Marian Apparition

I found this gem on someones blog who will remain nameless. May God break this letter writers heart of stone. He is obviously a very anti-Catholic Protestant. He speaks of a town, not far from where I grew up, that is having a Marian Apparition. He claims that people of all denominational lines are coming to see it and that Mass has been held at an abandoned barn where she appears. He attacks their beliefs offering only his opinion and nothing more. In the end he claims these people are having apparition of the devil trying to trick them. He leads on to believe that Catholics must believe in apparitions of Mary, but surely this guy knows that Catholics are not bound to believe in apparitions of Mary? Anyways lets break this letter down!

Her commands are to pray the Rosary, read the Bible, go to Mass, and tell others that she is present to bring answers and peace to a troubled world.

Warning sarcasim allert: How dare this apparition command those people to attend church and read their Bible! God knows how much it pains the Devil to see people not attending Church and reading their Bibles. Of course I am finding humor at this man's expense but all sarcasim aside, why is an apparition of the Devil, which this letter writer claims it is, telling them to go to Church and read their Bibles? Interesting?

After her firstborn Jesus, the Son of God, she had four other sons and daughters also. Please read Mark 6:3.

Just so everyone knows what Mark 6:3 is saying: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him."

Bang case closed, Jesus had brothers so Mary had other children. Or so the the protestants think. Surely this letter writer knows that the Greek word used for brother is (adelphoi). This word in Greek has a much broader beaning then this man is trying to indicate. Adelphoi could mean cousins, step brothers, uncles or even non-related people such as neighbors and close friends. Using this letter writer's logic we would have to believe that the 120 "brothers" in Acts 1:15 had the same mother. Well neither did they have the same mother nor did Lot and his uncle Abraham, who were called "brothers" (Gen. 11:26-28, 29:15). Why such a broad word? Because in Hebrew there was no word for cousin, uncle or nephew. So the fact that Jesus had "adelphios" does not prove that Mary had other children.

We know from the Bible Mary....lived and died in Israel.

Really? Your bible says she died? Where? My Bible doesn't say this. Wait a second are you adding to the Bible? I would be careful with that, we know what Revelation says about that, "I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Rev 22:18-19) Wow! Be careful with that letter writer, you are walking on slippery ground.

You must understand that spiritually, Jesus to the Roman Catholic is not the Almighty Lord and Savior God.

Really? Well this is defiantly news to me. It seems that us Catholics need to get our creed, OUR PROFESSION OF FAITH, changed to match this guys misunderstanding of Catholicism. "We believe (I believe) in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is seen and unseen." Catholics say this every time they go to mass, but I guess we don't believe in the Father Almighty. Weird I guess. My heart hurt when I saw this. It truly did. This man is telling me what Jesus means to me. He doesn't know me, he has never talked to me, but because I am Catholic he thinks he knows what Jesus means to me and what He has done in my life.

Jesus is always seen as a helpless being. He is seen as a helpless Baby in His mother’s arms.

It is Intellectual dishonesty to claim that something is "always" a certain way especially when it isn't, "always" the case. This guys evidence is for this comment is weak, we know this because he doesn't offer any. I am sorry Mr. letter writer but was Jesus divine His whole life, or just when He hit a certain age. Is it correct Protestant doctrine to teach that Jesus was only divine after a certain age? It certainly wasn't when I was Protestant. Or was He divine always as He still is, child or other wise? By the way Mr. Letter writer what description are we given in Rev. 12? "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; 2: she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery." (Rev 12:1-2) A woman, with child? Hmmmmm. How dare John describe Jesus as a "helpless" child in the arms of a woman. How dare him in deed.

Or, He is still hanging dead on a crucifix. Still dead!

Surely he knows that Paul preached Chirst Crucified? Surely he knows that there is no Easter Sunday without the Crucifixion? Yea of course he does know this, but when dealing with Catholics its always best for a Protestant to turn the other way on facts. Sorry, but Catholics don't believe He is still on the cross just because we wear crucifixes. This claim is almost funny. Back to our profession of faith: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father" He rose again! Tell me Mr. letter writer, how is that Catholics believe He is still dead, yet profess that He rose again and is seated at the right hand of the Father? You have some explaining to do.

He is sacrificed all over again in a helpless piece of dough in the wafer.

Ahhhh yes the famous "Jesus is sacrificed over and over again in the Mass". Well this is a basic misunderstanding of Mass, but why should he correct this misunderstanding I mean that would involve research, and time and well this guy would obviously rather believe what some other anti-Catholic told him than look this up himself. besides, Jesus would only be being sacrificed over and over again if He was truly present in the Eucharist. So which is it? Is He not present in the Eucharist, and therefore cannot be resacrificed over and over again? Or is He in fact present? And just because he is present does not mean He is being resacrifice. This letter writer's misunderstanding that there is a repeated crucifixion of Christ in the Mass (there isnt by the way) demonstrates his earthbound view of heavenly reality. You cannot repeat a sacrifice that exists perpetually in the eternal present of heaven. Of course he knew this right?

It is “Mary” that is the mighty one to come to.

What does this even mean? Mary is the one to come? I am not going to touch that with a ten foot pole because I have never even heard it. But Mary is not the Almighty one (See the Nicene Creed). There is one God, Jesus Christ. Surely this man knows this too right? Lets go back to our profession of faith to see what we really believe. "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end." He will come again? Who will come again? He? Who is He? Surely we should be sayin she right? No, we say He. Here again you have been found wanting. You cannot make a strong case against Catholicism so you resort to lies.

“For there is One God and One Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus. Who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in its own due times.” 1 Timothy 2:5,6

Wait a second in an earlier line you said, "May you and I be stirred up by the Holy Spirit to begin to pray and intercede for the millions being deceived.." So which is it? Is Jesus the only intercesor, or is Jesus plus you the only mediators? Hmmmmmm. Interesting. You are allowed other intercesors?

Of course this guy will probably claim to be an ex-Catholic. Of course any ex-Catholic automatically becomes the know all and end all of Catholicism. Well I am an ex-protestant, so does that mean I am an expert on protestantism? No, it doesnt, just like being ex-Catholic doesnt mean that you actually took the time to learn your faith. Which apperantly is what happened with this individual.

I don't understand Protestants, why the need to lie? Surely if the case against Catholicism is so strong and "obvious" you wouldn't need to resort to lies right? Or is it maybe the truth that the Catholic Church is the one Church Christ established? Well in this case then I can understand the need to lie.

I will pray a Rosary for you Mr. Letter Writer, may God, THE ALMIGHTY, break your heart of stone.

Pax Tecum