James 5:16
Catholics do not pray to Mary. We beseech her intercession with her son. In other words, we simply ask her to pray for us, just as you would beseech a friend to offer prayers on your behalf.
It's very simple. Catholics are Christians. Catholics are the ones who believe in the Church founded by Christ Himself, rather than mere men, such as Martin Luther, etc. That's all I have to say.
In the New Testament Ark of the Covenant.
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of the covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an eartquake, and a great hailstone. A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. The woman clothed with the sun is Mary-the New Testament Ark Of the Covenant.
(Revelation 11:19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
(Revelation 12:1) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
The Ark Of the Covenant makes concrete the absolute presence of God during the exodus and journey into the promised land.
St. Luke used the perfect passive participle--Greek-(kecharitomene) which in the Greek means perfectly filled with grace. This magnificent proclamation by the Angel Gabriel sent by God to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
(Luke 1:28) Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you.
The Shekinah glory of God , the cloud covered the tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.The Church--the Israel of God
(Exodus 40:34) Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Calls on the magnificent intercession of the New Testament Ark-Mary. The Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God-(theotokos)--was the tabernacle of the Incarnate Word--Jesus Christ. Mary's womb was overshadowed by the power of the Most High, Jesus Christ the Son of God was placed. The Old Testament ark of the covenant was a mobile sanctuary.
(Galatians 6:16) And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Mary is a human sanctuary.
Shows the Almighty God himself guiding the ark. We must remember that the wisdom and purity of Mary guided the Lord Jesus Christ in his humanity.
(Numbers 10:33-34) 33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
Gives definitive evidence that the ark was the vessel in which Noah and his family escaped the deluge.
(Genesis 6:14-22) 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
The demand and desire of God for perfection in the building of the Old Testament Ark.
(Exodus 25:10-40) 10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. 15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. 23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. 25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. 26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. 30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway. 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 34 And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. 39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
The Ark was so precious only the High Priest could enter into the presence of the Ark. Look how Eli, a priest of the sanctuary of Shiloh to whom Hanna confided her son Samuel whom she had consecrated to the Lord. Eli founded out that the ark was captured by the Philistines fell over backward and his neck was broken and he died--
(1 Samuel 4:14-18) 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. 16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? 17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
When Uzzah put his hand out to hold the ark when the oxen stumbled he was stricken dead. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah for touching the ark, and he was smitten by God. The Immaculate Conception gives definitive evidence that a chaste Virgin and a womb not spotted by sin was an absolute necessity to bear the Incarnate Word--Jesus Christ.
(1 Chronicles 13:7-10) 7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. 8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets. 9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Reason tells us, if Mary had sin as Fundamentalist Protestants ascertain--Jesus would be born with sin.
(1 John 1:5) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Gives evidence that the gate of the sanctuary shall remain shut. Revised Standard Version Scripture states, Then he brought me back to the the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and he said to me, This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it. for the Lord the God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church such as St. Ambrose and St. Jerome stated this gate was the womb of Mary. Sacred Scripture shows great correlation between the Old Testament Ark and the New Testament Ark Mary.
Scripture tells us the Shekinah glory overshadowed the tent were the ark was.
(Ezekiel 44:1-2) 1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. 2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
The Angel Gabriel tells mary the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Spirit of the Most High will overshadow you.
(Luke 1:35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
King David brought the ark out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.
(Exodus 40:34) Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
(2 Samuel 6:3) And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
In the Visitation--Mary went up the hill country to visit Elizabeth.
(Luke 1:39) And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
David states, how could the ark of the Lord come to me.
(2 Samuel 6:9) And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
Elizabeth greets Mary saying, whom am I that the mother of the Lord come to me.
(Luke 1:43) And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Sacred Scripture states, King David leaped in joy being merry before the ark
(2 Samuel 6:5) And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
Eliazabeth confirms that at the sound of Mary's greeting reaching her ears, that John the Baptist leaped in her womb with joy.
(Luke 1:44) For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Sacred Scripture gives evidence that David brought the ark to the house of Obededom the Gittite, and the ark remained at the house of Obededom for three months and the house of Obededom was blessed.
(2 Samuel 6:10-13) 10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household. 12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
Scripture gives evidence that Mary stayed at the house of Elizabeth for three months. The Old Testament fertility was truly associated with blessing. Elizabeth was blessed bring forth a son--John the Baptist. Remember Mary's function in salvation history no way impedes or diminishes the unique mediation of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ, but shows the power of Jesus Christ.
(Luke 1:56) And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Pray for us
As in the Wedding At Cana-Her powerful intercession influenced Christ's public miracle. She will interced for us.
(John 2:10) And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
The Old Testament Ark of the Covenant was the seat or center of the benevolent presence and the mercy of God to his people. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the Testimony--the Commandments of God.
(Exodus 25:16) 16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
(Exodus 40: 20-21) 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(Deuteronomy 10:1-5) 1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. 5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.
The New Testament Ark of the New Covenant carried the Word Made Flesh- the Incarnate Word. The Catholic Christians except the New Testament Ark of the Covenant. Most Protestant Christians reject the New Testament Ark of the Covenant. Yes Catholics have the full Council of God--Yes, the New Testament Ark--The Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God-(theotokos) as Martin Luther and John Calvin described Mary.
The Catholic Christians have the Communion of Saints.
(Hebrews 12:1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
The great cloud of witnesses. For their powerful intercession which most Protestant Christians absolutely reject.
Please!! Do not read JUST the Verses in The Holy Bible. I would really RECOMMEND that YOU READ the Whole Chapter in The Holy Bible to understand the whole content of the verses that were given to you.
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May God richly bless you! Amen! Hallelujah !
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