'Depends on what you read into thing' Yes Bob but Truth is not simply subjective about what , 'I think ', 'I feel'. Truth is an objective reality or it is nothing at all. If, for instance all Relgions are to be taken as true then by definition no religions are true. If you apprehend one thing and I apprehend another in oppostion we can't both be right. One of us has to be right and one of us has to be wrong. Moral of philospohical relativism is a bit like building a house with no foundations. It's fine, your views don't upset me.
I was thinking some more, Bobby about your idea of using New Age Pagan referents in order to comprehend Marian Symbolism. I think it is a bit like this. I have two dogs. Now suppose I came home and found the dogs missing; a neighbour had them and taken them home with him. When I approach the neighbour he tells me that dogs belong to the entire world not just to me, but to him and anyone else who wnats them. In reply I answer that I bought the dogs as pups, I fed them raised them , love them and they love me back. That the dogs do not belong the whole world but that the dogs belong to me and me to the dogs. I think it is rather the same with Marian Symbolism. They were born in a Judaic/Catholic home and it is only in the context of a Catholic cultural/ relgious/ theological/ traditional/ spiritual context they can ever be properly apprehended. Trying to understand them in a Pagan/ New Age context is to bring them to a home in which they do not, rightly belong. Look at it another way take a New Age/ Occulitc symbol like , say the Pentagram. It belongs in a New Age / Occultic home and has no place in a Catholic home. Or look at another symbol like say the Hammer and Sickle. Its true home is in Marxism; not elewhere.
I have a close relationship with Mother Mary. I wear my Miraculous Medal around my neck and pray my rosary regularly. I have many Mary statues in my home and one in the backyard. I want a deeper relationship with her, however, especially now that I’m going through some very rough times.
Just figured I'd post an update of how my relationship with Our Lady has developed since I've last been on here: On Saturdays, I'm getting into to the habit of saying an extra Rosary in honour of Saturday being her day of the week. I say the Rosary for the intentions of keeping her company, as well as in reparation for blasphemies against her Immaculate Heart, in reference to the First Saturday Devotions. I'm also working really hard on developing the habit of mental prayer, and I'm letting Our Lady help me out. Now every time that I take my daily prayer break, I pray in front of my home altar, which has a statue of Our Lady of Hope on it, flanked by two angels, in reference to her being the Living Ark of the New and Eternal Testament. I'll meditate on either a section of St. Alphonsus' The Glories of Mary, or a Mystery of the Rosary, or some other Mariological Truth. It's been really helpful, but I've only just begun and I still have to work hard on overcoming distractions and focusing deeply on Jesus through Mary.
