Mary hearing our prayers

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What would you say to someone who claims that Mary cannot hear our prayers?

Thanks in advance!

:hmmm:
 
Good question. The Bible gives us every reason to believe that Mary can hear our prayers. In John 8:49 Jesus tells us that if anyone keeps His word he will never taste of death. In the gospel according to St. Matthew chapter 22, Jesus tells us that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still alive in a glorified state in heaven (verses 31-32). Earlier, in chapter 17 of the smae gospel, Peter beholds Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration. This shows that not only are Moses and Elijah still alive… but they are also very aware of what is happening on earth.

We have every reason to expect the same of Mary!
 
I would also point out the parable of Lazarus and the rich man speaks of those who have died still being very much aware of the state of those left behind on earth. Also I would point out to the Revelation 5:8 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Now it seems to me that a plain reading of this is that the living creatures, who are angels, and the elders, who are saints, are carrying our prayers to the one who is worthy to take the scroll, that One being Jesus.

So if the saints in heaven are still aware of us and if they carry prayers to throne then there is no reason to assume that Mary does not hear our prayers and pray for us because (and I’m not a Catholic and I see this) the Gospel of St. John 19:27 tells us that Mary is our mother and like any mother she loves and cares for us, so of course she does this as well.
 
Thank you both so much. 👍

What about using the verse from Hebrews, “And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:” *Heb 12:1 *?

I did try using that once and was accused of taking that verse out of context. 😊 So perhaps the Hebrews verse isn’t the best one to use?
 
I was confused as to whether you are asking if Mary can hear our prayers, or you mean to ask, can Mary grant our prayers.
People sometimes use the words, “hear our prayers” interchangeably with “grant our prayers,” as meaning same thing, which they do not.
If the latter, Mary intercedes for us, as she did successfuly at the wedding feast at Cana, but it is God who grants our prayers.
 
Happywife said:
What would you say to someone who claims that Mary cannot hear our prayers?
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I would say to that person, you do not know her. You are a stranger to her or you could not say this. You are deprived of your mother’s love. I pity you. In your hard heartedness you reject the spiritual mother Jesus gives to you for your comfort and help, His own mother. In despising her prayers you offend Jesus’s mother and it displeases Him. In claiming Jesus mother, the woman who conceived by the Holy Ghost and gave birth to God as a virgin, is just another ordinary woman you must be blind. God honored this woman in these ways and other ways, and you refuse to acknowledge this by calling her ordinary. You refuse to be loved by her, the woman who gave birth to God and also held Him dead in her arms with her heart pierced. What a great pity.
 
Many Protestants believe that, when we die, we just “sleep” until the Resurrection; that we don’t go to Heaven until the so-called “Rapture” and the final judgment. They will admit Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as exceptions because of the Transfiguration, but not Mary.

It could be as simple as that…

Ruthie
 
If you are in a debate you may not wish to use this one:

“I would also point out the parable of Lazarus and the rich man speaks of those who have died still being very much aware of the state of those left behind on earth.”

The rich man’s concern for his brethren doesn’t imply that he actually knew of their current affairs.
No, some protestants say “Mary cannot hear your prayers”… KWIM? As in only God who is omnipotent can hear prayer.
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Since your clarified question is really addressing the omniscience of Mary, or her ability to hear the prayers offered by anyone, anywhere, some of the others answers do not address this directly either.

A good answer should probably be directed at that point. How could Mary have obtained omniscience and does everyone obtain it?
 
I love Genesis 3:15
15 3 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." One thing Protestants do, is just ignore Luke 1:
45 Blessed are you who believed 15 that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." 46 And Mary said: 16 “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.** 48 **** For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed**. 49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. 51 He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. 52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. 53 The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, 55 according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Seems to me, the Lord was telling us something there - she and we have emnity between us and satan - gotta have a warrior to lead us. And we are to call her ‘Blessed’. Well how can we call her Blessed Mother if we can’t talk to her. 🤷

Go figure!
 
rcjones said:
If you are in a debate you may not wish to use this one:

“I would also point out the parable of Lazarus and the rich man speaks of those who have died still being very much aware of the state of those left behind on earth.”

The rich man’s concern for his brethren doesn’t imply that he actually knew of their current affairs.

Since your clarified question is really addressing the omniscience of Mary, or her ability to hear the prayers offered by anyone, anywhere, some of the others answers do not address this directly either.

A good answer should probably be directed at that point. How could Mary have obtained omniscience and does everyone obtain it?
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I don’t think anyone is claiming Mary is omniscient–that quality belongs to God alone. The ability of Mary or any of the great cloud of witnesses to hear the prayers for intercession of the faithful is granted to them by God. The CC has never claimed that the Saints and angels are omniscient–everything is by the Divine Will. They have no power on their own.
 
That is a good point to clarify in the debate.

So how does this ability to hear prayers and intercede differ from omniscience?

Are there scriptures that indicate this directly or is it inferred from the arguably highly symbolic pictures in Revelation?

I am not able to answer this since my own bias understands intercessory prayer differently than most.

The example I see of intercessors in the Bible is that they didn’t just pray on behalf of others, but that they offered themselves in the place of the others. Moses and David both were willing to die and be cut off in the place of their people. As such they became shadows, or types of Christ.

In my mind, intercession isn’t praying for the hungry, but going hungry to feed them. It isn’t praying for their salvation, but being willing to die for it.

Prayers short of intercession, may be appropriate, but to me intercession is the giving of oneself on behalf of the other.
So the talk of Mary interceding doesn’t fit my biased view of intercession.

By clarifying the question above, perhaps someone else can answer it more directly.
 
