The Eucharistic Prayer: Intercessions
Catholics often get accused of worship Mary, saints and whole host of things including statues, icons and various other items that symbolize the holiness of things on earth through Christ’s Incarnation. One reason I believe this happens is a misunderstanding when it comes to a particular form of prayer, that being prayer of intercession. We do indeed ask Mary and the saints to intercede on our behalf. We also ask for the prayers of those who are still here with us on earth.
I recall fondly the first day I met my friend Lance. I was at a New Year’s Eve party and had just come from mass. It was the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. He asked me, as I have been asked many times before, “Why do you Catholics pray to Mary?” My response was my normal one in which I explained that we do not worship Mary, but that we ask for her intercession in a similar way that we might ask a friend to pray for us, except of course that Mary has a unique and special connection to Jesus, her son. The reason I remember this particular conversation is the exchange that followed. Lance listened to my explanation and then said, “Can I ask another question?”
“Here comes the argument”, I thought to myself but replied, “Sure.”
“If that’s why you pray to Mary, why wouldn’t you pray to other holy people for their help, like St. Joseph for example?”
After the shock had subsided from this conversation not going in the usual direction of someone trying to sway me from my idolatrous ways of worshipping Mary, I answered him by explaining that we do turn to the saints for their help.
The new General Instruction of the Roman Missal describes this section of the Eucharistic Prayer in these words:
Intercessions: By which expression is given to the fact that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the entire Church of heaven as well as of earth, and that the offering is made for her and for all her members, living and dead, who have been called to participate in the redemption and the salvation purchased by Christ’s Body and Blood.
It is our firm belief that the grave is not the final word to Christians, but through the resurrection we have the opportunity to enter into everlasting life in heaven. It is with this belief that we continue to share communion with those who are no longer physically present with us on earth and continue asking for their prayers.
One of the most striking examples of intercessory prayer is found in the Roman Canon when we ask for the assistance of many holy men and women who have gone before us.
In union with the whole Church we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles and martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; we honor Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all the saints. May their merits and prayers grant us your constant help and protection.
And again later in the prayer,
For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs, with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia and all the saints.
In my younger days, I used to be very uncomfortable speaking about Mary and the saints with those who did not share my own Christian beliefs, but over time it has become a conversation I look forward to having. It is an opportunity to share the richness of our faith with other Christians who are missing an opportunity to more fully embrace the Incarnation of Christ and the reality of heaven.
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