Did Mary Get Old?

[Oremoose]

Wait being affected by time and Gravity is part of the curse of original sin? I am Confused.

[KnightofChrist]

This is much like the question "Did Mary experience pain during childbirth?" Some theologians say yes, others say no. It is all speculation, however, and questions such as these aren't particularly important in the long-run, so for top theologians, finding concluding answers isn't really a priority. At the moment, I get the sense the new top priority is expounding upon the theology of woman, which is obviously a much more important topic.

Most of the Church Fathers or rather the common teaching amongst the Church Fathers has been that Mary was free from the pains of birth, because Mary was born free from original sin, and one of the effects of it is birth pains. She could not have suffered the effect of something she was free from in the first place. Most of the theologians that I know who believe Mary suffer birth pains don't believe she was free from original sin. True it's not dogma per se but since it was the common teaching of the Church Fathers it does carry a lot of weight and force.

Plus there is also the too often forgotten Christmas prophecy of Isaiah.

"Before she is in labor, she gives birth; Before her pangs come upon her, she delivers a male child." -Isaiah 66:7

[maximillion]

Faith is called that for a reason.

 

 

Some things are not fathomable in this life.

 

You'll break your head if you try to fathom every aspect of the Faith according to human knowledge. That is why we have the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and the Wise.

 

If this is important to you for winning some non believer over or because lots of non Catholics bring up this kind of stuff, then you have to be prepared to leave some things to the working of the Holy Spirit.

 

"And all these things shall be added unto you....but you have to seek first His Kingdom, and if there are folk who insist that you 'know' everything and have every last answer, then they are missing out on the beauty and trust of true faith.

[HisChildForever]

On the topic of "dormition"...

 

Silly question, maybe, but - was she then unaware of what was happening, or did she "wake up" when she was assumed?

[Selah]

On the topic of "dormition"...

 

Silly question, maybe, but - was she then unaware of what was happening, or did she "wake up" when she was assumed?

 

 

 

 

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Dormition

 

 

According to Orthodox Tradition, Mary died like all humanity, "falling asleep," so to speak, as the name of the feast indicates. She died as all people die, not "voluntarily" as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world. The feast was added to the Roman calendar in the seventh century as the Dormitio. In the eighth century, the title was changed to the Assumptio (Assumption).

The Apostles were miraculously summoned to this event, and all were present except Thomas when Mary passed from this life. She was then buried.

Thomas arrived a few days later, and desiring to see her one more time, convinced the others to open her tomb. Upon doing so, the Apostles discovered that her body was no longer present. This event is seen as a firstfruits of the resurrection of the faithful that will occur at the Second Coming of Christ. The event is normally called the Dormition, though there are many Orthodox parishes in English-speaking countries with the name Assumption. In Greek, Dormition is Koimisis—falling asleep in death—from which the word cemetery derives.

 

 

 

[Luigi]

Next, can we play, "How Many Angels Can Dance on the Head of a Pin?"

[WillT]

Wait being affected by time and Gravity is part of the curse of original sin? I am Confused.

You don't remember that passage in Genesis where Adam and Eve are floating around weightless? Why do you think it's called the "Fall?"

[reminiscere]

The Franciscan tradition is that Our Lady lived until 72 (that is why in the Franciscan Crown, two extra Ave's are added at the end).

Secondly the tradition is that Our Lady being free of original sin did not suffer labor pains. Our Lord came into the world through His Mother really and truly passing through as a ray of sun through a glass pane.

As far as I know all approved private revelations (Emmerich, Mary of Agreda etc.) are clear that Our Lady didn't suffer during labor at all. This was a punishment imposed by God on women for Eve's sin. The New Eve, always free from all original and actual sin, did not deserve this pain and did not suffer it.

[Eliakim]

this question is not at all to be compared with such trivialities as the number of angels dancing on a pin. 

 

This question goes to the heart of one of the most famous ex-cathedra pronouncements in history.  So pay attention whoever said that. 

 

Why would Mary get old if she didn't have original sin since as many already admit she did not suffer labor pains on account of her preservation from original sin?  Is not death and decay one of the effects of original sin? 

 

E