The Prayers of a Mother
When it comes to Catholic teaching on the intercession of Mary, many Christians will read this passage in 1 Timothy 2, and see an apparent contradiction.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and the human race,
Christ Jesus, Himself human,
who gave Himself as ransom for all.— 1 Tim. 2:5-6
They argue that since there is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, we have no need for the intercession of saints in Heaven. Jesus is already there, and so if a prayer goes up to Heaven, He hears it. But prayer is a mystery, and this logic implies the entire practice of prayer be optional to the Christian life. Afterall, Jesus said himself that God knows your need before you ask.
Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
— Mt. 6:8
Does it follow from this that we should not pray? Of course not. Especially, considering that Jesus’ next sentence, “When you pray…” and proceeds to teach them the “Our Father”.
Those who presume Jesus’ unique role as the only mediator between God and men implies we have no need for the intercession of others in prayer or in worship, are reading their American and modern Christianity into the text. This interpretation fails to take into account all of God’s revelation, both in scripture and tradition.
Mediators
The mediation of Christ between God and man is unique. He’s the only being in reality that is both God and human. Thus, He is the hinge between our mortal life and our heavenly destiny. He makes possible, through his life, death, and resurrection, our participation in the divine. It is on His merits that we are permitted to enter into the presence of God. And since He is the only mediator between God and man, I guess we don’t need to pray for each other…[sarcastic eye roll].
Returning to our first passage above, we must look at it in context. In the preceding passage, Paul exhorts us to pray (i.e., intercede) for Kings.
First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
— 1 Tim. 2:1-4
Clearly, the uniqueness of Christ’s mediation does not exclude the need for our intercession. But when we get to Heaven, it’s not like prayer suddenly stops. We’re not just gonna be “hanging out” in Heaven. We are still going to be praying and helping the Christian pilgrims sufferings Earth.
Saints in Heaven
Revelation reveals what many Christians reject: the intercession of the saints in Heaven. Three brief points:
Saints can see our lives on Earth.
Saints continue to pray in Heaven
Angels are part of presenting the prayers to God.
In Heaven, the Saints do know what’s happening on Earth. How they know this is not revealed to us, but it is clear that they have awareness in Heaven of our suffering on Earth.
I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, “How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” 11 …they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been.
— Rev. 6:9-11
Whether by God’s own revelation to them directly, or some other miraculous mystery of Heaven, the saints in Heaven have awareness of eternity and its relationship to world events. They are also actively petitioning God, i.e., praying.
In other passages, angels take the prayers to God.
Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones…
The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel…
Rev. 5:8; 8:4
Interestingly, these passages also contradict the Protestant notion that the mediation of Christ eliminates the mediation of other beings, human or angelic. “Elders” and “Angels” are depicted in Heaven as bringing the prayers to God.
Mother of God
We also know that Mary is in Heaven. In addition to this, we know that she is totally unique in God’s creation and plan of salvation. She is the only human being in all of history who can call Jesus “my Son, and my King.” The implications of the Virgin and the Incarnation are too lengthy to discuss here, but it’s important to highlight that Mary, regardless of one’s other predilections about Mary’s Perpetual Virginity or Immaculate Conception, is unlike any other human being in all of history.
Furthermore, she is also present in Heaven and her appearance is accompanied by fearsome and awesome events:
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Rev. 11:19-12:1
The Mother of God does not just fade into the background with all the rest of the patriarchs, matriarchs, and prophets. But many Christians think that Isaiah the prophet is more significant than Mary, the Mother of the King. Factually speaking, Mary is the most privileged human being in salvation history. Christ, in His divine wisdom, chose to be prepared for his ministry by a human mother, Mary. In the same way that Christ became a child and was molded by Mary into the man on the cross, so we can imitate Christ but submitting ourselves to the same Mother that raised our Lord.
Scripture teaches us that the “The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” (Jm. 5:16). The most righteous human being, who is not both human and divine, is Mary. Thus, her prayers are powerful.
On Earth as It Is in Heaven
Many will say, “Why ask Mary for prayers, when I can just go directly to God?” As mentioned above, this logic implies that prayer as a practice is entirely irrelevant. If God already knows what we need, why pray? Further, if the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, then why even pray at all? Finally, since Christ is our only mediator, the Father already knows what we need, and the Holy Spirit prays for us, then why should we even pray at all? The answer is because prayer is a grace from God that strengthens us in the battle, unites our wills with his, and enables us to take child-like steps towards our heavenly home.
If all an individual was made for was God, then God would have never said “It is not good for man to be alone.” He also would have never included a Kingdom, which by definition has substrates and hierarchies, that is, relationships, ins His plan.
God’s divine wisdom is clear, but mysterious. We know that prayer “works”, Christian community is invaluable, and our relationship with God does not exclude our need for the Church or prayer. In the same way that God didn’t have to use Mary, He didn’t have to create us for prayer. But He did, and our participation in that divine wisdom is the first step to childlike dependency on Him.
We are not blocked off from Heaven and Heaven is definitely not blocked from us (see passages above). The Kingdom on Earth is connected to the Kingdom in Heaven, especially via prayer. This is testified by scripture and the 2000 years of Christians who have recognized the essential role of Mary and the saints in their lives.
To those who are worried about devotion to Mary eclipsing their love of Christ, I understand exactly where you’re coming from. My suggestion to you, start praying a Rosary, and see how your love for God changes. It’s a gift from Heaven. But for those who are worried about me and my relationship with God, I’ll quote one of my favorite saints, St. Maximilian Kolbe, “What do you think [Mary’s] going to do? Make me less like her Son?”
— DR