Question:
Last night I was talking to this lady about Catholicism and trying to respond to her claim that 'Catholics worship Mary'. I was finally able to get her to see the difference between asking her to pray for us and worship. The question she asked that I had trouble answering even for myself was why ask Mary to pray for us when we can ask Jesus Himself for whatever we need? Sort of like, why ask the clerk to solve a problem when you can go to the boss? I find that people who have these convictions are very fixed in them and unwilling to believe they are not true. She knows another lady who is very devoted to Mary and it would be easy for non-Catholics to see that as worship by their definitions. Fundamentalists also have a visceral reaction to statues. I think they form quite a barrier to fundamentalists and for myself, I don't see them as being necessary or even helpful. Holy cards are sufficient. What do you think?
Answer:
Ah yes, but the boss' ear is
sometimes more inclined to hear and grant the request of His
trusted clerk who has proven his loyalty to Him. Job 42:7:
"After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said
to Eliphaz the Temanite:"
"My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
Notice that it is Job's prayer that God accepts not Eliphaz's. God accepts Eliphaz's prayer ONLY through Job because he is "right" with God.
Ask her then what is the point of Christians praying for ONE ANOTHER on earth when they can INDIVIDUALLY go to God Himself? What's the point? The point is that the "prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). That's why! So if that "righteous man" (or woman) is praying for you, well, you're in pretty good hands. No? St. Paul urges us to "imitate" him (1 Cor 4:16, Phil 3:17), as he, in turn, imitates Christ (1 Cor 11:1, 1 Thess 1:6), and we are told to honor the "heroes" of the faith (Heb 6:12, 11:1-40, Jas 5:10-11).
None of this detracts from the Infinite Glory and Majesty of God in the least. Rather, it enhances it, just as the painter is honored when one admires his masterpiece, and just as the dewdrop can reflect the brightness of the sun. Intercession of the saints is indicated in Rev 5:8 & 8:3-4, 6:9-10 and also somewhat suggested by the appearance of long-dead figures on the earth once again (1 Sam 28:12-15, Mt 17:1-3, 27:50-53, Rev 11:3). The saints are alive, observe us ("cloud of witnesses"), pray for us (Rev 6:9-10), and hence it follows logically that they can hear our intercessory requests, as can guardian angels (which many Protestants such as Billy Graham accept).
It's really quite straightforward and sensible. But Protestantism "cut the umbilical cord between heaven and earth," as Lutheran sociologist Peter Berger has insightfully stated. Next time someone brings up that objection, point to these passages: St. James tells us that "we should pray for one another" (James 5:16), while St. Paul and the other New Testament writers encourage their brothers and sisters to "pray for us" (2 Thessalonians 3:1). "And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." (Acts 8:24) "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you..." (Colossians 1:3) "And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding..." (Colossians 1:9) "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; and pray for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak." (Colossians 4:2-4) "Brethren, pray for us." (1 Thess 5:25) "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power..." (2 Thess 2:11) "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord..." (James 5:14) "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you..." ( 2 Thess 3:1) "Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things." (Hebrews 13:18)
The word "worship" which is translated in English bibles from the Greek is very problematic. It is rendered as "proskuneo" in Greek and it can mean either to honour or venerate. The next time someone says that, point them to these passages:
"At once Moses went on out to meet his father-in-law, and he
proceeded to prostrate himself and to kiss him; and they each one
began asking how the other was getting along. After that they
went into the tent." (Exodus 18:7)
The word translated "to prostrate himself" is "proskuneo." So was Moses father-in-law God? Of course not. 1 Chronicles 29:20 reads: "And David went on to say to all the congregation: "Bless, now, YHWHW you God." And all the congregation proceeded to bless Jehovah the God of their forefathers and bow low and prostrate themselves to Jehovah and to the king." Was King David God? No. "So David rose up afterward and went out from the cave and called out after Saul, saying: "My lord the king!" At this Saul looked behind him, and David proceeded to bow low with his face to the earth and prostrate himself." (1 Samuel 24:8) So was Saul God? No.
