray

Purgatory4Isn’t the finished work of Christ sufficient? Didn’t he pay for all my sins? Why the heck do Catholics teach that we have to suffer in Purgatory for our sins? Plus, the Bible never mentions purgatory so it must be an unbiblical doctrine, right.

Wow! Sounds like me back in my old days — before I discovered the fullness of the Faith in the Catholic Church. I used to argue like this against Catholics because my Baptist tradition told me so.

(Picture at bottom: Communion of Saints with the Mass in the center: 1) above the Church Triumphant in heaven; 2) middle the Church Militant on earth, and 2) below the Church suffering — being purified in Purgatory.)

After converting to the Catholic Church an a Baptist asked me why we believe in Purgatory so I wrote an explanation using many examples like hitch hiking in the Alps, driving off the road and more.

Plus, from my old Baptist tradition, what could St. Paul possibly mean when he said he suffers to “fill up that which is lacking in the sufferings of Christ” (Col. 1:24)? That was one of the verses I had to “blip over” when I was a Baptist–many don’t even see the verse!

Anyway, for my response to the Baptist antagonist and other helpful information on Purgatory . . .

-For my letter explaining Purgatory, click here.
-For Jimmy Akin’s explanation, click here. For Catholic Answers, click here.
-Patrick Madrid’s article, click here.
-For more such articles and letters, click here.

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Do Catholics Worship Mary?

May 11, 2014

A friend named Lenard Alt sent this to me — a response he wrote about an anti-Catholic verbal assault: Is Mary being worshiped as a God or equal to Jesus?  Is this Catholic or Protestant teaching? When people ask you the question, “Why do Catholics worship Mary as God?” there is a fallacy built into [...]

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