Mary and Intercessory Prayer

Ave Mary ^ | 6/21/09 | Shoy Thomas

[bdeaner]

Q. Why do Catholics pray to Mary, instead of God?

A. When we say the Hail Mary or the Rosary, we don't pray to Mary as we pray to God; we are asking her to pray, or intercede, for us-"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death". As Christians, we are all, including Mary, praying to the Father through Jesus. Christians, including Catholics, are all agreed that there is one Mediator between god and man, the Man Jesus Christ (1 Tim.2:5). Prayer is essentially a dialogue between man and God. The misunderstanding that arises over "praying to Mary" is concerned with the use of the word "prayer". Our modern English comes from middle English, where the word "pray" perhaps meant something more than it means now. It can mean "to beg or implore", and in earlier times it would not have been unusual to hear the expression, "can you help me, I pray you". Possibly there is room for correcting our language so as to distinguish between prayer addressed to God, and that addressed to those closely associated with Him, such as the saints. Unlike prayer to God, personal communication with the saints does not involve adoration or praise which is due to God.

Q. Why ask for the intercession of Mary and the saints when Jesus is the sole Mediator between man and God?

A. Since Jesus is the sole Mediator between God and man, no one in heaven or on earth can take His place. However this does not make intercessory prayer wrong. St. James tells us (5:16) that "the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully", and there are many other examples of intercessory prayer being recommended in the New Testament (col. 1:9;2 Thes. 1:11; 2 Thes. 3:1-3). Christians seek the prayers of fellow believers, and some will make a great effort to obtain the prayers of a person who is considered to be holy, or to have a special prayer ministry, particularly in healing. Christians then act as mediators, but this does not violate Christ's role as sole Mediator, because ours is a secondary role dependent on His. Just as we are all members in the one Christ (Eph. 5:30; 4:15-16: 1 Cor.12:12-30), so we are all mediators in the one Mediator.

The difficulty seems to arise in asking for the prayers of someone who has left this earth. However, this shouldn't make any difference if we accept the resurrection of the dead. Those in heaven are also united to God (1 Cor.13:12; 1 Jn. 3:2) and are alive to Christ (Mk.12:24-27; 1 Cor. 15:22). God is God, not of the dead, but of the living (Matt. 22:32). The image of Christ as the vine, and us the branches that live through Him (Jn. 15:1), shows that if we are connected to Christ we are connected to one another. There is no reason to believe that those taken into heaven are suddenly cut off from the vine; there is good reason to believe that they are more fruitful. In the arms of God they are more alive than we are, and are more considerate of us than when they were on earth. In the Old Testament we read of examples of deceased men such as Onias and Jeremiah (2 Macc. 15:11-16) or Moses and Samuel (Jer. 15:1) as intercessors. Another instance which testifies to the continuance of intercession beyond the grave is the parable given by Our Lord Himself, in which Lazarus is seen in Abraham's bosom (Lk. 16:19-31). If Abraham, not yet ascended on high, had charge of Lazarus, then there is no problem with the intercession of saints united with God on high. We also learn in the book of Revelation (5:8; 8:3) that the people of god in heaven and angels place the prayers of the holy on earth at God's feet.

Graffiti in the Catacombs bear witness to the fact that the saints were invoked by early Christians. For example, in the catacomb of Saint Sebastian invocations such as "Paul, Peter, pray for Erote, intercede" and Paul, Peter, pray for Victor", are clearly inscribed on the walls. There is evidence from very early times of belief in Mary's intercession, from the archaeology of the Holy Land, the catacombs, Apocryphal writings and the early Fathers of the Church. Properly understood then, the saints and angels can be "prayed" to, and they then take these prayers to God. Most Catholics can attest to instances where it has been better to have our friends in heaven, especially Mary, praying with them.

Q. Asking Mary or any on else in heaven to pray on our behalf seems to be an obstacle between us and God. Why not pray to God directly?

