Devotion to Saints/Mary

[vince2paul]

How does devotion make us closer to God the Father?
I was asked this question by my recently revert friend and had difficulty answering it.

May be someone could tell me how to explain devotion to this friend and how it makes us closer, not further, from God the Father.

I think in her mind it goes like

Person → Jesus → God the Father
Person → devotion to Saints/ Mother Mary → Jesus → God

It’s difficult for me to explain because it’s in my blood
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[puzzleannie]

for the same reason people on this forum are always asking each other for help with spirituality, moral struggles, faith issues, they know people here are knowledgeable, prayerful, sincere, on the same journey. The difference is that Mary and the saints are already in heaven and we know they are reliable guides and intercessors. We have no proof of the sanctity of CA forum members (or sanity for that matter).

 

[vince2paul]

for the same reason people on this forum are always asking each other for help with spirituality, moral struggles, faith issues, they know people here are knowledgeable, prayerful, sincere, on the same journey. The difference is that Mary and the saints are already in heaven and we know they are reliable guides and intercessors. We have no proof of the sanctity of CA forum members (or sanity for that matter).

Thanks for quick reply. That’s if we asked their intercession, how about devotion?

I explained to her that some people experienced something (could be miracle, etc) thus they have devotion to certain saints or Our Lady, but this answer doesn’t seem to satisfy her.

Any better explanation?

 

[Augustine]

I think in her mind it goes like

Person → Jesus → God the Father
Person → devotion to Saints/ Mother Mary → Jesus → God

It’s not easy for me either, having taken it for granted since my baptism as a babe. As an engineer, though, I think that the diagram helps. However, I’d draw it thusly:

Person/Saints/BVM → Jesus, the Son of God → God the Father

The bottom line is that Jesus is the only mediator between us and God, but we often ask for others to be the mediators between us and Jesus by praying for us. These other people we ask to pray for us may be alive, as you could ask me to pray for you, or dead. Well, dead on Earth, but alive in Heaven. After all, our God is the God of the living and we know that though some die on Earth they are alive in Heaven, as Jesus said to the Good Thief beside Him on the cross.

And it’s quite fine to honor the saints in Heaven, much like the Apostles and other jews of their time would do, as in the Lord’s transfiguration, when St. Peter suggested setting tents in honor of Moses and Elijah. We do similarly when we light candles in honor of Our Blessed Mother or of any other saint.

HTH