My point is this:
1. The bible speaks of the body of Christ
2. All Christians are parts of the body of Christ
3. Not even death can separate us from the body of Christ
4. St. Paul asks Christians to pray for one another- he does not say that those in Heaven are to be excluded from this.
5. Why then do some not believe it is good to ask Mary and the saints to pray for us? This is what Catholics do just as you ask a fellow parishioner at your church to pray for you.
Jesus teaches that we are to take our concerns directly to God the father. God is the source for all. Jesus did not teach to pray to Mary, or to the Angels, or to the Apostles or anyone or anything else.
Praying to anyone else, even Mary, is second best at best, and at worst, puts an emphasis on Mary that borders on worship and reverence as a god. Paul teaches us to pray FOR one another, not TO one another.
To believe that conducting a ritualized prayer (hail Marys, prayers to saints, etc.) can evoke, communicate with, derive power from, or alter earthly events in any way, by calling on those long dead, does not in any way resemble the Lord’s prayer and Jesus teaching on prayer. In fact, it far more resembles sorcery in that it calls upon spirits to do one’s bidding.
Paul also DOES NOT SAY not to pray to Fido and FiFi...So do you pray to your passed on dog, cat, hamster and hog and ask them to pray for you as well???
Paul says to pray only to God...