Charles is correct, it's a Roman Catholic add-on, something like adding Ad Block to your web browser. But you knew that already, didn't you? >:-/
Where in the bible does it say to ask Mary and the Saints to intercede for us? Doesn't First Tim 1:25, and Hebrews 4:16 and 7.25 say to prayer to God directly?
Such an interesting question . . .
I find it interesting that they would even be able to intercede at all since their particular "Powers" are not nearly that of God's . . . They are not Omnipresent or Omnipotent . . Handling an onslaught of billions of prayers all at once seems a tad bit daunting . . .
If you were to out rightly compare it . . . How would an 3rd world mother pleading for baby's life take a back seat to a 67 year old man's plea for help with his heart burn? . . . The child dies and the man give praise for answered prayer when he suddenly has no burning in his chest and the acid reflux has subsided . . . If both prayed to Mary, did she feel only one of these should make it to God's ear? . . . If so, why is it hardly ever that a mother's pleading on the behalf of her child gets through?
You want to believe in prayer, that is fine . . . But assigning it directly a Supreme Being with limitless powers seems (Dare I say it) more LOGICAL then group of people that were "So-So" in the "Holy" work they did here on earth whilst alive.
Nowhere, that is strictly a Catholic ideal.
Probably nowhere.
Since the bible is a collection of man made stories that contradict one another and also advises people to do horrible to ridiculous things what difference does it make?
I think there is about 4,000 flavors of christianity alone, so add ons and subtractions from the bible are probably rather common.
The historic Christian practice of asking our departed brothers and sisters in Christ—the saints—for their intercession has come under attack in the last few hundred years. Though the practice dates to the earliest days of Christianity and is shared by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, the other Eastern Christians, and even some Anglicans—meaning that all-told it is shared by more than three quarters of the Christians on earth—it still comes under heavy attack from many within the Protestant movement that started in the sixteenth century.
....it is clear from Revelation 5:8 that the saints in heaven do actively intercede for us. We are explicitly told by John that the incense they offer to God are the prayers of the saints. Prayers are not physical things and cannot be physically offered to God. Thus the saints in heaven are offering our prayers to God mentally. In other words, they are interceding.
This is church theology. The bible says that in latter periods of time there would be a deviating from the truth. Men would seek followers for themselves in doing this. To protect yourself from this deviating you must approach the "hearer of prayers", our creator and allow him to give you direction from his word the bible. Keep in mind the bible was written in such a way to cause a separation among those that read it. When you read it in sincerity, humility, and honesty you separate yourself as God has purposed. It is God's purpose to organize people that are willing to use their free will as intended and fill the earth as God had purposed.
Dear Pea Nuts,
I don't have a Biblical reference for you...this answer is more from my own experience with prayer.
And the "correct" prayer for each of us is whatever comes most natural to us...so if you are drawn to the Beloved God directly, then in my way of thinking that is the best way for you to pray. We are each unique like the Beloved God is One and unique, and we are so cherished.
Even when you go through the saints and angels and divine teachers, I am not sure they intercede for us, as such, so much as they simply amplify our prayers...I assume by adding their prayers to our own.
Because as your heart becomes more aligned with the Reality of Love, then your prayers become ever more powerful. So when those great Beings add their prayers to ours...wow!
