Intercessory Prayer: A blessing!

Sr. Margaret Mary Magdalene O.P.
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My friends in Christ, I hope to bring to you the good news of intercessory prayer in explanation to the best that this lay person can. As in all prayer, it is a presentation to the Lord.  Jesus intercedes for us to the Father. All prayer rises to Him and with the Holy Spirit. Intercessory prayer is not new. From the time of our knowledge of the Lord it has been done. It has and is a loving act between those that pray and to whom we ask.  

I myself as a convert many years ago did not know the full benefit of asking for prayer from others, especially those that are in His Glorious presence.  In most cases too ashamed, afraid, or felt undeserving of this help; or simply did not understand. How wrong was I. We are not alone in this world and it is this wonderful freedom we have to seek the Divine relationship with Him and through Him by the means He has given us.

The litany of saints; who are in the presence of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit the Paraclete is a wonder intercessory prayer of the church. 

If I were to ask you, my friends in Christ to pray for me, would you turn me down?  Why would the heavenly occupants do so either, that is what they do. They are working for us, they are the aid of mediation to the Holy Trinity.  I daily ask for intercessory prayer from the saints; it is a wondrous fact to know how many saints are “watching our back”.

"I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you, always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy."
Philippians 1:3-4 CPDV

I heard a Protestant leader give a great analogy of intercessory prayer.  Think of a sports game, we can use soccer; not only are spectators at the game cheering on the players— millions of people watching at a distance cheering, either by television, radio, or internet are as well.  The players cannot see the shouting encouragement routing the win and yet millions of them are. Think of the celebration when the desired team wins. Imagine between heaven and earth the unseen spectators applauding enthusiastically for us to come to the Lord in our every need; to know Him and love Him and to receive His great love for us.  So do not be discouraged. 

Prayer is the great light that shines from earth to heaven and heaven to earth.  ​

“I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men;”
1 Timothy 2:1 ASV

Intercession (MEDIATION).—To intercede is to go or come between two parties, to plead before one of them on behalf of the other. In the New Testament it is used as the equivalent of entugchaneln (Vulg. interpellare, in Heb., vii, 25). “Mediation” means a standing in the midst between two (contending) parties, for the purpose of bringing them together (cf. mediator, mesites, I Tim., ii, 5). In ecclesiastical usage both words are taken in the sense of the intervention primarily of Christ, and secondarily of the Blessed Virgin and the angels and saints, on behalf of men. It would be better, however, to restrict the word mediation to the action of Christ, and intercession to the action of the Blessed Virgin, the angels, and the saints. In this article we shall briefly deal with: I. the Mediation of Christ; and at more length with, II. the intercession of the saints

“with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,”
Ephesians 6:18 ASV

Peace to you all, know that you are in my prayers and those at Joy of the Just; we are not alone and you are loved.  

For further consideration please review St. Dominic’s prayer life.