Iam the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me” (John 14:6).
“For there is one
God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1Timothy
2:5).
God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1Timothy
2:5).
Does the Bible confirm what Protestants have been
telling us, that we should only go through Jesus Christ when we pray?
No. It only says that we should go to Jesus.
Scripture shows us different ways we can go to him.
telling us, that we should only go through Jesus Christ when we pray?
No. It only says that we should go to Jesus.
Scripture shows us different ways we can go to him.
Jesus Got Closer to Us Through Mary
Jesus came through his Blessed Mother to become our
Savior. He subjected himself to her—Honor Your Mother and Father—and
responded to her appeal at the wedding at Cana. He specifically had
said it was not his time yet. And then he went ahead and performed his
first miracle at her request. The Mother/Son dialogue was not included to
simply move the story along. There is a clear message: When visiting with
Jesus, it’s a Biblical idea to include his mother.
Savior. He subjected himself to her—Honor Your Mother and Father—and
responded to her appeal at the wedding at Cana. He specifically had
said it was not his time yet. And then he went ahead and performed his
first miracle at her request. The Mother/Son dialogue was not included to
simply move the story along. There is a clear message: When visiting with
Jesus, it’s a Biblical idea to include his mother.
God’s Bouncer
Good bouncers keep the riff-raff out of bars.
Scripture shows us how God got the riff-raff out of heaven. “Now
war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And
the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and
there was no longer any place for them in heaven” (Rev 12:7-8).
Scripture shows us how God got the riff-raff out of heaven. “Now
war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And
the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and
there was no longer any place for them in heaven” (Rev 12:7-8).
On July 9, 2013, Pope Francis joinedPope Emeritus Benedict in the Vatican gardens and together they consecrated the
Vatican to St. Michael the Archangel and placed the whole Church under his
protection. Pope Leo XIII composed the prayer to St. Michael in 1886 after the pope had
a vivid vision that revealed how much we need to ask
for help in the battle against darkness in this world.
On April 24th 1994, Pope John Paul II recommended the Catholic
faithful to continue praying the St. Michael Exorcism prayer, referring to
Ephesians 6:10 which tells us: “Draw strength from the Lord and from His
mighty power.”
faithful to continue praying the St. Michael Exorcism prayer, referring to
Ephesians 6:10 which tells us: “Draw strength from the Lord and from His
mighty power.”
I pray to Jesus to protect me from evil, but I also
invite his emissary, St. Michael the Archangel, to do the work God made him to
do.
invite his emissary, St. Michael the Archangel, to do the work God made him to
do.
The Saints.
Scripture shows us in Acts 19: 11, that God performed
miracles through his faithful. “God did
extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that
had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the
evil spirits left them.”
miracles through his faithful. “God did
extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that
had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the
evil spirits left them.”
Part of the Catholic canonization of
saints is the confirmation of at least two miracles associated with their being
invoked for help. Among my Protestant friends, many of them have a strong
faith in the power of being prayed over by a righteous person to bring about
miracles. “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect”
(James 5:16).
saints is the confirmation of at least two miracles associated with their being
invoked for help. Among my Protestant friends, many of them have a strong
faith in the power of being prayed over by a righteous person to bring about
miracles. “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect”
(James 5:16).
Scripture attests that the power of
their prayers is not diminished after their death. The martyrs in Heaven in
Revelation 6:10, pray to God, asking him to take specific action on earth and Rev
5:8 speaks of the “prayers of the saints.”
The Bible teaches that we are one body. There is no mention of the
members of the body ever getting cut off from one another. Scripture does
mention, however, that the saints can see us. “Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (Heb. 12:1).
their prayers is not diminished after their death. The martyrs in Heaven in
Revelation 6:10, pray to God, asking him to take specific action on earth and Rev
5:8 speaks of the “prayers of the saints.”
The Bible teaches that we are one body. There is no mention of the
members of the body ever getting cut off from one another. Scripture does
mention, however, that the saints can see us. “Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (Heb. 12:1).
Since heaven has no space or time, theangels and saints are not encumbered by the limits we live under. They
can hear from everyone petitioning them at the same time–they can hear and know
fully. “At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to
face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully
known” (1 Cor.13: 12).
If we can hear and know more fully in
heaven than on earth, the death of righteous ones is no time to stop asking for
their prayers. One capacity for love and charity will only increase in heaven.
heaven than on earth, the death of righteous ones is no time to stop asking for
their prayers. One capacity for love and charity will only increase in heaven.
I am happy to pray with my Jesus-loving
Protestant friends. But sometimes it feels like being in front of a big picture
window while there is a beautiful sunrise outside. The Protestant curtain
is open a little in the middle so that I can see the beautiful sun coming
up. But as a Catholic, I want to open wide the curtains and catch the
entire glory of the sun with all the rays that emanates out upon the earth.
From the radiance of the Son, the angels and saints reflect and bring us
his glory. We can always go directly to Jesus, but so too can
we go and bring others along with us. There is strength in numbers,
especially righteous numbers.
Protestant friends. But sometimes it feels like being in front of a big picture
window while there is a beautiful sunrise outside. The Protestant curtain
is open a little in the middle so that I can see the beautiful sun coming
up. But as a Catholic, I want to open wide the curtains and catch the
entire glory of the sun with all the rays that emanates out upon the earth.
From the radiance of the Son, the angels and saints reflect and bring us
his glory. We can always go directly to Jesus, but so too can
we go and bring others along with us. There is strength in numbers,
especially righteous numbers.
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