The thread below is asking the same thing…
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=885165
I will share post 33 of the thread…which I think sums up why we choose to go throug the saints:
^One additional point–it is very much akin to the concept of ‘advocacy’–why Lawyers exist. Lawyers make their living from of knowing how to ask for things; how to phrase questions; how to present evidence; how to ‘build a case’ for the propriety of a legal remedy. Saints have established ‘cred’ within various particular areas–e.g.–St. Jude, wrt Cancer (hence St. Jude Children’s hospital).
Lawyers know the judge, and judge knows the lawyers. They have a rapport with one another; a comfort level; credibility; expertise; and resulting mutual respect and good will. But the Judge dispenses of the legal remedies–as God dispenses the graces.
Hence often times we invoke the saints, by humbly acknowledging that for all of our ‘piety’, and prayer-fulness or what have you…there are others who have come before us, and ‘made a name for themselves’, that commands respect—and therefore, by engaging their good will, we may be better served in articulating our case–measured against God’s Will (that is, that no matter what we pray for, it must be in accordance with, if not in furtherance of, God’s Holy Will).
All though one can certainly proceed pro se, and represent oneself–often, if not usually, engaging an attorney is beneficial to one’s cause. Likewise, we can certainly pray for ourselves, and our own causes–but engaging a Saint, or ‘the Saints’, sometimes helps our ‘cause’.
(…and the retainer fee for the saints is just right! or should I say, quite reasonable–as although there is no ‘charge’ for engaging the Saints, there usually is a ‘conscience tax’ where we feel inclined to honor the saint more fully, after ‘engaging them’, and to refer others to the Saint–thereby further buttressing their ‘cred’).
Continuing with the analogy, in the legal profession there is a saying:
The attorney who represents himself, has a fool for a client.
Now I wouldn’t go so far to say that "…the ‘saint’ who represents himself, has a fool for a cause’–but I would submit, that one is potentially failing to avail themselves of great potential and cred to buttress their petitions and causes, by neglecting the Saints in Heaven, as one approaches the Blessed Trinity, with their prayers.
…but ultimately, it is a matter of humility and respect.
Humility in that we acknowledge our own lowliness, and poverty—in terms of stature, in the Realm of Heaven; and
Respect, for the proven friends of Christ, who, during their respective lifetimes, and by their respective lives, established themselves as noteworthy and memorable, in their commitment to Christ (i.e.–their legacy).
And in this thread…one reponse echoes the last part I have put in blue above, and i share:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=11012687#post11012687
In hierarchical terms, Mary (human) is higher than us, but infinitely lower than Christ (God and man).
*Since the ancients understood their lowlinness in relation to God much better than we do, they naturally were attracted to the 100% human mother, whereby Christ could be accessed through her compassion and lowliness. Men knew they were lowly and unworthy. Mary was a human being, sharing in our lowliness. Yet she was also the Mother of God, and she had her son’s ear! Thus, many were instinctively drawn to approach God through His mother.
Today, man is arrogant. We don’t understand our own unworthiness in relation to God. Thus, for many, praying through Mary to Christ is not intuitive. But to men of the 1st and 2nd centuries, and later, it was just common sense. This Tradition has been handed on for 2000 years…
*
And is practriced to this day by Catholics and Orthodox.
.
