When Catholics pray to Mary and the other saints in heaven they are not bypassing Christ,whom they acknowledge as the sole Mediator between God and man.They are going to Christ through Mary and the other saints.They are asking Mary and other saints to intercede for them before the throne of Christ in Heaven.
"For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much."(James 5:16). How much more availing is the unceasing prayer of the sinless Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
St. Paul asked his fellow christians to intercede for him: "Brethren, pray for us."(2 Thess. 3:1). And again: "I beseech you therefore,brethren through our Lord Jesus Crist, and by the charity of the Holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God..."(Rom. 15:30). Christ must particularly approve of our going to Him through Mary, His Blessed Mother, because He chose to come to us through Her. And at Cana, He performed His first miracle after a word from His Mother(John 2:2-11).
It is clear in Sacred Scripture that the saints in Heaven will intercede for us before the throne of Christ if they are petitioned in prayer(Apoc or Rev 8:3-4), and it is clear in the records of primary Christianity that the first Christians eagerly sought their intercession. Wrote St. John Chrysostom in the fouth century(the protestant reformation took place in 1600's): "When thou perceivest that God is chastening thee, fly not to His enemies,but to His friends, martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to Him, and who have great power, "If the saints have such power with God, how much more His own Mother.
Taken from the book:
The Catholic Church has the Answer,
by Paul Whitcomb(a protestant converted to the catholic faith),
TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS,INC(www.tanbooks.com)
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