Not having been raised Catholic, I can relate to the question that is often asked, “Why do Catholics pray to Mary?” A good way to respond to someone asking that question is to first explain the Catholic understanding of the Communion of Saints.
People questioning the idea of praying to a saint perceive that those who are dead in Christ are disconnected from those on earth, so to pray to someone who is dead seems like a useless proposition. Non-Catholics are quick to pray for one another, but to pray for the dead or ask the intercession of those who are dead is not only foreign, it’s a bit suspect.
So in order to explain why we pray to Mary and the saints, we need to explain that there is a connection between the Body of Christ that is already in heaven and those who are still on earth. Though a person is no longer living on earth, that does not mean they are not living. We have a relationship with those who are living in heaven, and that during the Mass heaven and earth connect.
Once that difference is explained, you can make the connection that praying to Mary or the saints is like asking a friend here on earth to pray for you. Catholics also believe that a saint in heaven has a better connection to Christ, since they are right there with him.
Part of the problem of explaining the communion of saints to non-Catholics is that the Bible that they use does not have the books that mention praying for the dead and asking for the intercession of angels, so trying to quote those Scriptures will not be accepted.
However, there are some verses in Revelation that talk about the prayers of the saints. For example, Revelation 5:8:
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.And Revelation 8:3-4:
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.Of course for those in heaven, there is no need for prayers, so the prayers of the saints are for those on earth. If saints are praying for us, why not implore them with something specific? That is how we on earth ask each other. If the Body of Christ is not separated, then it would be wrong to say we can’t ask members of the Body of Christ in heaven to pray for us, because that would be a denial of the unity of Christ.
It can also be helpful to point out the role of Bathsheba in the Old Testament as the Queen Mother to Solomon, who interceded for people on their behalf. So too the Queen Mother of heaven can intercede for us.
One through Love
Romans 8:35-39 talks about all of us being together in the love of God. If nothing can separate us from God’s love, how can we be separate from one another who are held together in God’s love?
In Mark 12:24-27, Jesus talks about the resurrection and proclaims that God is a God of the living, not of the dead and that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still live. This Scripture verse reinforces that those who die in faith are not dead. If they are not dead, then they are part of the kingdom of heaven, which is both in heaven and on earth. And so it follows that if we are connected, we can ask for the prayers of those in heaven who are part of God’s kingdom.
So once you can show people that it is biblical to pray to the saints, then you can easily point out that since Mary is the mother of Jesus, surely she can intercede for us as well.
It is a great blessing to have a host of heaven to pray for us as we labor and struggle here on earth.
You May Also Like:
Do Catholics Worship Saints? [Fr. Mike Schmitz Video]
Is Jesus the Only Mediator?
How Being Thirsty May Deepen Your Prayer Life
Psalms: Prayers from the Heart of a King
Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother [Study Program]
Emily Cavins received her bachelor of arts degree in classical and Near Eastern archaeology from the University of Minnesota. She is a tour leader of annual pilgrimages to Israel and other Bible-related destinations. Emily is also the developer of the Bible study resources, and co-author of The Great Adventure Storybook. She co-authored the Walking Toward Eternity Bible Study Series, Part One (Daring to Walk the Walk) and Two (Engaging the Struggles of Your Heart) with her husband, Jeff. Some of her other work includes: Great Adventure Kids, Lily of the Mohawks: The Story of St. Kateri, and Catholic Family Night, a series of lessons covering all three liturgical reading cycles with one lesson per week throughout the entire year.
Emily lives in Minnesota with Jeff, her husband of over thirty years.
Featured image and square image sourced from Wikimedia Commons
This blog post first appeared on The Great Adventure Blog (biblestudyforcatholics.com) on June 17, 2015. Find out more about Great Adventure Bible studies here or by clicking the banner below:
The Saints are those who are on earth. We can see this in Psalm 141:2, which says, Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense; and in the way the temple was set up regarding incense.
