Mike: I am still not making a biblical connection to praying through Mary of the Saints and would like some help.
BFHU: First, there is no verse that commands us to ask Mary and the Saints to pray for us. But, Sola Scriptura is a Protestant tradition not a Catholic one. This tradition of Protestantism has only been in existence for about 500 years and was made up by Martin Luther. It is not found anywhere in Sacred Scripture. If there ever was a tradition of man Sola Scriptura is it. The Catholic Church has never adhered to it or accepted it as authoritative.
The Catholic Church adheres instead to Scripture and the Teaching of the Apostles (Sacred Tradition). Unlike the Protestant beliefs, for a Catholic, when a Christian dies they are still a part of the Body of Christ with loving care and concern for those of us still in the battle. So they are happy to pray for us.
Mike: 1Tim 2:5 does not make any mention of praying to someone who is no longer living.
BFHU: Right.But, it makes no distinction or prohibition against asking the saints who are ALIVE in Heaven to pray for us either.
MIKE: I cannot also make a connection between asking someone of the living to pray for me and someone not of the living to pray or intercede on my behalf.
BFHU: The Saints are still LIVING. They are more alive than us. Part of your difficulty is simply b/c you are not used to the idea. But, there is not one scripture against it. Asking Christians to pray for us has been done for 2000 years. And since no scripture forbids it, Protestant objection is ineffective.
Mike: What about Deut. 18:10-14:
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
The Deuteronomy 18:10-14 passage is talking about DIVINATION. Not intercessory prayer. Note the prohibition against CONSULTING the dead. That is a form of divination. There is no way to make it mean “asking for intercessory prayer”. There is a HUGE difference. You really should take a look at Why Do Catholics Pray to Mary?
Filed under: Prayer to Saints |
Bread From Heaven 
One way to think about this is to remember two things. Jesus emphatically says, that the Father is not the God of the dead but of the living AND if the saints were not alive, then where did Elijah and Moses come from on the mountain during the Transfiguration? Why even have them there talking to one another?
We are not dead when our body dies otherwise God is a liar. We will truly be ourselves when and IF we make it to the final resurrection. Then we will have a perfected body and live (can’t have a body without a ‘place’) with Christ in heaven.
I don’t see any difference between asking someone who has died and is in heaven (therefore perfected) for prayers and asking my neighbor to pray for me.
That said, although nominally raised Catholic, having been a protestant for 23 of my 59 years, I find it more comforting to ask them to pray WITH me and FOR me to Jesus. That might help you too.
How does one communicate to the saints? How do they hear your thoughts?
By the will and power of God, dear Bobo.