T
themaccauk
Guest
Can someone clear up the interssor question.My understanding is there is only one intercessor and that is Jesus who now is the high priest in the heavenly temple. How can there be others
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R
R_C
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If you thoroughly read the New Testament, you will see it written in characters of gold that we are all members of Christ, who is Head of the Church. This is why St. Paul calls us “saints”. This is why in the Council of Nicea we explicitly define in our Profession of Faith our belief in the “communion of saints”, which includes:
The very office of bishops and priests - as explained by St. Paul in the Letter to the Hebrews - lies on the fact that there aren’t many priests, but one High Priest, and they act in the person of the High Priest, who is Christ. This is why they have the power to absolve sins (as given by Christ to the apostles and their successors) - for only God can remit sins; and this is why they have the power to consecrate the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ - for “no man - says Christ - takes my life from me; I have authority to lay it down whenever I want, and to take it back”. Now, if He was speaking of the Cross, He would not have said “whenever I want”. He was referring to the memorial of His death, the Eucharist, of which the Psalms and the prophets speak so highly as the pure sacrifice of thanksgiving being offered every hour, from east to west.
In general, all members of the body of Christ - including us, wretched sinners - have the capacity to intercede through Christ, for Christ told us that if we have faith in Him we will do his works “and even greater works”. Even greater works, He said. Greater works than those of Christ can only be accomplished through Christ. Which is why Paul writes: “I no longer live after Baptism, but Christ lives in me” and “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”.
Of course, of all creatures, of all members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, the most perfect of all intercessors is the Mother of Christ, from whom the Word took flesh. Already by her intercession the unborn St. John the Baptist was filled by the Holy Spirit, as well as his mother; by her intercession the Lord accomplished his first miracle (his “self-revelation”) after which the apostles truly believed in him; and nobody in the mystical body of Christ is more perfect in his intercession than she who held the unborn Christ in her womb and nurtured the helpless baby who was the Living God. For as children always listen to their mothers and owe them respect - even though obedience ceases after they become of age - so Christ, the divine Son, always holds the words of His mother with utmost respect. As the Old Testament King, an imperfect, human king, brought a throne for His Queen Mother and told her: “speak, mother, for I shall not refuse you”, so we know that the King of Kings will have no less regard for His Queen Mother.
- the saints of the Church Militant, on earth
- the saints of the Church Penitent, in purgatory
- the saints of the Church Triumphant, in heaven
The very office of bishops and priests - as explained by St. Paul in the Letter to the Hebrews - lies on the fact that there aren’t many priests, but one High Priest, and they act in the person of the High Priest, who is Christ. This is why they have the power to absolve sins (as given by Christ to the apostles and their successors) - for only God can remit sins; and this is why they have the power to consecrate the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ - for “no man - says Christ - takes my life from me; I have authority to lay it down whenever I want, and to take it back”. Now, if He was speaking of the Cross, He would not have said “whenever I want”. He was referring to the memorial of His death, the Eucharist, of which the Psalms and the prophets speak so highly as the pure sacrifice of thanksgiving being offered every hour, from east to west.
In general, all members of the body of Christ - including us, wretched sinners - have the capacity to intercede through Christ, for Christ told us that if we have faith in Him we will do his works “and even greater works”. Even greater works, He said. Greater works than those of Christ can only be accomplished through Christ. Which is why Paul writes: “I no longer live after Baptism, but Christ lives in me” and “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”.
Of course, of all creatures, of all members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, the most perfect of all intercessors is the Mother of Christ, from whom the Word took flesh. Already by her intercession the unborn St. John the Baptist was filled by the Holy Spirit, as well as his mother; by her intercession the Lord accomplished his first miracle (his “self-revelation”) after which the apostles truly believed in him; and nobody in the mystical body of Christ is more perfect in his intercession than she who held the unborn Christ in her womb and nurtured the helpless baby who was the Living God. For as children always listen to their mothers and owe them respect - even though obedience ceases after they become of age - so Christ, the divine Son, always holds the words of His mother with utmost respect. As the Old Testament King, an imperfect, human king, brought a throne for His Queen Mother and told her: “speak, mother, for I shall not refuse you”, so we know that the King of Kings will have no less regard for His Queen Mother.
