catholics i need help?

Question

Why do catholics pray to people instead of Jesus alone? Jesus IS God. the Bible never said to pray to people. i dont understand that, could u help me understand? also the bible doesnt say to go to a priest to confess your sins after Jesus died for us. could u elaborate?

Answer 1

+ Saints +

Before Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven there were no saints in heaven. Therefore there are no Old Testament writings that would mention them.

Very few of the new Christians died before most of the New Testament was written. Therefore there is little in the Bible about asking saints to pray for us.

However the last book of the Bible does talk about the saints in heaven praying.

Revelation 5:8: Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.

Revelation 8:3-4: He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.

The Holy Spirit guided the early Church in many things not explained in the Bible including how does the Body of Christ (believers) living on Earth relate to the Body of Christ (saints) living in heaven. We are still one Body.

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

+ Confession and Reconciliation +

The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."

When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.

Catholics also believe that when someone sins they not only hurt their relationship with God, they also injure the entire church, the body of Christ.

Jesus said, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,"Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Luke 20:22-23)

Oral confessing of sins is recommended over and over in both the Old and New Testaments:
+ James 5:16
+ Acts 19:18
+ Matthew 3:5-6
+ Mark 1:5
+ 1 Timothy 6:12
+ 1 John 1:9
+ Numbers 5:6-7
+ Nehemiah 9:2
+ Sirach 4:26

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name of Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.

Remember all sacraments are encounters with God. This sacrament is a healing encounter between God and the penitent.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1422 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 2

We use what is known as *intercessory prayer*. For example when we pray with the Blessed Virgin Mary in mind, basically what we are doing is we are asking her to intercede with her son on our behalf. Same with the saints.

The Bible alone is not the sole source of instruction or God's revelation. That is known as *sola scriptura* and it is a false doctrine that was initially promoted by Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation, which began in 1519.

The Christian Bible as we know it was compiled under the auspices of the Church. Without the early Catholic Church, the New Testament would not exist. That is the truth, like it or not.

Actually, the Bible *does* mention priests having the power to absolve people of their sins. Read Matthew 16:18-19. Today's priests are direct lineal successors of the Apostles. The Apostles were given the power to remit and absolve sins in Christ's name and through the power of God (again, see Matthew 16:18-19). The Apostles laid hands on seven worthy men to aid them in their ministry (it's in the Acts of the Apostles) and these men became in effect the first priests.

The Church has three "marks" that make it special -

It is Holy

It is Catholic (universal)

It is Apostolic

Answer 3

Yes, I am a working towards Catholic. I do believe dangerous whilst, at Christmas and Easter, all the ones "two times a yr" Catholics pop out - however then I become aware of that it might be worse. It might very good be feasible they do not pop out in any respect. It's effortless for anybody, who attends Church each and every week, to visit Mass on Christmas, Easter, and Holy Days of Obligation. I most often surprise simply how a lot more complicated it's for individuals, who do not attend Mass commonly, to get out and cross to Mass a couple of time in line with yr. We are not able to assume it, when you consider that we all know what we would be lacking. I do not suppose those "two times a yr" forms can absolutely respect what it's they are lacking. If they did, they would be at Mass greater than two times a yr. I am proud to be Catholic, so it is all of the extra disappointing whilst I see individuals taking an "oh hum: perspective closer to their vocation as lay Catholics. All we will be able to rather do approximately it's pray, and desire that they instance we set will, in the future, inspire them to begin residing the Catholic culture all yr circular.

Answer 4

The Bible doesn't say NOT to pray to people, either.

Pray means "ask." It does not mean worship. Think about how you pray to God. How many times do you ask for something instead of actually worshiping Him (that is, telling Him how great He is and how much you adore Him)?

The Bible says that we are all part of the Body of Christ. The Bible also says that saints are given eternal life by Christ. They aren't removed from the Body of Christ at that point -- they're more intimately involved with the Body of Christ once they receive the gift of Eternal Life. So, they're still part of our community and because they are living, they can still actively pray for concerns within the Body of Christ.

That is how come we Catholics pray to saints in addition to the Lord. We ask them to pray with us and for us for the things we are concerned about because we know that they are still living members of the Body of Christ.

As for going to a priest to confess sins, the Bible most certainly DOES tell us to do this. In James 5:16, we are told to confess our sins to one another, and in Matthew 16 and again in Matthew 18, the apostles are told that what they bind on earth is bound in heaven, and in John 20, Jesus gives them the power to forgive sins in His name. All this adds up to the Bible telling us to confess our sins to somebody else who has the power to forgive our sins in His name, which is the priesthood.

