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Then if there is a pecking order of effective prayer (the righteous get what they want more so than the less righteous), does Mary also discriminate on whether she will pray to God on behalf of less righteous people? Righteous people have their will matching God's will - and since 'God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven', that person's prayer will be truly effective, as Scriptures says.

Any bum could pray to Mary and get the same result as a righteous man.

Whether a person prays to God or to God through Mary will not improve the chances of one's prayer if the person is asking for something that is not God's Will.

However, if Mary DOES discriminate, like God does, then why bother going to Mary in the first place if you wind up in the same place?

Humility. It breeds a humble attitude when we feel we are not worthy to go to God directly, since He is all holiness and we are insignificant sinners.

Regards

FK: "However, if Mary DOES discriminate, like God does, then why bother going to Mary in the first place if you wind up in the same place?"

Humility. It breeds a humble attitude when we feel we are not worthy to go to God directly, since He is all holiness and we are insignificant sinners.

This is new. Does God really teach us that there are matters too trivial to bother Him with? Are there some parts of our lives that God doesn't care about? Consider:

2 Chron. 7:14 : ... if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Heb. 4:16 : Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Why are there tons of verses that encourage us to pray to God and zero verses that tell us to pray to dead people? Notice there is no distinction about importance of prayer. Our God is a PERSONAL God, He is never too busy for us.