L
LilyM
Guest
No. If there were only one intercessor, we would say the Our Father quite differently. It would go ‘give ME this day MY daily bread. Forgive ME MY trespasses as I forgive … lead ME not into temptation, but deliver ME…’Can someone clear up the interssor question.My understanding is there is only one intercessor and that is Jesus who now is the high priest in the heavenly temple. How can there be others
The prayer itself in fact teaches us that we are all intercessors praying for each other’s needs as well as our own.
And from memory there are several places in St Paul’s epistles where he asks others for prayers for himself. That is exactly what we do with the heavenly Saints. And in no way does this seeking of the prayers of others violate Christ’s intercessory role.
V
vsedriver
Guest
Jesus is the one intercessor between us and the Father. But Mary and the saints act as intercessors between us and Jesus. Yes, we could all pray directly to Jesus. But would a good Jewish boy deny his Mother any request?Can someone clear up the interssor question.My understanding is there is only one intercessor and that is Jesus who now is the high priest in the heavenly temple. How can there be others
I have experienced the intercession of saints. Good St. Joseph, Christ’s foster father, has interceded for me several times. It is a good thing to pray for each other. That good thing doesn’t stop when your soul is in heaven.
S
Sirach2
Guest
Nice reflection, Lily! Thanks!No. If there were only one intercessor, we would say the Our Father quite differently. It would go ‘give ME this day MY daily bread. Forgive ME MY trespasses as I forgive … lead ME not into temptation, but deliver ME…’
The prayer itself in fact teaches us that we are all intercessors praying for each other’s needs as well as our own.
And from memory there are several places in St Paul’s epistles where he asks others for prayers for himself. That is exactly what we do with the heavenly Saints. And in no way does this seeking of the prayers of others violate Christ’s intercessory role.
T
themaccauk
Guest
Thats another thing. I dont get the selling of the Gospel at every occassion. Many people ahv epointed me to books by men. Why ? Is not the Holy Scriptures not enough for us.
L
LilyM
Guest
If scripture is enough there would not be thousands of Christian denominations many preaching Gospels that contradict each other. That is why Paul talks about oral as well as written tradition and Peter warns against those who can twist scripture to their destruction.Thats another thing. I dont get the selling of the Gospel at every occassion. Many people ahv epointed me to books by men. Why ? Is not the Holy Scriptures not enough for us.
The Ethiopian had scripture and read it, but as he himself admitted could not make proper sense of it without consulting someone - Philip - who had Apostolic authority to correctly instruct him as to its meaning.
J
JRKH
Guest
I just replied to another of your threads and touched on this. If you begin from the position that Scripture is sufficient…and then read Scripture…you will find Scripture leading you to the Authoritative Church…not to itself.Thats another thing. I dont get the selling of the Gospel at every occassion. Many people ahv epointed me to books by men. Why ? Is not the Holy Scriptures not enough for us.
So - if reading books by other people bothers you…Then read Scripture and tell me whether Scripture says that Scripture is the ultimate authority or if it says that the Church is the ultimate authority…
Peace
James
Q
QNDNNDQDCE
Guest
The Bible does not say that there is one intercessor. Rather, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). We must think about what St. Paul means here because Paul calls Moses a mediator as well: "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator " (Gal 3:19). In what sense is Jesus Christ the only mediator between God and man? Because “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) because it is only through Christ that we can be reconciled to God. It does not mean that no one intercedes to God on our behalf. Those on earth intercede for us (Moses interceded for Israel, for example) and the departed saints and angels in heaven intercede for us as well (as we read in Revelation)
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