Fellow Catholics, can you help me? (If anyone is going to tell me that Jesus/God is not real, don't answer.)

Question

Why do we pray to Jesus, and not just God? I am in High School and In my Church's Youth Group, so I am still learning.

God Bless

Yes, I have been told they are both God, but how do you know which one to say your prayers to?

all of your answers are spectacular. I can't choose my favorite! =;)

If you're wondering why I'm so stupid with my faith, it's because I'm in High school.

Answer 1

You dont need to choose, they are all one in the same.

Think of God as being in 3 differnt forms. He can be compared to water:

Water or H2O has 3 differnt forms : Solid, a liquid, and gas.
But they are all H2O, no matter what form they are in.

God works in the same way: Father, Jesus, Holy spirit
All of them are God, just in different forms for different puroses.

My dad always taught me , when i was a child and asked the same question u just asked, that it is easier of we pray to Jesus, becuase He is like the link between us and God. He is like God's main messanger

My dad also used to say, that because of the way our minds work, we see then sepetatly, even though we know that they are all God. But that is doesnt matter, as long as we know that they are all one. (We see Jesus as our brother and we find it easier to talk and be close to a brother or a sister, rather than our father or mother and that is also why some people prefer to pray ot Jesus.)

I see God as my father and protector.
Jesus as my borther and my saviour.
and the Holi spirit as my teacher and my friend.

I, my self, pray to all of them. Sometimes when im alone, i find my self speaking to the holy spirit, just in every ay life. Usually when say my every day prayers (eg, before i go to bed) i speak to both Jesus and God.

But to tell u the truth, i dont think God really cares who u pray to in the end, and if it doesnt upset God, i dont think u shouldworry about it to much ; )

The best way of finding an aswer to your problem is to listen to the Holy Spirit in your heart and God's word and to talk to God. (even if ur not sure how to addess Him)

Answer 2

Praying to Jesus is praying to God. It's as simple as that.

Perhaps Christians are more inclined to address their prayers to Jesus because Christianity is based on His words and actions. After all, had Jesus not come yet, there would be no such thing as Christianity.

The Bible is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word incarnate. His Words are the Bible, His actions are our Sacred Tradition. Sacred Tradition bears the same Divine legitimacy as the Scriptures do.

While it's all about Jesus, you can still just as easily address your prayer to God the Father and/or the Holy Spirit - it's all good.

Answer 3

Hi, I am Catholic too,I understand your confusion but the answer is very simple really,when we are at Sunday Mass you know that it is the sacrifice and offering of Jesus to the Father on our behalf and the liturgy reflects this,the Priest after the offertory prayers will end with the words`And we make these prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen`
So this is the proper prayer of the Catholic church on behalf of the whole church gathered to worship the Father united in Christ.
Outside of this in our own private prayer we can pray to Jesus with whatever prayers we choose,God will not be upset as there is no rivilary with God,personally I direct most of my praying to Jesus but when I recite the `Our Father` I would be very concious of the Father during it.
Hope this helps you, a last little advice I would give to you is this, pray as you can and not as you can`t.

Answer 4

I have been told they are both God, but how do you know which one to say your prayers to?

You pray to Jesus' Father, but you have to pray through his Son Jesus to get your prayer to the Father.
‘But isn’t Jesus called a god in the Bible?’ someone may ask. This is true. Yet Satan is also called a god. (2 Corinthians 4:4) At John 1:1, which refers to Jesus as “the Word,” some Bible translations say: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” But notice, verse 2 says that the Word was “in the beginning with God.” And while men have seen Jesus, verse 18 says that “no man hath seen God at any time.” (Authorized or King James Version) So we find that some translations of verse 1 give the correct idea of the original language when they read: “The Word was with God, and the Word was divine,” or was “a god,” that is, the Word was a powerful godlike one. (An American Translation) Clearly, Jesus is not Almighty God. In fact, Jesus spoke of his Father as “my God” and as “the only true God.”

Did Jesus ever say that he was God? No, he never did. Rather, in the Bible he is called “God’s Son.” And he said: “The Father is greater than I am.” Also, Jesus explained that there were some things that neither he nor the angels knew but that only God knew. (Mark 13:32) Further, on one occasion Jesus prayed to God, saying: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.” (Luke 22:42) If Jesus were the Almighty God, he would not have prayed to himself, would he? In fact, following Jesus’ death, the Scripture says: “This Jesus God resurrected.” (Acts 2:32) Thus the Almighty God and Jesus are clearly two separate persons. Even after his death and resurrection and ascension to heaven, Jesus was still not equal to his Father.

Prayers must also be offered in the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) Does this mean that our prayers are heard by Jesus first and that he relays the message to God? No. Rather, by praying to Jehovah in the name of Jesus, we identify ourselves as Christ’s disciples and we acknowledge that it is only because of his ransom that we are able to approach God. Hebrews 4:14-16.

You might ask: ‘How, then, can we approach Jehovah God?’ The Bible answers: “If anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.” Though we are sinners, we can approach God with freeness of speech through Jesus Christ, who died as a ransom for us. He is the only channel through whom we can approach Jehovah God. (John 14:6) We must not take the merit of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice for granted and deliberately practice sin. However, if we are doing our best to refrain from what is bad and yet err at times, we can repent and ask God for forgiveness. When we approach him with a humble heart, he will hear us.

Answer 5

I am a Christan, but the reason I pray to God because he asked us to and he said if we need anything, pray and believe that we should get what we asked for.

P.S. God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is the same person in 3 different forms

Answer 6

Jesus IS God. Sometimes we pray to Jesus, sometimes we pray to the Father, and sometimes we pray to the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son is seen more as the Savior of the world and the Father is seen as the Creator, and the Holy Spirit is seen as the one who makes us holy, though all threee are One.

Contact me if you have any further questions. I am a high school religion teacher.

Answer 7

Im Bapitst, so hope this will do. Jesus was man he knows the problems we go through because he went through them.
Also in the old testament the high priest presented offerings to God. Jesus serves the role of high priest and presents are prayes to God in a way that is more favorable. Read Hebrews it explains it.

Answer 8

I was always taught that God and Jesus Christ are two different people, father and son. I was taught to pray in this manner:
Open the prayer by saying "Dear Heavenly Father" (addressing God)
Speak my thanks and ask for what I need
Close the prayer by saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
I am not Catholic so you may find my answer offensive, but I am not trying to offend you. I hope this helps you.

Answer 9

hello young Christian girl...

I asked the same question to my pastor.
He told me not to worry, since God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the same.
Perhaps some people look at Jesus as more approachable, after all He was Human and lived among us.
In the long run it makes no difference to whom you pray. All your prayers are ansered.
I hope this helps.

Answer 10

Don't be fooled by the dumb Protestant fundies who yak yak yak yak about Jesus but fail to honor his request which is FOLLOW ME. They think they know all about Christianity yet in fact they are a deluded minority on the fringe.

Jesus set up a church, the body of all baptized believers, and he established the apostolic succession to carry on his work. Today it is the communions of Eastern Orthodox, Roman and Anglican Catholics who honor Jesus. The deluded loudmouthed fundies are an embarrassment to Christianity.

The reality of Jesus is portrayed when the Holy Church, the body of all baptized persons, is true to itself and true to his wishes and carries on his work, not worshipping a mere book but loyal to the man and being like him.