When one thinks about praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary or to the Saints, many questions will arise such as - Are Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints not deified by praying to them? - Are we not violating God’s commands which forbids calling on the dead? - Are we not making them mediators when Christ is the only One Mediator? - Why not pray directly to God or to Jesus? - Moreover, can they hear us? There is nothing wrong praying to Mary or the Saints for we do pray to ourselves too when we make requests from one another. Again when you make request of a pastor, you are praying to him. However, this is not in the same sense as praying to God. Prayers are directed to the Holy People of God ONLY on the platform of intercession. When the prayer is directed to them, it is for them to relate your prayers to God. For the Scriptures say “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev 5:8). So, they really do present our prayers to God. When one considers the warning of God to the Israelite in Deuteronomy 18:10-11(parall el verse 15) about calling up the dead or using medium (also 1 Sam 28), it will be like violation of the warning, however, those who died in Christ are still very much part of the Church. They are never separated for whether we are dead or alive, we belong to Christ (Rom 14:8); and of course, Jesus himself had conversation with the ancestors at the Transfiguration (Cf. Matt 17). So God’s children are in constant connection with the saints, as well as with our guardian angels (Cf. Matt. 18:10; 1Cor. 11:10; 1 Pet 1:12) When you run to the Priest or the Pastor to pray for you, what is his position? Mediator of course! He is mediating between you and God (Cf. Heb. 5:1) just like any Christian is to do in prayers – hence we pray for one another. Just like we are all members of Christ’s Body, we are all mediators. However this is not in competition or equating ourselves with Christ – for there will always be one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus in the manner of SALVATION not in terms of supplications or prayers. (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). We all can pray to God directly (Cf. Jer. 29:12; Ps 86:6; 143:1) as well as asking others to pray for us (Cf. 1Kg 13:6; Acts 8:24) BUT SALVATION comes ONLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. The truth is, our dead brothers and sisters in Christ – the Saints – are still very much in connection with us in the Spirit and we hope to be with them on the Last Day. Because they have fought the good fight and won the race (Cf. Phil 3:12; 2Tim 4:7), their prayers and supplications are more efficacious and acceptable to God the Father in Jesus Christ – for these worship God day and night in truth and in spirit (Cf. Rev 7:15; Jn 4:24). It is surprising to see some people who attack Catholics for praying to Mary and the Saints themselves pray to their dead father or mother or loved ones at the grave side. What do you call that? It is actually absurd for any Christian who believes that there is heaven and believes in the reality of saints to deny our connectivity with the saints in Christ. And to deny that they can hear us is to say that nothing exists spiritually. The good news is, irrespective of what we think or say, those who have asked for their intercessions or have prayed to them for God’s favor have never been disappointed. A lot of people are out there to testify to the favors received and still receiving through their devotions to one saint or the other; and more importantly through the prayerful devotion to, and/or intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Holy Mary Mother of God – Pray for us All you angels and saints – Pray for us. Be Blessed
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 22:46:12 +0000
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