Answer 5

Catholics, not only, pray to dead people but have, many, traditions not in keeping with Christianity - the clue is in the word traditions which are more important than seeking truth. Traditions/beliefs include the Pope, purgatory, the virgin, Mary, being born free of sin (as Popes used to be but, apparently, the most recent ones aren't) and, as Christ, ascending into heaven; saying the rosary (invented in 1300's); masses for the dead; stations of the cross; and, most importantly, the trans-substantiation where, at communion, Catholics are, supposedly, eating the living flesh of Christ and drinking His blood. There are more but think you "get the picture". Research, research, research.... Anyone who wishes to comment on, or criticize, my statement should know I was Dominican-convent educated and was a, dedicated, attendee at mass most days of the week until I was in my late 30s (and was married to a Catholic). Accepting an invitation from a friend, to a small group Bible study, caused me to question and research Catholicism resulting in my leaving that belief-system.

Answer 6

I would love to answer your questions but something tells me you're not seeking real answers or the truth. Since this is the case I would rather not waste a lot of effort in explaining these things simply to stir up more argument. The answers can be quite lengthy.

If I meet someone who is truly seeking to learn the Catholic Faith I will spend as much time as it takes to cover doctrine as well as these issue you have raise. All these issues do indeed have Biblical basis once you have been shown where it is.

Answer 7

I would be happy to help you the best I can.

Yes, I agree with everything The Phantom had to say. It is a huge misconception when people try to accuse us of praying to people. How dare I call myself a Christian if I was worshipping people or for that matter, anything/anyone but God!?! What we do, is actually the same thing other Christians do....we ask others to pray "for us." Have you ever asking your parents, friends, pastor, etc to pray for you? Maybe you once knew somebody who was very religious or prayed a lot, or just a genuinely good person...so you have asked them to keep you in their prayers. Well, that is what we do too...and in addition, we can also ask our heavenly family to pray for us as well. Note, I said, pray for us. So yes, we do ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for us...after all, who is closer to Christ than the Holy Mother Herself. And yes, we do ask the Saints to pray for us as well. For example, a mother I know is going through a very tough time with her son right now and he is leading a very immoral life. Thus, she asks St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, to pray for her to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Why? Because this woman can identify with the struggles St. Monica underwent, so she can ask her to pray for her, just like she has asked me, and my family to pray for her as well. Its the same thing. Note, we pray to God directly as well..in the name of Christ Jesus and no,we don't HAVE to have the Blessed Virgin nor the saints to "reach" God through prayer.

Now, as far as confession, The Phantom has showed you where to look in the Bible...but I just wanted to be clear on something. We confess our sins to God, not to man. After all, the priest is himself, a sinner, as we all are. However, through the power vested in him, through God, he acts as a mediator to absolve us of our sins, all in the name of Jesus Christ.

Maybe this helps?

God Bless :)

Answer 8

Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (John 20:21)

God sent Jesus for the word of God and for the forgiveness of sins and Jesus sends his disciples for the forgiveness of sins (or to do confessions). It is the passing of the mission and teachings from Jesus to his disciples. That is why Catholics have the sacrament of reconciliation. They practice the mission of Christ.


The Intercession of the Saints

Fundamentalists often challenge the Catholic practice of asking saints and angels to pray on our behalf. But the Bible directs us to invoke those in heaven and ask them to pray with us.

Thus, in Psalm 103 we pray, "Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!" (Ps. 103:20–21). And in the opening verses of Psalms 148 we pray, "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!"

Not only do those in heaven pray with us, they also pray for us. In the book of Revelation, John sees that "the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 5:8). Thus the saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth.

Angels do the same thing: "[An] angel came and stood at the altar [in heaven] with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God" (Rev. 8:3–4).

Jesus himself warned us not to offend small children, because their guardian angels have guaranteed intercessory access to the Father: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10).

Because he is the only God-man and the Mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus is the only mediator between man and God (1 Tim. 2:5), but this in no way means we cannot or should not ask our fellow Christians to pray with us and for us (1 Tim. 2:1–4). In particular, we should ask the intercession of those Christians in heaven, who have already had their sanctification completed, for "[t]he prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects" (Jas. 5:16).

As the following passages show, the early Church Fathers not only clearly recognized the biblical teaching that those in heaven can and do intercede for us, but they also applied this teaching in their own daily prayer life.

Answer 9

how about when Jesus said 'confess your sins to one another'?

are you sure you have read your edited Bible? even if it's edited, I believe the one that I mentioned is still there.

Catholics believe in intercessory prayers. if you can't understand that, then you're free to keep calling it idol worship.

Answer 10

You're right.

You do need help ... and you don't understand what the bible means.

That's what happens when people adopt false faith traditions and believe preachers and teachers who have NO authority from God to do what they do.

Send for my free Catholic Resource CD and you'll be on your way.

Until then, be careful. You've already been deceived.