The reaction of fundamentalist towards statues and icons you describe is actually an eighth century heresy called "Iconoclasism" which the Church condemns. Under the Emperor of the day, there was a movement to smash all religious icons and statues until the church eventually prevailed. God even commands images to be made (eg, Numbers 21:4-9; 1 Kings 6:23-28, 7:23-26). Here is something else you should consider. This is an excerpt from my piece on Mary's Perpetual Virginity:
In Jewish law, any sanctified object (known as
"hekdesh" in Hebrew) may not be used for personal
purposes; it may only be used for the purpose for which it was
sanctified. Throughout the bible, there are a number of physical
objects that would certainly fall under this tradition. The Ark
of the Covenant is probably the most prominent example. In fact,
the solemnity of this tradition is witnessed to when Uzzah
accidentally touched the Ark of the Covenant. He was struck dead
by God.
"And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there because he put forth his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:6-7)
If it is inconceivable to even suggest that the Ark would be used
for something other than carrying God's covenant, then why does
not the same logic not also apply to Mary the Mother of the New
Covenant? Why do Protestants reject such a clear biblical
parallel? Is it to be held that St. Paul's healing handkerchief
(Cf. Acts 19:12) would be returned to its natural purpose once
its miraculous powers have apparently left, or that the actual
cross of Christ would be good firewood after it had accomplished
its intended function? These are the absurd conclusions that the
Helevidian position forces Svendsen and other Protestants to
accept. In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle was a tent
established by Moses in which the Ark was conveyed (Exodus 25-31,
35-40). It was held to represent the presence of God. The ark is
described in Exodus 25 as a chest of acacia wood. It was known
also as the Ark of the Law, the Ark of the Testimony, or the Ark
of God. The ark lay in the Holy of Holies, the sacrosanct
enclosure of the tabernacle and of the Temple in Jerusalem. It
was the second or interior part of the Tabernacle. The chest
contained, according to various sources, Aaron's rod, a pot of
manna, and the stone tablets of the Decalogue. The Ark was housed
behind a thick veil (Exodus 26:33) in the Holy of Holies of the
Tabernacle (Cf. Exodus 25:10-16). No one was permitted to enter
it except the high priest to offer sacrifices for the people -
and even then only once a year on the day of atonement. On that
day, the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies with a blood
sacrifice. The following passages recount some of the
prescriptions which the high priest was to follow:
"The LORD said to Moses, "You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die. They shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die: it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations." (Exodus 30:17-21)
"Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die. "Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD. "Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron's sons, to give them dignity and honor. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests."
"Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. "This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants." (Exodus 28:33-43)
The above passages recount the severe punishment which is dished
out when the priest did not satisfy the ceremonial prescriptions
that God commanded.
Since (the contents of) the Ark
represented God, the prescriptions of God related to ceremonial
rituals only - washing with water, the sounding of bells, and the
wearing of linen undergarments. The Old Testament provided a
foreshadowing, a precursor to the real thing in the New
Testament. Under the new covenant, the mere symbols are replaced
with real living beings; namely, the new Ark, Mary, and the New
Covenant, Jesus Christ - the Word of God Himself. Why is this
significant? If God required the Temple to be preserved from
defilement and used only for His glory in the Old Testament, it
is absurd to believe that Mary's womb would gain any less
reverence when God Himself inhabited her most holy womb in the
New Testament!!!
"The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." (John 2:13-16)
Pay special attention to what is transpiring in this scene. In
this passage, Jesus Christ was not a forerunner of Karl Marx.
Christ was not condemning trade or commerce by any stretch of the
imagination. However, Jesus was trying to show that the Temple,
and by extension any holy place, are to be treated with the
reverence and respect that they deserve. What seemed acceptable
to the Sanhedrin was clearly not acceptable to the Lord. A Holy
Place is not to be abused by using it for purely human pursuits
when its purpose is to glorify God. His objective was to keep the
Temple for the supernatural, and not allow it to be relegated to
some nominal commerce court. The implications of this fact become
apparent when one considers the Holy Place in which He resided
for nine months. If the Lord of the Universe abided in his
mother's womb for so long, then what is the probability that He
would allow that sanctuary to be reduced to a mere natural usage
- turning it into a common trader's market?
Want some more? Just let me know.
John Pacheco
The Catholic Legate
June 30, 2002