Do you really not see the difference in "praying to" and "praying for"?
I pray to Jesus for my family, friends, enemies, sometimes. I don't pray to Mary or any Pope or any other person or being for them to pray to Jesus for me. What is the point in having a personal relationship with Christ, if you have to go through another person to get to him?
He is MY savior, not because of something I or someone else did, but just because he loves me.
"I pray to Jesus for my family, friends, enemies, sometimes. I don't pray to Mary or any Pope or any other person or being for them to pray to Jesus for me. What is the point in having a personal relationship with Christ, if you have to go through another person to get to him?
He is MY savior, not because of something I or someone else did, but just because he loves me"
I'm glad you are in love with Jesus.
So am I.
When I decided to have a personal relationship with my husband I didn't say to him "I only want a direct relationship with you - I will not honor your parents, siblings, or friends in any way."
I didn't do this because I knew part of having a personal relationship with my husband meant welcoming all of him, including his family and friends.
So it is with Jesus.
It is not an "either" "or" situation.
I pray directly to Jesus too. And I pray directly to His (and mine) Heavenly Father. And I pray to the Holy Spirit.
And I ask for intercession from others - I ask it from those still in their physical bodies here on earth, and I ask for intercession from those who now dwell in heaven in the presence of the Holy Trinity.
When I "pray to" Mary (as you like to call it), it is not me saying "Mary - you have the power of a goddess to fulfill my request"
No it is more like this "Mary - you gave birth to my savior, you raised Him and nurtured Him, you know Him like no other human being knows Him, please present my prayers to Him and intercede on my behalf"
I have a little girl in heaven. I recently found out my aunt is dying of cancer.
I find myself talking to my little girl, and it goes something like this "please pray for Aunt Grace, she is suffering. You are now living in the presence of Christ, please offer prayers for Aunt Grace's behalf to Him"
Now...I know my little girl is not a goddess - I gave birth to her afterall. But I do think she is aware of what is happening with her family, and I think she can still pray to God.
There is nothing in scripture that says the souls in heaven are mysteriously incapable of praying to God....there right there with him afterall - why would they stop praying?
But don't you ask your friends or pastor to pray for you or your family? Why not ask a relative who is deceased to pray to God for the same people? Your relative still loves and cares about you; going to Heaven wouldn't change that.