You may pray to whomever you wish. But let’s think carefully about the last recorded words of Mary in the Bible: “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5). Are you willing to do what Mary (the mother of the human aspect of Jesus, the Son of God) tells you to do? What did Jesus “say” to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray?
This was His answer: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). If you will do what Mary tells you to do, then to whom will you pray, Mary or the Father? If I pray to the Father, then I know my prayer will go through, for I am praying according to the revealed will of Jesus, the Son of the Father. But if I pray to Mary, then I have no such assurance.
One could ask, “What’s wrong with praying to Mary? After all, we are asking her to intercede for us sinners.” But I’d rather you ask, “What’s wrong with doing what Jesus said to do?” Isn’t that more important? When Jesus has given me clear direction, why should I go another way?
But you may insist, “It’s only proper to go to the Son through His mother!” How is that so? I have spoken to several co-workers without any problems, and none of their mothers were in sight. I’ve had a great time talking to brethren at my Bible study, and none of them insisted I speak to them through their mothers. I’ve spoken directly to my brothers and sister when my mom was not around. I’ve even spoken to a Catholic apart from his mother while he was standing in front of his van with a sign that said, “Through Mary to Jesus.” No one ever objects to my direct manner of speaking. Surely if it were bad etiquette, it would be in all the books. Surely every Catholic would be walking around with his or her mother to help facilitate conversations. But it isn’t happening anywhere.
You have to be a Catholic to pick up this practice of prayer. It is a cultural issue limited to a particular strain of religion.
The idea of speaking to someone through the mother is totally foreign to every person I’ve ever met and every Bible chapter I’ve read. I don’t follow the logic; even Jesus Himself spoke to many people with nary a mother around. He called His disciples away from their parents and spoke to them outside the hearing of their mothers. Jesus spoke to powerful rulers directly — no complaints from those rulers. So even Jesus did not follow this practice!
If the only way I’ll pick up a doctrine is by belonging to a particular denomination, then I’ll hold off on that doctrine. If the only way I’ll believe that Jesus and Satan are blood brothers is by joining the Mormon church, then I’ll stay away from that doctrine. If I must join the Jehovah’s Witnesses in order to believe and understand that Jesus is a minor god, then I’ll reject that, too.
I should be able to read my Bible and see what it says and believe what it teaches. Clear teachings should be acknowledged around the world by Bible-believers anywhere. (Yes, I know that’s naive.) If a doctrine is the sole province of a sole denomination, I reject it. And you should, too, until you can square it away with Scripture. You just can’t do that with prayer to Mary.
Through the death of Jesus, the veil was torn that separated us from God the Father. Through Jesus’ name (John 16:26), not Mary’s, I have the Father’s ear. If I pray in Jesus’ name, He will work and the Father will be glorified because I approached through the Son (John 14:13).
Jesus teaches us that He will communicate with us through the Holy Spirit, not through Mary:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-15).
So are you supposed to pray to Mary to ask the Holy Spirit to talk to Jesus about something that concerns the Father? Well, why not do what Jesus said and talk directly to the Father in His name? Then the Father will tell the Son, and the Son will show the Spirit, and the Spirit will teach us.
The simplest, most straight-forward teachings are the best. You just can’t go wrong with plain statements in the Bible like the ones I’ve quoted. You can’t be deceived following them.
Pray to the Father in Jesus’ name, now and always.