A. This is a distorted picture of our relationship with God and Heaven, as it gives the impression of having to go through a chain of subordinates to get to the man at the top. God knows all our wants better than we ourselves know them. He knows what we are going to pray for before the prayer is formed in our own heart (Matt. 6:8), and is infinitely more willing to help us than we are to ask for His help. This then begs the question: why ask anyone to pray for us- or even for that matter: why pray directly to God, since He knows our needs? No other person in heaven or on earth can take god's place. Yet the Bible tells us to pray for one another, and Christians have little problem with this. Prayer is essentially a gift from God, and in intercessory prayer we share this gift and express our love for one another. God does not need our prayers to bolster His own power, yet out of love He wills us to be a praying family, and He answers our prayers.

This idea can also be extended to the saints, who are part of the same household of faith. However, in heaven they are fully united to God, and consequently are more loving, more attuned to our needs and concerned with our salvation than we are. This form of mediation can therefore be more effective than that of the faithful on earth, but it is not something the saints possess on their own. It is derived from the Lord and does not bypass Him. The medium of communication we have with those who have gone to heaven is Christ Himself, for He is the one mediator. Intercessory prayer with those who will be our friends in heaven for all eternity is an expression of the family spirit in the Church. It is a communion between the saints and the faithful on earth, whereby all are involved in one another's eternal salvation.

Q. How can a human being such as Mary hear and respond to the thousands of simultaneous prayers of Catholics, in many different countries, at the same time? Surely no one but God can listen to so many petitions at once.

A. It is true that in our humanity it would be impossible for us to converse with more than two people, let alone thousands, at the same time. However, it is important to remember that nothing is impossible for God, and in the eternity of heaven there is neither past not future as we understand it; everything happens in one great Present. Those in heaven are completely at one with God and, like Him, are beyond the restrictions of space and time. It does not imply that they are divine, it is only through God's will that Mary and the saints can communicate with us. The medium of communication is Christ, the only Mediator.

Q. Isn't the Rosary a Catholic devotion in which ten prayers are said to Mary for every one said to God the Father? Doesn't this mean that Catholics prefer Mary to God?

A. The implication here is that Catholics prefer Mary ten to one over God. If the preference were true, the ratio would be nearer to 10 to 3, as it is common to include the "Glory be to the Father…" and "O my Jesus" prayers as well as the "Our Father". This is beside the point anyway, as the Rosary is not meant to be a sort of opinion poll. It is a blend of vocal and mental prayer, consisting of beautiful gospel-based prayers and meditations on the life of Christ and His Mother. When we address Mary as "Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee", in the first part of the Hail Mary prayer, we are simply using those words given by God when he spoke to Mary through the angel Gabriel. In this Rosary meditation we are repeatedly asking Mary, as our Mother, to pray for us. We do not ask god to pray for us, as all prayer goes to Him anyway. It is the presence of Jesus which makes it possible for us to speak to His Mother. With this in mind, it is clear that in this form of prayer there is no question of giving Mary precedence over god. The Rosary makes us do what she never ceased to do, meditate incessantly on Jesus. Just as she "pondered all these things in her heart" (Lk.2:51), the Rosary shows us the mysteries of Jesus through her immaculate heart. The Rosary is Jesus-centered, and is prayed by non-Catholics. It isn't just for Catholics, it's meant for all us.

Q. Some of my Christian friends are turned off by repetitive prayers such as the Rosary. They claim that it was condemned by Jesus when He said, "In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard" (Matt. 6:7). Is this true?

A. Firstly, it should be remembered that our prayer is a dialogue with a real person, and it is important that we pray with the heart, instead of just fitting our prayers into a limited time and babbling the words. The Rosary can be a mindless rote, or it can be an opening of the heart to a state of peaceful contemplation before God by being joined together in continuous prayer with Mary. Repetitive prayer can be an aid to meditation. Before Pentecost Mary and the faithful were all joined together in continuous prayer (Acts 1:4), and no doubt many prayers were repeated as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, far from condemning repetitions in prayer, repeated the same prayer three times to His Father during His agony (Matt. 26:39-45), and granted the gift of sight to the repeated prayers of the blind men (Matt. 20:30-31). In the litany of thanksgiving in Psalm 136, the phrase "His love is everlasting" is repeated 27 times, and the heavenly host never cease to chant before God "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty" (Rev. 4:8).

