| Friday, December 02, 2005 |
| There's Something About Mary |
 This is what it sounds like . . . when Mary cries.
Yep friends, the virgin mother is at it again. This time it's in Sacramento as a Mary Statue seems to be spewing tears of blood. I remember that there was a Mary appearance in northern Kentucky back in the 1990's, but we've never met.
Growing up on Cincinnati's westside, I'm rather familiar with Roman Catholicism. Conversations about Catholicism are usually polarizing: either you love it or you hate it. As for me, I'm sorta lukewarm. I think that the Catholic Church [capital "c"] has gotten a bad rap among Protestants. Those who "went the way of Martin Luther" like to cite the atrocities committed throughout the Catholicism's history, but we neglect to admit that it's also our history. Don't discriminate and ignore all the good in this world that Catholicism has brought. Just drive through the city past all the hospitals and social services with "Saint," "Mother" and "Lady" in their titles. And there are even some sacraments that we evangelical types have neglected [see "confession"], that might be useful to growth in the Christian community.
But one thing I just cannot stomach is their deification of Mary. A poor interpretation of the birth narrative of Jesus in Luke resulted in Catholicism elevating Mary to a status that is unhealthy. While I'm not sure their Mary theology absolves any of the positives that come from the Catholic Church, I know it doesn't help.
During this time of year we focus on the birth of Christ, accomplished through a young girl [most likely Mary was in her early teens when Jesus was born]. Her faithfulness to the Lord at such a young age is admirable. Imagine the blessings awarded her in all that her eyes were allowed to see in her son. Isn't it enough to appreciate that and let her be a normal woman who was used by God?
My advice for Sacramento: Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo. That should fix up that statue. |
yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:25:00 PM  |
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