Mary at the Magnificat
(Photo: http://theinnseattle.wordpress.com)
A REFUTATION OF ABBEY JOHNSON-BERRIAN
ON MARY’S QUEENSHIP
On August 20, 2012, two days before the feast
of Mary’s Queenship, I posted my article From Handmaid to
Queen: A Reflection on the Queenship of Mary.[1]
I posted the article in my Facebook account. The article was generously
shared by so many friends in Facebook. I received congratulatory remarks from
friends, and criticisms from foes.
One criticism I received is from Abbey Johnson-Berrian.[2]
She objected to Mary’s elevation from a simple maiden to the level of a queen. I
wonder if Abbey Johnson-Berrian really understood the import of my article. The
point of my reflection is humility – and how God exalts those who are humble. I
quoted Our Lord's very own words: “whoever
exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt. 23:12).
Mary's humility and obedience to God's
Word: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to
thy word" (Lk. 1:38)
(Photo: http://nancybelanger.blogspot.com)
The
next point of my article is Mary’s humility – her lowliness and nothingness
before God. Consistent with Matthew 23:12, I stressed that Mary’s utter
humility is reason enough for her to be exalted by God. Mary’s recorded word in
God’s Word proclaims that it was indeed God who
“has
looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness” (Lk. 1:48). Thus, “from now on
will all ages call me blessed” (Lk. 1:48).
For these reflections I made, I incurred Abbey
Johnson-Berrian’s condemnation. She told me point-blank: “You will be judged severely for your Mary worship. And don't even
say you don't worship her because you do. Elevating her to something that even
she would frown on. This is NOT Mary of the Bible.”
The Visitation: Mary visits Elizabeth
(Photo: http://www.brigidmarlin.com)
What
is the basis for Abbey Johnson-Berrian’s accusation that I worship Mary? She
didn’t cite any. She has already made up her mind that I worship Mary even
without bothering to look at the facts. She wouldn’t take any explanation. She wanted
to gag me by saying, “don't even say you don't worship her because you do.” Abbey Johnson-Berrian’s bias and
prejudice are insurmountable.
Abbey
Johnson-Berrian does not know me personally. She is not privy to my thoughts.
She cannot read my mind or see my heart. How come that she is so cocky-sure
that I worship Mary? I wonder if Abbey Johnson-Berrian is omniscient like God. It is only
God, and not Abbey Johnson-Berrian, who knows my heart. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test
me and know my anxious thoughts” (Ps. 139:23). Who gives Abbey
Johnson-Berrian the authority to usurp the prerogative of God?
Mary obeys God's will no matter what it takes
(Photo: http://jameskimlcop.blogspot.com)
I
am fully aware that Mary is not
God – and I don’t pay her divine honor or worship. In fact, the regular readers
of my blog are aware how I denounce with utmost vehemence, if not ferocity,
those individuals and groups who teach that Mary is God and worship her. I
fought, and continue to fight, their heresy and idolatry (or Mariolatry).[3]
Abbey Johnson-Berrian’s reason for condemning
me for my alleged “Mary worship” is “elevating her [Mary] to something that even she would frown.”
I think Abbey Johnson-Berrian’s reading comprehension is problematic. In my
article, I made it clear that Mary’s exaltation is due to her humility or
lowliness. Why would Mary frown on that? In the Magnificat, it was Mary
herself, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who approved of it, declaring:
“He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the
lowly” (Lk. 1:52).
Elizabeth praises Mary: "And ow this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Lk. 1:43).
But Abbey
Johnson-Berrian concluded that “this is NOT Mary of the
Bible.” I think Abbey Johnson-Berrian is simply illiterate. She failed
to read and understand the Scripture passages (Lk. 1:48, 49 and 52 from the
Magnificat) that I quoted. Who spoke the inspired words in the Magnificat if
not Mary? Maybe Abbey Johnson-Berrian has a different Mary in mind. In that
case, it is her Mary that is NOT of the Bible!
Abbey
Johnson-Berrian calls my Mary – the Mary of the Magnificat – as “Vatican baloney.”
So, Luke 1:48, 49 and 52, the verses I cited in my article are also “Vatican
baloney,” – if we are to believe Abbey Johnson-Berrian.