In the passage from Mathew (6:5-8), Our Lord was teaching that prayer should come from the heart rather than the lips. It should be humble before God (Lk.18:10-14) and before people (Matt.6:5-6) and Christ warns against offering long prayers "for show" (Mk. 12:40). The actual number of prayers or the excellence of the words we use does not increase the chances of being heard. Some argue that the Rosary involves vain repetition, but our prayer can never be in vain if it brings us closer to God. All prayer is heard if the individual makes it with faith (Matt. 21:22), trusting in God's goodness (Matt.6: 8; 7:7-11) and in the name of Jesus (Jn. 14:13-14; Matt. 18:19-20). With this in mind, it is our persistence (Lk. 11:5-13; 18:1-8) and the time we spend with God, rather than the actual number of prayers we offer, that makes prayer effective. The prayers that make up the Rosary are simple in form, yet fundamental to Christian faith. The very fact that one is limited to these set prayers can effectively restrict the occurrence of spiritual pride. As we pray, God is listening to our hearts rather than to the words that pass our lips. The important factor is the sincerity of prayer - that it should be simple and from the heart.

[bdeaner]

[ConservativeMind]

Firstly, it should be remembered that our prayer is a dialogue with a real person,

I hate to say it, but Mary is not a “real person” anymore and cannot hear your words. Screaming, crying, “praying,” talking to her—these are all nonsense and not Biblically supported.

No where in Scripture is it shown that anyone “talked” to someone dead or may or may not be in Heaven, aside from Christ.

[freedumb2003]

Lovely and instructive post.

[conservative cat]

Good post. I am a converted Catholic and so am aware of things like this, but I am surprised by how many Catholics themselves think they are “praying to” various saints instead of requesting prayer.

The way I like to describe the difference to people is like if I was going to the hospital and asked a friend to pray for me. I am not praying TO my friend, and yes, I can still pray myself, but it helps to have others pray for us, too. Why not include those (saints) whom we are pretty sure made it to heaven.

[bdeaner]

No where in Scripture is it shown that anyone “talked” to someone dead or may or may not be in Heaven, aside from Christ.

I'm sorry, but your statement is incorrect. Scripture clearly shows us that those in heaven are aware of the prayers of those of us on earth. For example, see Revelation 5:8, where John informs us that saints in heaven offer our prayers to God under the form of "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Obviously if the saints are in heaven offering our prayers to God, they are aware of our prayers. They are aware of our petitions and present them to God by interceding for us.

God bless.

[bdeaner]

The way I like to describe the difference to people is like if I was going to the hospital and asked a friend to pray for me. I am not praying TO my friend, and yes, I can still pray myself, but it helps to have others pray for us, too. Why not include those (saints) whom we are pretty sure made it to heaven.

Exactly right. If someone is praying TO Mary or the Saints, rather than simply honoring them and/or asking for their intercession, they are in heresy and should be gently corrected.

[padre35]

“No where in scripture is it shown that anyone talked to..”

Saul did have that chat with Samual the Prophet via necromancy..

The issue for me has been how much did the Mother Son cults in the Middle East influence the Roman Catholic prayers to Mary Mother of Christ?

[raygunfan]

there isnt any, it is the mother son cults that were warped views of Christ and His mother...

[Just mythoughts]

Exactly right. If someone is praying TO Mary or the Saints, rather than simply honoring them and/or asking for their intercession, they are in heresy and should be gently corrected.

Note I married into a LIBERAL Catholic family..... Now could you please explain to me how to invoke Mary for intercession is NOT one and the same as praying TO Mary for whatever?

By liberal I mean it this way.... they vote democrat and democrat ideology represents what they believe their priest and their Church teaches/stands for and 'Republicans' are for the rich and do not share the wealth.

[Salvation]

**I hate to say it, but Mary is not a “real person” anymore**

Yes, she was and ISa real person. What are you going to say to Christ at the moment of your particular judgment (the moment of your death) when He asks you why you didn’t honor his Mother and Mother of God?

I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes right then!

[Salvation]

You would do yourself well to read the Scripture passages listed in this thread.

