Mary

[Thekla]

I apologize for the confusion. There are two varying thoughts among the Catholics and Orthodox concerning the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. As Thekla has pointed out, many, if not all, Orthodox, believe them to be cousins and not half-brothers and half-sisters whereas many Catholics, if not all, hold that they are half-brothers and half-sisters in the sense that Joseph had a marriage prior to that with Mary during which he fathered these individuals.

I don't think I have pointed this out, as legal half-siblings is the EO descriptive I have most frequently (if not exclusively) 'heard'.

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

Joh 6:44 No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.

Later in that same chapter:

And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.

This is regards election.

Nobody has said that Mary leads the reprobate to Christ, for the reprobate reject Christ and salvation. Rather, Mary leads the elect to Christ.

Salvation is being conformed to the image of Christ:

And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints. For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son; that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren. And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.

It is in and through Mary that the elect are conformed to the image of Christ by she who formed Christ in her womb. So that it can be said of her:

This man and that man is born in her and the Highest himself hath founded her

And also:

Thy belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies.

I already brought up the lily as the symbol of virginity. She who is the Holy Virgin is also Mother of All the Living. The "heap of wheat" are all the elect contained within her womb.

Jesus refers to both Himself and the elect as "wheat":

Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.

And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up? And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.
...
Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field. Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man. And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one. And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels. Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.

The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The wheat is the elect (the children of the kingdom), the cockle (tares, weeds) are the reprobate (the children of the wicked one). The elect are contained and formed in the womb of the Virgin, just as was Christ.

On a less mystical note, Evangelicals often use the phrase "to lead someone to Christ". Do you object to the use of this phrase?

I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase. Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one. And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour. For we are God's coadjutors: you are God's husbandry; you are God's building.

Our first duty is to save our own souls, secondly is to save the world:

The husbandman, that laboureth, must first partake of the fruits.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all. And I do all things for the gospel's sake: that I may be made partaker thereof. Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.

I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

For those whose souls are already saved, that is, those in Heaven, their duty now is to save the world. So all those in Heaven, whether angels or saints, work together to bring all things into subjection to Christ.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.

And he hath subjected all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all the church, which is his body, and the fulness of him who is filled all in all.

For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet.

Therefore, it is not only likely but certain that the Blessed Virgin and all the angels and saints in Heaven are working together for our salvation.