2 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
spot on
You quote scriptures that refer to “saints” as if that is a proof that scriptures endorse porting to those in heaven to intercede. The bible is not talking about DEAD saints or saints that the Catholic church has named special when they refer to the saints. ALL of the people who are born again in Jesus Christ, and baptised out of our sins (as adults) are the Saints of Jesus. The Saints are the bride of Christ, the true church He will come for. The church is not a building or the Vatican. It is the TRUE believers who have repented and are born into new life, and who live IN CHRIST. We are not saved by works either. We are saved by faith alone in CHRIST alone. Not one is ever good enough to save themselves. It is why we needed a PERFECT savior to die in our place and cover our sins. I was Catholic, until I actually read the Bible for myself and Jesus revealed the truth to me that can only be discerned through the Holt spirit. I WAS reborn, totally transformed in mind and spirit. Christ is the only mediator to God. We only pray to Him alone. Angels join us in worship of God and service to him. They protect us. I’m sure in heaven there may be praying for we who remain on earth, but our relationship is to be with Christ. We also do not bow to a pope, for a good reason…men are sinners. Including the pope, which has been proven by the fact he sits on an evil throne in the fanged mouth of a giant serpents head throne room. He also has openly spoken falsehoods and unbiblical doctrines of devil’s. I also have a picture showing pope benedict wearing horned demons on his robes. They don’t even hide it. Read the Bible unaltered by the Vatican, and pray to Jesus for discernment.
On point! 👌
Yes!
So true. No where in the bible does it say that saints are ones that are appointed by a church to pray to. People need to concentrate on praying to Jesus instead of dead people and that includes Mary (who died as a non-virgin … she had many other children after Jesus; ie, James, Jude).
Isn’t it biblical?
Praying to Jesus through Mary is wrong.
As a matter of fact praying to Jesus is wrong also.
Jesus himself clearly states in John 16:23 “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you”
He’s saying don’t pray to me, Pray to the Father in my name. It’s as simple as that.
And he goes on to say in verse 24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
He’s simply saying.. You haven’t been asking in my name, now ask and receive that your joy may be full.
In verses 26 and 27 it gets even better. “At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”
He’s saying don’t think that I’m gonna ask the Father for you or on your behalf, for the Father will do what you ask, because he loves you.
Abide in his word today and live a glorious life John 15:7
Glory to God!
please pray for Damianus aditya christie and myself. I have been waiting for reconciliation and to forgive each other, peaces for me and him, I have been struggling with pain. You always know what was happened because You see everything a most hidden corner, in suffering and disappointments. I come with a broken heart, my life is ruin, nothing gonna be the same again. please pity me Father, please soften and touch Damianus aditya christie heart for me. I can’t touch his heart, i know that prayer is a powerful thing. Without Your graces, we cannot accomplish anything. only God can change people’s hearts. please remove pride from his heart. please help me face things that are beyond my capabilities. because God, You have power to help me. and if You don’t want this reconciliation to happen, please give me strength to overcome the bitterness. Teach me how to remain grateful, although this is the most difficult. teach me to love you more than anything. I really need a miracle, thank you
please pray for Damianus aditya christie and myself. I have been waiting for reconciliation and to forgive each other, peaces for me and him, I have been struggling with pain. You always know what was happened because You see everything a most hidden corner, in suffering and disappointments. I come with a broken heart, he keeps away from me like crazy, he doesn’t respond to anything, arrogant and acts selfishly. please pity me Father, please soften and touch Damianus aditya christie heart for me. I can’t touch his heart, i know that prayer is a powerful thing. Without Your graces, we cannot accomplish anything. only God can change people’s hearts. please remove pride from his heart. please help me face things that are beyond my capabilities. because God, You have power to help me. and if You don’t want this reconciliation to happen, please give me strength to overcome the bitterness. Teach me how to remain grateful, although this is the most difficult. teach me to love you more than anything. I really need a miracle, thank you
please pray for Damianus aditya christie and myself. I have been waiting for reconciliation and to forgive each other, peaces for me and him, I have been struggling with pain. You always know what was happened because You see everything a most hidden corner, in suffering and disappointments. I come with a broken heart, my life is ruin, nothing gonna be the same again. please pity me Father, please soften and touch Damianus aditya christie heart for me. I can’t touch his heart, i know that prayer is a powerful thing. Without Your graces, we cannot accomplish anything. only God can change people’s hearts. please remove pride from his heart. please help me face things that are beyond my capabilities. because God, You have power to help me. and if You don’t want this reconciliation to happen, please give me strength to overcome the bitterness. Teach me how to remain grateful, although this is the most difficult. teach me to love you more than anything. I really need a miracle, thank you
Thank you. The way I think of it is that God honors those who honor Him.
So God raised each of their names up for their Godly witness. We all who are
justified by Christ are the branches and He is The Vine. And in Hebrews 12 we are told
that we’ve come to the Heavenly Mount Zion where Jesus Christ is with The Angels and the spirits of the saints made pure. But I do think this is done in God’s Omniscience.
