Q: My fiancé and I are discussing our differences in religion, and he is questioning why we do certain things. He wants to know why we pray to Mary and the saints. And he wants to know why we use so much symbolism — is it something God told us to do or is it something man said to do? I’d like to have better answers for him from a biblical standpoint. He also has questions about why we go through priests and saints, etc., instead of talking directly to God. He is also making me want to understand and learn more about my own Catholic religion as I don’t know the answers to most of his questions. Any advice on these topics would be appreciated. Thank you! – Mikayla
Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:
It’s good that you and your fiancé are discussing these topics.
As a Catholic you would have a serious obligation to raise your children in the faith. So, it’s crucial to know what a potential husband thinks about religious matters.
From what you say, your fiancé has a hard time grasping the role of mediation.
You mention seeking answers from a biblical standpoint. That’s easy since the Bible is full of examples of mediation.
Take Moses, for example. God doesn’t speak to the enslaved Hebrews in Egypt directly; rather, he sends Moses as his agent (mediator).
Likewise, the Israelites at times prefer not to go to God directly but turn to Moses. “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die” (Exodus 20:19).
Then we can think of all the other prophets who carry God’s message to various people: Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, Ezra, etc. — all mediators.
Mediation continues in the New Testament:
— Gabriel is sent by God to the Blessed Virgin in Nazareth (Luke 1:26-38). God doesn’t speak to Mary directly.
— Mary intercedes (mediates with) Jesus to get him to solve the problem of the wine running out at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). Notice that the headwaiter doesn’t approach Jesus directly.
— Likewise, the centurion sends mediators to Jesus to ask for a cure of the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10).
— St. Paul tells the faithful, “I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3). So, Paul is asking the faithful to be mediators for kings, etc., through their prayer.
When we pray to the saints, we are simply asking them to intercede with the one, supreme mediator: Jesus.
As for the mediation of priests: They offer the sacrifice of the Mass and grant absolution through the sacrament of confession. They also baptize and perform other sacraments.
This is in line with Jesus’ plan.
When he instituted the Eucharist at the last supper Our Lord commanded his disciples, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). That is what priests do at Mass: They celebrate the Eucharist as Jesus ordered.
Notice, too, what Jesus tells his disciples after his resurrection, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:23).
This is where Jesus institutes the sacrament of confession — which means he chooses priests to dispense his forgiveness through the sacrament. Jesus could forgive people directly, but he ordinarily wants them to turn to the sacrament and to the mediation of a priest. (See this link for further reading.)
As for the symbolism that Catholics use: Here I’ll assume that your fiancé is thinking of our crucifixes, statues of the saints, artwork in our churches, and the other images we use.
As humans we learn through our senses. Statues and pictures, etc., help us think of the ones to whom we pray.
We don’t worship the images but rather venerate them, as a man might give pride of place to a picture of his wife and children or his parents. He doesn’t love the photos but rather the people they represent.
But to your specific question: Does God command us to use statues, etc.? No … no more than he commands a husband to keep a picture of his wife and kids in his wallet or on his desk. Images are something we humans like to produce to remind us of loved ones.
It would be good to keep dialoguing with your fiancé. You might invite him to read the Youth Catechism or the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults along with you. That could give you even more to speak about.
Count on my prayers.
