Intercession: Difference between revisions
→Intercession origins in Scripture
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
At the conclusion of this document presenting the ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'', I beseech the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word and Mother of the Church, to support with her powerful intercession the catechetical work of the entire Church on every level, at this time when she is called to a new effort of evangelization. May the light of the true faith free humanity from the ignorance and slavery of sin in order to lead it to the only freedom worthy of the name (cf. ''Jn'' 8:32): that of life in Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, here below and in the Kingdom of heaven, in the fullness of the blessed vision of God face to face (cf. ''1 Cor'' 13:12; ''2 Cor'' 5:6-8)! | At the conclusion of this document presenting the ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'', I beseech the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word and Mother of the Church, to support with her powerful intercession the catechetical work of the entire Church on every level, at this time when she is called to a new effort of evangelization. May the light of the true faith free humanity from the ignorance and slavery of sin in order to lead it to the only freedom worthy of the name (cf. ''Jn'' 8:32): that of life in Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, here below and in the Kingdom of heaven, in the fullness of the blessed vision of God face to face (cf. ''1 Cor'' 13:12; ''2 Cor'' 5:6-8)! | ||
== Intercession | == Intercession of Christ according to Scripture == | ||
* [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?1 John 2:1] | * [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?1 John 2:1] | ||
| Line 52: | Line 52: | ||
Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them | Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them | ||
* see [https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/intercession Intercession | Catholic Answers Encyclopedia] | * see [https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/intercession Intercession | Catholic Answers Encyclopedia] | ||
== Intercession of the Saints according to the Gospels == | |||
=== The Wedding at Cana === | |||
Saint Mary, the Mother of God, intercedes to Jesus on behalf of the wedding party, which has run out of wine: | |||
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine." ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/2:1 John 2:1-3]) | |||
Jesus only responds to the need upon her request, even reluctantly: | |||
Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/2?4 Jn 2:4]) | |||
Which demonstrates the power of intercession that belongs to the Holy Mother. | |||
=== The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus === | |||
Jesus tells the parable (moral story) of a rich man who died the same day as a poor beggar, Lazarus. Lazarus was welcomed to Heaven by Abraham, while the rich man went to "the netherworld" (hell). | |||
The rich man pleads for mercy, but Abraham tells him that there can be no "crossing...from our side to yours, or your side to ours" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16?26 Lk 16:26]) | |||
The rich man begs Abraham to at least warn his brothers "lest they too come to this place of torment" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16?28 Lk 16:28]). | |||
Jesus continues the the exchange, | |||
"But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ | |||
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ | |||
Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16?28 Lk 29:31]). | |||
We see several elements of intercession here as taught by Jesus: | |||
# There is no intercession available to those in hell. | |||
# Abraham does not say that "someone from the dead" cannot visit the rich man's brothers; instead he said they wouldn't believe it, anyway., if one did. | |||
Note that Jesus has Abraham tell us to "listen to Moses and the prophets", which means to listen also to Jesus and his Evangelists, the writers of the New Testament | |||
=== The Death of Jesus === | |||
Upon Jesus' death, as he "gave up his spirit" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/27?50 Mt 27:50]), | |||
tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/27?52 Mt 27:52]) | |||
We see here that the dead are raised and can interact with mortals. There is not affirmation of intercession here, but we can infer that if the dead can interact with the living, and if the dead who do so reside in Heaven, they can can take back to heaven our prayers and supplications (see [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/6?18 Eph 6:18]). | |||
== Intercession of the Saints according to the Epistles == | |||
>> to do | |||