There are indications in Sacred Scripture that our prayers are delivered by heavenly messengers (angels). (Tobit 12:12; Revelation 8:3)

The use of heavenly messengers (angels) would explain how the Blessed Virgin Mary can “hear” the prayers addressed to her without her herself being omnipresent or omniscent.
 
grandfather said:
Maybe your view needs adjusting.
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If one cannot or does not understand their own biases they are unable to discern any truth.

In response to my being open about my biases, you attempt an inferred ad hominem attack by saying that it is very “protestant sounding”. But Protestants also do not hold this view, the vast majority accept simple prayers as intercession.

And rather than address the examples in the scriptures, you simply deny that anyone is doing it now, so I must be wrong.

You have referred to a cloud of witnesses as though they are a cloud of “mediators”. This is a rather weak argument and so it is not likely to affect my biases without confirmation from the scriptures.

The only thing that you said that I can at all relate to is that perhaps my view needs adjusting. Although you did not intend it as a point of agreement, it is the very reason I study scripture and visit forums.

Thanks.
 
Todd_Easton said:
There are indications in Sacred Scripture that our prayers are delivered by heavenly messengers (angels). (Tobit 12:12; Revelation 8:3)

The use of heavenly messengers (angels) would explain how the Blessed Virgin Mary can “hear” the prayers addressed to her without her herself being omnipresent or omniscent.
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Thanks Todd,

Perhaps that will help the OP with her presentation.
 
rcjones said:
If one cannot or does not understand their own biases they are unable to discern any truth.
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I am not sure I understand this. Are you saying one’s biases towards a certain perspective are necessarily opposed to truth. Can we have a bias for truth and know it?
In response to my being open about my biases, you attempt an inferred ad hominem attack by saying that it is very “protestant sounding”. But Protestants also do not hold this view, the vast majority accept simple prayers as intercession.
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I addressed your opinion that true intercession requires going hungry or giving one’s life. If intercession requires personal sacrifice the saints in heaven are unable to intercede for us. That is a Protestant view. They do not believe the saints in heaven intercede for their loved ones on earth.

The time and place for sacrifice is here in this life. Intercessory prayer, if one accepts that as a spiritual reality, that we can pray for one another, and by our prayers bring grace to one another, is not intercessory self starvation, or giving up one’s life in sacrifice, but it is prayer. That is why it is callled intercessory “prayer”. That does not mean that sacrificing ourselves for others is also not a valid spiritual activity. It is different.
And rather than address the examples in the scriptures, you simply deny that anyone is doing it now, so I must be wrong.
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I said that if intercession requires extreme activity such as starving oneself to feed the hungry, for example, then how many people do we know who do this and would qualify as intercessors under your definition. Either you are wrong about this or there are very few people who are intecessors. I don’t know any personally at the moment. Do you?
You have referred to a cloud of witnesses as though they are a cloud of “mediators”. This is a rather weak argument and so it is not likely to affect my biases without confirmation from the scriptures.
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I did refer to Revelations where elders offer the prayers of the saints as incense before God’s throne. They are mediators, in the middle of the prayer of the saint and offering it to God. I also said that Protestants do believe in intercessory prayer, but it is limited to the communion of those alive on earth in their view.

The reason people pray for one another is they love one another. They will good for one another. Do you think this love, the activity of love, the willing of good stops when a person’s body dies and soul departs? Love must be expressed. It has to be expressed in some way, if it is love. Do our loved ones who pass from this life still love us as we still love them?

They either do or they don’t. What we believe about the matter has nothing to do with the reality, but what we believe is important. Do you think a dead mother, grandmother, best friend or sister is still capable of loving those they shared love with in this life? Maybe there is an interuption of love, an inconstant love and when we meet them again it can resume after we die. For my part I still love those who have died. I know they still love me, because the Church has always believed this.

There are also countless miracles that attest to the fact that the saints in heaven intercede for us. You can deny them if you wish, because you can’t find the support for them in scripture. Nevertheless, there are countless extraordinary miracles brought about by the intercession of the saints with many witnesses.

Is what we feel for those who die simply empty sentiment or is this love a reality? If it is real it has to be expressed and in its expression it holds us in a communion. If a person’s mother dies and her soul goes to heaven and she sees God face to face she is still mother to the soul on earth. Mary is Jesus mother. She did not stop being His mother when He died and rose and ascended.

The bond of love remains. Love is more powerful than death. Paul says it will never pass away. It is eternal. That means you take it with you, but what do you do with it? Does a mother who loves and prays for a child every day of her life stop doing this and willing the good of her beloved when she dies? We believe in the communion of saints. What happens in this communion? We exchange spiritual goods. We love one another forever.
The only thing that you said that I can at all relate to is that perhaps my view needs adjusting. Although you did not intend it as a point of agreement, it is the very reason I study scripture and visit forums.
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Best wishes in these endeavors. The sacraments will also be very helpful forces of adjustment.
 
I’m sorry you feel it necessary to make me an enemy when I am not.
And to defend positions I have not attacked.

Good luck in discovering your own needs for adjustments.
 
rcjones said:
I’m sorry you feel it necessary to make me an enemy when I am not.
And to defend positions I have not attacked.

Good luck in discovering your own needs for adjustments.
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RC,
You are most certainly not my enemy. Having an enemy requires some antagonism. I disagree with you that intercession requires giving one’s life or starving with the starving. That does not make us enemies. I have only good will for you and in fact intercede for you in prayer, which is the topic at hand. I hope you will receive nothing but divine blessing.
 
I don’t think there’s any stronger scriptural support that those in heaven can hear our prayers than Rev. 5:

[11] Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
[12] saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
[13] And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, “To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!”
[14] And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein!!! And the writer of Revelations was not even a perfected saint in heaven!
 
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