The Early Church Fathers on Intercession of the Saints - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus

[Natural Law]

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Luke 1:28 “And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.”
The Greek kecharitomene means favored by grace, graced. Its tense suggests a permanent state of being “highly favored,” thus full of grace. Charity, the divine love within us, comes from the same root. God is infinite Goodness, infinite Love. Mary is perfect created goodness, filled to the limit of her finite being with grace or charity.

Blessed art thou among women

Luke 1:41-42a “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women...”

Luke 1:48 “For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.”

Among all women is a way to say the highest/greatest etc. of a group in Semitic languages (these words would likely have been spoken in Aramaic). Mary is being called the greatest of all women, greater than Ruth, greater than Sarah, greater than EVE! Since Eve was created immaculate (without original sin), Mary must have been conceived immaculate. And, although Eve fell into sin by her own free will, Mary must have corresponded to God’s grace and remained sinless. She could not otherwise be greater than Eve. Thus, as the Fathers of the Church unanimously assert, Mary is the New Eve who restores womanhood to God’s original intention and cooperates with the New Adam, her Son, for the Redemption of the world.

Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus

Luke 1:42b “and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

Jesus is Mary’s fruit. Good fruit does not come from anything but a good tree (Mt. 7:17-18)! The all-holy Son of God could not be the fruit of any other tree than the Immaculate Virgin.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Luke 1:43 “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Kyrios is the Greek word used by the Jews in the Septuagint Bible (Greek translation) for Yhwh, the Divine Name of God. In her greeting of Mary, Elizabeth is saying: “How is it that the mother of my God should come to me.” Against the heresies of the 4th and 5th centuries which tried to split the Person of Jesus into two, divine and human, denying one or the other, the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD proclaimed Mary Theotokos (God-bearer, i.e. mother of God). Jesus is a single Person, a Divine Person, the 2nd Person of the Most Holy Trinity. To be mother of the Person Jesus is to be mother of a Person who is God. Mary’s title protects this truth against errors which emphasize or deny, either the divinity or humanity of the Lord.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Luke 2:35 “...and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

John 2:5 “His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Mary sees a need and appeals to Her Son to satisfy it. He does. We turn to Mary to ask her to intercede with her Son in our daily spiritual and material needs, but especially at the hour of our death. At that moment our salvation hangs in the balance as the devil makes his final foray to deter us from the path to God (Rev. 2:10). It is not surprising, therefore, that both the Hail Mary and the Our Father conclude with an appeal to be delivered from the evil one.

[Salvation]

We don’t pray “to” Mary as you have been wrongly instructed. Rather we “ask” for her intercession. There’s a big difference there.

[TASMANIANRED]

Very beautiful.

[Salvation]

Great post!

[bdeaner]

there isnt any, it is the mother son cults that were warped views of Christ and His mother...

Lame. You are buying into propaganda from ATHEISTS. They say the same thing about Jesus and the Resurrection.

[big'ol_freeper]

It’s just all knee-jerk on the part of anti-Catholics. Their biblical scholarship is quite limited to statements made by their mentors and memorization of a few verses that seem to make their position. Poor souls. We must pray for them.

[bdeaner]

Saul did have that chat with Samual the Prophet via necromancy..

Good point, but I would not call this "necromancy." Necromancy is a cult practice that involves predicting the future by talking with the dead. That's now what intercessory prayer is.

[padre35]

That is not so raygun fan, Horus, Zoroaster and I’m fairly certain (though not completely certain) Gilgamesh had a similar story.

Does that mean the Rosary and Mary should be discarded as anti Scriptural?

Not at all, wereas Horus and Zoroaster were simple fables, Mary and Christ were actual, for my point of view, allow it to be submitted that such was brought about to offer the Truth in exchange for the Middle Eastern fables.

I’m not certain if that was put correctly.

[Just mythoughts]

We don’t pray “to” Mary as you have been wrongly instructed. Rather we “ask” for her intercession. There’s a big difference there.

How is Mary going to know you are asking for 'her' intercession if you are not praying to her.? Now what was Christ's most specific instruction regarding to WHOM we pray and in 'WHOSE' name. Mary was nowhere in His instruction and there is NO Biblical record of anyone ever being instructed to ask another flesh being for intercession.... Well now save Saul who sought the witch of Endor for a face to face with Samuel.