Can you answer this troubling prayer question?

[Walshfish]

Recently I was listening to Catholic radio and I heard the commentator/guest say that since all prayer is imperfect ( it contains traces of pride. etc.) and Jesus can accept nothing that isn’t perfect, prayer should be directed to the Blessed Mother and she passes it on to Jesus.

All my life I have prayed to Jesus as if he were a personal friend.

I have the greatest respect for the Blessed Virgin and pray to her BUT must I direct every prayer to her so she can filter it for Jesus? This is distressing to me.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

That kind of reasoning suggests that Mary has some qualities that Jesus lacks. Actually, He’s an old hand at dealing with our imperfections. He died on the cross for them. In Romans 5:8 we read: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He evidently didn’t have any trouble dealing with our imperfections then----and He doesn’t now either.

It’s really not a matter of ONLY praying to Jesus or ONLY asking others to pray for us. We do both. When we ask each other for prayer, we’re not ignoring Jesus or somehow suggesting that someone else might be able to change His mind. The relationship Our Blessed Mother has with her Son is not one of power, but of love. No one has any qualities that He doesn’t have in far greater abundance. He’s God, after all. We don’t go to her because she will give us a better deal. We go to her because she is our Mother and we love her. The more people pray for each other, the more love there is–and God definitely wants this.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.