The Father William Most Collection
The Mandate of Mary for Catholics
[Published electronically for use in classes taught by Fr. Most and for private theological study.]
"The Mandate of Mary for Catholics" is the name of a very dangerous leaflet, in Spanish and English. Let us examine all its points. He quotes the only mandate she gave, in John 2:5 at Cana: "Do whatever He tells you." Next the leaflet tells us what He commands us:
1. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that He is the ONLY Savior: "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." Leaflet adds: He does not say: Trust in the saints, the pope or in Mary for salvation. Then Acts 4:12: "There is salvation in no other, for no other name came down from heaven... in which we can be saved."
Catholics agree. It means that He alone, by His own power, earned all forgiveness and grace for our race. But we add: Jesus also said: in Luke 10:16: "He who hears you hears me." Mt 18:17: "If he will not hear the Church, let him be to you as a pagan and a publican." "Mt 18:18:"Whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in Heaven. John 6:52:"Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you." Only in the Catholic Church can one eat and drink thus.
2. Jesus said that faith is necessary. John 3:36: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life." -- But the leaflet makes the same stupid mistake as Luther, not knowing what the word faith means in Scripture. It includes three things: If God speaks a truth, believe in your mind; 2) If He make a promise, be confident; 3) If He tells you to do something, do it- cf. Romans 1:5,"the obedience of faith", that is, the obedience that faith is, as a standard Protestant reference work explains it, Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Supplement volume, p. 333. The leaflet adds Romans 4:5: "Rather to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the impious, faith is counted for justification." True, The Council of Trent teaches (DS 1532) that we receive justification, i.e., sanctifying grace for the first time, without any works. Works after that point may earn increases in grace, but not the basic.
3. Jesus say in John 5:14: "He who hears my word, and believes in Him who sent me, has eternal life." We teach that too. But we also teach that if one offends Him mortally, He will lose his inheritance. 1 Cor 6:9-10 gives a list of the chief great sins and sinners and adds: "They who do these things, will not inherit the kingdom. Luther said in contrast "Be a sinner and sin boldly.... No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder 1000 times a day." (Luther's Works, American ed. 48. 282)--As to salvation, then, we cannot and need not earn it, it is an inheritance from our Father, but we can forfeit it by such sins, can be disinherited. Luther thought that faith justifies disobedience, not knowing (as in 2 above) that faith includes obedience!
4. Jesus said:(Jn 12:48): "He who spurns me and does not receive my words, has one who judges him, the word which I have spoken." We have answered this in #3. The leaflet adds from Mk 7:7-14: In vain do they honor me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." The leaflet shamefully ignores the context. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for invalidating the 4th commandment by saying if a man declares his property is Korban, dedicated to God, he can use it, but need not support his parents in their old age. Jesus also said, as above: "He who hears you hears me.... Whatever you shall bind on earth is bound also in heaven."