That while God may or not share the content of a specific prayer with a branch on
The Vine; God knows we appreciate His Grace in that person and do not raise them in any
way equal or above Him.
So, I mostly think of this a a short cut from of saying a prayer like, In The Name of Jesus Christ;
God, by His Merits and Grace You showed through Mary; and her prayers in cooperation
with the Mediation of Your Son; have mercy on us. Amen.
And while I do meditate on The Gospel, relating specific time of Jesus Christ’s Life,
to make mine more virtuous, endure trials, and intercede for others;
I prefer while doing so, saying, “Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner, and on the whole world;’ rather than the Scriptural texts of the hail or greetings Mary prayer.
i agree with Russ Wallace John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
i am sorry i cant pray to any Marry or someone in heaven only direct your prayer to God and close in the Name of Jesus our savior and your prayer will be received
WARNING !!!!
Do not pray to any statue like Mary the statue that is not the way you pray just throw that thing away and pray to God from the bottom of your heart in the Name of Jesus Christ
Rambo is correct, you should not pray to a statue. That would be idolatry. Before 150 years ago, a statue or painting was _the only_ way to remember a loved one. Which is a 3d image. 🙂 And while we don’t want to devolve into a ‘scripture duel’, there are supporting scripture for this as well – as Jesus told us to call for the presbyters. Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration about what was going to happen during the crucifixion. In Revelations, it says the saints in heaven are aware of what is going on on earth and bringing petitions like incense. One question I like to ask myself is: what did the early church do? We have some of these writings in the New testament aside from the Gospels. But what about all those folks who knew the apostles for decades? What did they teach their followers? Just some thoughts.
These are the facts let’s talk with authority so the books you mention that are only in the Catholic bible are and have never been consider the word of God
A few hundred years after Christ, the church Father Jerome translated the Bible into Latin-the language of the common people at that time in the western Roman Empire. His translation, the Vulgate, included the Apocrypha, but only because the books were popular among his readers. Jerome explicitly denied that they should have the status as Scripture. Jerome said they were not books of the canon but rather books of the church. He believed they could be helpful to people but he clearly stated his belief that they were not divinely authoritative.
I keep reading over and over that praying to the saints is the same as asking someone to pray for you. I do not agree with this logic for this reason. When I ask a brother or sister to pray for me I am not praying to them, to make this request.
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”. The Bible is very clear that ONLY JESUS is the sole mediator between God and man. This link FALSELY assumes that other men BESIDES JESUS can serve as mediators:
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/one-mediator-between-god-and-men
The so-called “Father” Hardin states, “Nevertheless, lesser and subordinate mediators are not excluded. The question is what purpose they serve and in what sense do they mediate. They can help the cause of mediation in the only way that human beings (or creatures) can contribute to the work of salvation, namely, by their willing response to grace; either better disposing themselves or others for divine grace, or interceding with God to give his grace, or freely cooperating with grace when conferred.”. This is a HORRIBLE LIE! No one EXCEPT JESUS THE CHRIST saves a person! Read Acts 4:12 and it’s context: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” If you think that you’re asking me to pray to ask God for your salvation is dead wrong! You need ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin and repent and do a 180 in your life! YOU NEED JESUS AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR!
Even the Bible in Luke 1:46-47 has Mary acknowledging God as her Savior, “And Mary said:
‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…. ‘
Mary indeed conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit, but she was not immaculate. Why else would she call God her Savior if she didn’t need salvation from her sins?
The Saints, the Bible is talking about, are we who are in Christ that are still alive. That incense of prayer is streaming /flowing up to the Throne of Almighty God, where the Lord Jesus intercedes for us. Not Mary, not Michael, not Gabriel, etc. I always wondered why there are SO MANY MORE incidents (sexual issues, spiritual possessions, seeing angels???, Etc) in that particular “body of Christ” than any other. LET’S ALL PRAY TO THE FATHER IN JESUS’ NAME. period.
I don’t think it’s true that the “of course for those in heaven there is no need for prayers.” We pray all the time for the dead, and it is never not proper to do so. In fact, if you think about it, Christ emphasizes over and over again the *joy* in heaven at the repentance of even one sinner (apparently more so than for all the perfect people!) … Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses and are one then it would seem that of course there is joy in heaven from our prayers too joining with them. If what went on in the world wasn’t important to those in heaven then Christ never would have become one of us. It goes back to the question of whether or not God needs us — we can’t really fully answer that, but God sure acts like God longs for us no matter what. Therefore our prayers that link heaven and earth are important to the saints in heaven too.