Berean cogitations

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Who is more merciful, Jesus or the saints?

I will never forget this conversation that I once had regarding the issue of praying to Mary and the saints. I expressed the opinion that when we ask God for a favor, we can trust Him to respond with all appropriate love, mercy, and wisdom, saying "Yes" or "No" to our prayers as He deems fit.

The other person responded, "But if we need something, our chances of getting it are better if we approach Mary or the saints instead. That's because they know what it's like down here."

I quietly asked, "Are suggesting that God doesn't know what it's like?"

"Well, he's not...," she started to reply, then cut herself off. Fury and hellfire blazed in her eyes, but she could say nothing. She knew that she came this close to declaring that God was not omniscient -- that he did not know what it's like to have our personal sufferings and desires.

This is one reason why I get upset when evangelical Christians insist on treating the Catholic Church as though it were just another Christian denomination. Some of the uniquely Catholic teachings are not merely different from ours; rather, they are downright dangerous. This issue of saintly intercession is a perfect example thereof. It may seem harmless to a casual observer, but at its heart is the implication that Mary and the saints are more merciful, more capable of empathizing with us, than God can ever be. That's not just an erroneous teaching; rather, it is downright dangerous.