Martin Luther: "Queen of Heaven is a true enough name and yet does not make her [Mary] a goddess"
Then, she
challenged me to show her the book, chapter and verse in the Holy Word of God
that says Mary is Queen of Heaven. I can do that, of course, but I want to be focused (since she was
commenting on that particular article). First, I want Abbey Johnson-Berrian to
show me the line and paragraph of my article where I say that Mary is Queen of Heaven. Again, it is Abbey
Johnson-Berrian’s reading comprehension that failed her. In my article, it is
Martin Luther who admitted that the title “Queen
of Heaven” is “a true enough name and
yet does not make her a goddess.”[4] So,
to be fair and consistent, Abbey Johnson-Berrian must judge Martin Luther of “Vatican
baloney” accuse him of “Mary worship”[5]
for which God must have judged him severely. What could have happened to Martin
Luther’s “once saved, always saved” theology? Well,
David J. Stewart of Jesus.Is.Savior.Com consigned Martin Luther to hell![6]
Poor, poor, Martin Luther. If David J. Stewart is right, Martin Luther is his
very own refutation of his “once saved, always saved” theology.
Abbey
Johnson-Berrian asked me to show her where in the New Testament where Mariology
beliefs are. My answer: It’s all over the New Testament. But would Abbey
Johnson-Berrian, given her poor reading comprehension and bias, ever figure
them out?
Was he saved? Death portrait of Martin Luther
(Photo: http://www.welcometohosanna.com)
There’s
one thing that Abbey Johnson-Berrian should have not done because it backfires
on her. She said, “If
Jesus wanted Mary to be called "Queen of Heaven” He had 33 years of his
life to declare this.” This kind of
thinking undermines the greatest tenets of the Christian faith! The enemies of
Christianity could have a field day asking:
1. If Jesus wanted to reduce
His revelation to a book, why did He not list the 27 books of the New
Testament? He had 33 years to do that.
2. If Jesus wanted to teach
His divinity and leave no one in doubt about it, why did He not say
categorically “I am God”? He had 33 years to do that. (The argument used
precisely by neo-Arians like the Iglesia
ni Cristo and Jehovah’s Witnesses!)
Iglesia Ni Cristo: "If Jesus were God, why didn't He say 'I am God'"
(Photo: http://pjbailon.blogspot.com)
3. If Jesus wanted to God to
be known as the Trinity, why did He not mention the Trinity and explicitly
state that there is one God in Three Divine Persons? He had 33 years to do
that.
4. If Jesus wanted to teach sola scriptura, why did He not say so?
He had 33 years to do that?
5. If Jesus wanted to call
God’s Word as the Bible, why did He not do that? He had 33 years to do so.
The Holy Bible: Why did not Jesus Christ provide the canon of Sacred Scripture? He had 33 years to do that.
I could
add to the list but the above are sufficient to prove the bankruptcy of Abbey
Johnson-Berrian’s line of thinking. She doesn’t only have a problem in reading comprehension;
she also has a problem in logic. She should have not dared open that particular
can of worms because it boomerangs on
her face.
[2] The
complete comment of Abbey Johnson-Berrian reads:
Abbey
Johnson-Berrian Marwil Llasos "From
simple maiden to Queenship". You will be judged severely for your Mary
worship. And don't even say you don't worship her because you do. Elevating her
to something that even she would frown on. This is NOT Mary of the Bible.
This is called Vatican baloney. Show me the Book, Chapter and
Verse in the Holy Word of God, that says Mary is Queen of Heaven. Show me in
the New Testament where Mariology beliefs are.
You can't do that. If Jesus wanted Mary to be called "Queen of Heaven" He had 33 years of his life to declare this.
And all these statues that you make, plaster images of whom you envision Mary to be, take heed. The Lord hates what you are doing.
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them." (Psalm 115:4-8)
You can't do that. If Jesus wanted Mary to be called "Queen of Heaven" He had 33 years of his life to declare this.
And all these statues that you make, plaster images of whom you envision Mary to be, take heed. The Lord hates what you are doing.
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them." (Psalm 115:4-8)
[4] Jaroslav Pelikan, ed., Luther’s Works (St. Louis: Concordia) 24:327, cited in Fr. Mateo, Refuting the Attack on Mary (San Diego,
CA: Catholic Answers, 1999) p. 67.
"From this day all generations will call
me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his
Name" (Lk. 1:48-49)
(Photo: http://www.catholic-mom.com)
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